Biodiversity in Bexley
About Bexley's wildlife
Bexley's Biodiversity Action Plan
Forewords
To
read one of the forewords to this Plan, please click
on the author's name below. The foreword will pop up
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What is Biodiversity?
Biodiversity, short for biological diversity, is the variety of life
forms all over the world. It encompasses the whole range
of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, insects
and other invertebrates, plants fungi and micro-organisms
such as protozoa, bacteria and viruses. It also includes
habitats - places in which species live as a community.
Why produce a Biodiversity Action Plan?
From the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 the British
Government responded by publishing Biodiversity: The
UK Action Plan in 1994 and establishing the UK Biodiversity
Action Plan Steering Group. The UK Steering Group Report
was published in 1995 and although the Report provided
the national framework for biodiversity, it also emphasises
the importance of local action through Local Biodiversity
Action Plans.
The establishment of the new Greater London Authority requires
the Mayor of London to publish a Biodiversity Strategy.
The London Strategy is to be prepared with regard to
actions in the London Boroughs and so Bexely's Plan
will help support the London Plan and the National Biodiversity
Action Plan. Published in November 2000, the Rural White
Paper states that the Government expects all local authorities
to incorporate planning for local action on biodiversity
into their new community strategies.
And Locally
Following extensive consultation with Bexley partners, the UK
and London Biodiversity Partnership, Bexley has launched
the first tranche of species and habitat action plans,
reflecting priorities for conservation and the widest
possible involvement of residents and landowners in
the Borough.
The
individual plans are set in the context of the generic
section of the London wide plans (see appendix), which
form part of the overall London Biodiversity Action
Plan. In reference to site action plans, it will also
inform the conservation management of the Borough's
current and potential natural resource. In this the
actions and positive involvement of partners, of volunteers
and of the wider public will play an essential role.
This document is meant to be a starting point for an ongoing
and essentially practical process, which will lead to
regular monitoring and reports on findings and achievements.
It is also open to the possibility of introducing further
species and habitat action plans on an ongoing basis.
In particular, the current listing of species should
not be regarded as either exhaustive or including all
species with priority needs either now or in the future.
In
parallel to this comprehensive practical approach will
be a summary document intended to achieve the widest
possible interest and involvement of the general public.
There will also be an invitation to become involved
with the action plan including the possibility of submitting
records to a central point either by internet or more
conventional ways.
Many
people have contributed to the production of individual
plans and to the presentation of the current document.
Ongoing wide commitment to observing and reporting relevant
details and supporting positive action will mark the
success of the plan implementation process. Our thanks
to all that have been involved and who will contribute
to the successful introduction, implementing and monitoring
of the plan are boundless.
The
reward for all will hopefully be in looking round at
the health of the wonderful legacy of wildlife and wild
areas which we have inherited in Bexley and ensuring
that it is handed on to future generations in a state
that is as good and as extensive as that with which
we have all been entrusted.
Improving the Quality
of Life in Bexley
At
a Local Level, the development of Bexley's Biodiversity
Action Plan supports the Council's commitment to protect
and enhance wildlife in the Borough. The Action Plan
builds on from the Council's Unitary Development Plan
(UDP)
and Bexley's Local Agenda 21 (LA21) (the Second-Generation)
Strategy, to improve the quality of life in Bexley.
Bexley's Biodiversity Action Plan helps to deliver this
commitment by supporting the Council's six key aims.
In addition to these two strategic documents the Biodiversity
Action Plan also builds on from the Parks Strategy and
the Trees & Woodlands Strategy.
The Council's Six Key Aims
Promoting Education for Life
Our aim is to raise educational achievements and expectations
so our young people have a good start in life and everyone
in Bexley has opportunities for continuing learning
and training.
Bexley's Biodiversity Action Plan will support this key aim by:
- providing information and guidance for schools to create new
practical and academic education opportunities. This
will also help contribute towards the Eco-School Award
Scheme;
-
supporting work of the 'Leave it to Us' (youth LA21
Focus Group)
- helping
schools undertake a Biodiversity audit of their school
grounds;
- providing
people of all ages with the opportunity to learn more
about wildlife and habitats in Bexley - guiding them
to organisations, books and web-sites for further
information;
- providing
schools, universities and colleges and individuals
with the opportunity to work in with professional
organisations such as North West Kent Countryside
Project and
 BTCV;
- encouraging people of all ages and backgrounds to learn more about
Bexley's wildlife and to learn to appreciate it.
Improving Health and Well-Being
Our aim is to work towards a healthy borough where a range
of community services help to protect vulnerable children,
and support adults in need, assisting them to live independently
and with dignity.
Bexley's
Biodiversity Action Plan will support this key aim by:
- encouraging
people to 'get out' to explore wildlife with friends
and family in Bexley's parks & open spaces and
the wider countryside;
- increasing
people's sense of well being, knowing that a diverse
wildlife is there and being actively conserved and
enhanced;
- encouraging
the development and involvement of Friends of or Conservation
Groups in Bexley's parks & open spaces. These
groups offer physical and mental challenges and bring
people together - a sense of community;
- providing
activities and opportunities for all sections of the
community, no matter their background or their physical
or mental ability.
Sustaining Prosperity and Extending Opportunity through Regeneration
Our aim is to build on Bexley's strengths and address local
business needs in order to sustain a strong economy
and good quality jobs, underpinned by an improved transport
network.
Bexley's Biodiversity Action Plan will support this key aim by:
- being
a planning tool and supporting the UDP;
- involving
the business community in the Biodiversity Partnership;
- helping
to maximise wildlife gain from future large to small
scale developments and landscaping schemes in town
centres, residential areas and commercial sites;
- giving
direction for planning gain (106 agreements);
- helping
to maintain and improve Bexley's green image, thus
making the Borough more inviting to visitors and investment.
- opening
up and improving funding opportunities for general
regeneration of Bexley such as in Belvedere's Franks
Park;
- improving
the quality and use of walks such as the London Outer
Orbital Path (LOOP),
the Green Chain and the River Thames Walk and cycle
path.
Making our Community Safer
Our aim is to work with our partners to tackle crime and
the fear of crime and to promote community responsibility
so that people feel safe and secure in the Borough
Bexley's Biodiversity Action Plan will support this key aim by:
- encouraging individuals and community groups to increase their
appreciation and use of parks & open spaces;
- managing certain habitats better in ways that will improve
access and safety eg. glade (woodland clearing) and
ride
(woodland path) management in woodlands;
- furthering use of the Youth Offending Team and the Probation
Service on environmental tasks, hopefully leading
to greater understanding and respect from their clients
towards the environment.
Caring for our Environment
Our aim is to protect and enhance the local environment,
support Local Agenda 21 and ensure that Bexley is a
clean, safe and attractive place in which to live and
work.
Bexley's Biodiversity Action Plan will support this key aim by:
- delivering certain key aims of the LA21 Strategy;
- ensuring better protection and management of current and future
Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), Local
Nature Reserves (LNRs), Metropolitan Open Land (MOL)
and Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINCs);
- maintaining and increasing the habitats and species characteristically
found in Bexley;
- supporting national and regional priorities in addition to local
needs;
- increasing the identification, surveying and recording of habitats
and species in Bexley;
- being
an effective planning tool and integrated into the
UDP;
- raising people's awareness of their general environment and
nature conservation in particular;
- making sure that we can pass on to future generations a Bexley
that has an increased diversity and abundance of habitats
and wildlife;
- increasing the use of partnerships and networking to disseminate
information on up to date processes and practices,
thus making sure Bexley is at the forefront of urban
nature conservation.
Making the most of our leisure time
Our aim is to support leisure, sport and the arts and work
with local people land partners to develop modern, accessible
services for the benefit of local communities and individuals.
Bexley's Biodiversity Action Plan will support this key aim by:
- encouraging people to get involved in Friends of/Conservation
Groups;
- developing and promoting a wide range of events in Bexley's Parks
& Open Spaces for the public, including wildlife
talks and walks;
- increasing opportunity for all to get involved with professional
conservation bodies such as BTCV
and NWKCP,
who have a national or regional outlook on practical
and physically undemanding conservation tasks for
public involvement.
- promoting sustainable gardening and allotment use as an active
and fulfilling leisure activity
Resources
Many of the actions contained within this action plan
will not be a significant burden on financial resources.
Council funded actions in this plan will be contained
within the existing Grounds Maintenance and Planning
budgets. It is hoped that the document will attract
further funding from national and regional initiatives
on biodiversity. Any action that does not fall within
these budgets and has failed to attract funding from
local budgets and/or independent funding will be deferred
until funding is found. 'Leads' of the action plans
and individual actions will be able to use this document
to maximise external funding opportunities.
An Explanation of Bexley's Biodiversity Action Plan
Bexley's Biodiversity Action Plan identifies habitats and species
in the Borough that are of national, regional and local
importance and outlines a plan of action for their conservation.
Other materials supporting the Action Plan are:
- an Introduction to Bexley's biodiversity Action Plan
document;
- a Summary Action Plan document - outlining
the main points contained in the Action Plan;
- a database - co-ordinating all existing and future wildlife
records for Bexley; and
- this web site - so local people and people around the world
can learn about Bexley's Biodiversity.
Biodiversity does not stop at the Borough boundary so a 'local' Biodiversity
Action Plan must fit in with regional and national plans.
To be consistent with national and regional thinking,
the structure and layout of Bexley's Plan has followed
guidelines set out by the National Biodiversity Network
and the Greater London Authority.
This
is a living plan, so from time to time it will be necessary
to amend and update sections. Hence the plan has been
presented in this loose ring bound folder, to enable
easy updating.
To
help practitioners, land managers, conservationists
and the general public to use the document it has been
broken into sections, which are in turn divided up.
A free summary of this document is also be made available.
The
sections of this Action Plan are :
Introduction
This
introduces Bexley's Biodiversity Action Plan and the
first tranche (set) of action plans. Further tranches
will follow in subsequent years.
Habitat
Action Plans
Set out alphabetically, these plans contain the habitats
characteristically found in Bexley. The Action Plans
set out the current condition of the habitats nationally,
regionally and locally, and the actions currently being
taken. Each plan ends with a table of proposed actions.
Species
Action Plans
Set
out alphabetically, these plans outline the current
status of species characteristically important to Bexley
and regionally and nationally, and current action and
factors that may be causing decline. Each plan ends
with a table of proposed actions.
Public
involvement
Although
this plan is primarily produced for the use of practitioners,
enabling the general public to get involved and to increase
awareness is of the utmost importance to biodiversity
conservation.
For
each habitat and species this section lists:
- descriptions
for identification;
-
practical conservation measures that most people can
do;
- names
and contacts for more information.
This
section also contains a unique listing of relevant books
that can be found in Bexley's Libraries, complete with
the reference numbers.
Acknowledgements
This
document would not have been possible without the enormous
amount of work undertaken by groups and individuals
- these are listed in this section.
Appendices
This
section lists the generic biodiversity actions taken
directly from the London Biodiversity Action Plan Volume
2. It also includes amendments to these generic plans
to take account of the local situation in Bexley.
We hope that this introduction will help you to use Bexley's
Biodiversity Action Plan. If you would like a copy of
the 'Summary Action Plan' document please ask at your
local Bexley Library or information centre. You can
also get a copy posted to you by contacting the Conservation
Officer at London Borough of Bexley.
Comments are always welcome and should you feel you could help
in the implementation of this 1st Tranche or preceding
rounds, have any specific comments to make on this document
or its layout then please contact:
Nature Conservation Officer
London Borough of Bexley
Civic Offices
Broadway
Bexleyheath
Kent DA6 7LB
Tel: 020 8294 6558
E-mail: parks&openspaces@bexley.gov.uk
Bexley's
Biodiversity Action Plan is part of Bexley's Local Agenda
21 (LA21) process. LA21 is an Action Plan for Sustainable
development in the 21st Century, aiming to improve the
quality of life for everyone now, while not compromising
future generations' ability to meet their own needs.
If
you would like to find out more about LA21 in Bexley
or more about Bexley's commitment to conserving and
enhancing Biodiversity, then please contact:
Michael
Frizoni,
Assistant Director of Environmental Services (Highways
& Amenities Department)
London Borough of Bexley
Civic Offices
Broadway
Bexleyheath
Kent DA6 7LB
Tel: 020 8294 6570
Email: worksdirect@bexley.gov.uk
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