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Biodiversity Policy

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DRYBROOK PARISH COUNCIL BIODIVERSITY POLICY

Biodiversity refers to the variety of life on earth as defined in ‘Biodiversity 2020: a strategy for England’s wildlife and ecosystem services’ by Defra.  It is widely recognised that we need to be more connected to the natural world for our own survival.  Biodiversity is also important in maintaining the resilience of the services nature provides for us, such as carbon sequestration.

Drybrook Parish Council recognises this value and is cognisant of its legal duty to conserve and increase biodiversity, as required by all public bodies by the Natural Environment and Rural communities Act 2006, and therefore commits to conserve and increase biodiversity throughout the parish of Drybrook.

As a Parish Council we will:

  • Consider the impact on biodiversity in the decisions we make through our committees and working groups, by seeking to minimise adverse impacts on biodiversity of activity and identifying opportunities to increase biodiversity when practicable.
  • Facilitate a Biodiversity Forum that will identify, encourage and communicate good biodiversity practice within the parish. This forum will be open to all stakeholders that share our goals to conserve and increase biodiversity in the parish and will support us in developing a Parish Biodiversity Strategy and Implementation Plan
  • Encourage practices and projects beneficial to biodiversity through grants we make.
  • Where appropriate, set aside land to allow the natural flourishing of biodiversity
  • Support the Forest of Dean District Council and other neighbouring Parish Councils in their efforts to enhance biodiversity.

As a landowner we will:

  • Proactively remove invasive species as required under appropriate legislation in order to prevent harm to native species.
  • Avoid the use of herbicides except in exceptional circumstances
  • Properly scale and time grounds maintenance work or vegetation removal such that the impact on biodiversity is minimised. Maintenance practices which are beneficial to biodiversity will be taken into consideration when contracts are placed.