Biodiversity

In June 1992, the Convention of Biological Diversity was signed by 159 governments at the Earth Summit, in Rio de Janeiro.  You may have heard of it called the Rio Convention.  It came into force on 29 December 1993 providing a legal framework for biodiversity conservation. It called for the creation and enforcement of national strategies and action plans to conserve, protect and enhance biological diversity.

Biodiversity Partnership

The Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes Biodiversity Partnership is made up of over 40 organisations - including local authorities, charities and community organisations working to protect and enhance the wildlife of Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes.

The partnership has 2 major projects:

Biodiversity Action Plan

This aims to create a landscape that is beneficial to both people and wildlife. It contains targets for habitat protection, management restoration and creation.

The partnership is developing Biodiversity Opportunity Areas where it is looking to work with landowners and local people to protect and enhance local wildlife habitats.  This will enable wildlife to spread through the area, adapt to climate change and should reduce local extinctions.

Local wildlife sites

These are sites of local importance for nature conservation - they include grasslands, ponds, commons, wetlands, woodlands, hedgerows, green lanes and road verges, and are recognised within the local planning system.

The project aims to raise awareness of the importance of local wildlife sites and to help landowners manage their sites to increase their wildlife interest.

For more information call 01296 382949 or email countryside@buckscc.gov.uk

Other useful websites (these sites will open in a new window)

• Biodiversity Partnership
• Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Environmental Records Centre
• The Convention on Biodiversity
• UK Biodiversity Action Plan

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