What is biodiversity and why is it important?
Biodiversity refers to the variety of living species on Earth, including plants, animals, bacteria, and fungi. Biodiversity is one of the most important and yet often underappreciated facets of life on planet earth. The diversity of life across the planet is staggering and of incredible importance to our continued prosperity as a species. We rely on the products of nature and the “natural capital” such as clean air and water, soils for agriculture as well as the crops themselves, medicines, mental and physical health, recreation, and much more. Biodiversity often finds itself under pressure from many aspects of modern life and industry. Recognition of the threats that our biodiversity is under and the need to respond to it has led to increased awareness and need for action in the last few decades.
Climate change is a significant cause of biodiversity loss. Biodiversity can support efforts to reduce the effects of climate change. Conserved or restored habitats can remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as well as reducing the disastrous impacts of climate change such as flooding and storm surges.
Nature Delivery Plan
As a local authority, the Council has a ‘biodiversity duty’ under the Environment Act 2021 to not only conserve but also to enhance biodiversity.
The Council has recently approved a Nature Delivery Plan which sets out a series of actions for the improvement of biodiversity throughout the Derbyshire Dales.
The Council will aim not only to halt the current declines in biodiversity but also to boost it so that nature is in a better position than before. The Nature Delivery Plan provides the opportunity to assess and review progress across measurable targets as the Council fulfils its biodiversity duty.
The plan has two key objectives -
Objective 1: The biodiversity duty will become embedded into Council practices and the Council will become leaders in championing nature conservation and enhancement.
Objective 2: By 2027, the Council will have revised Local Plan policies on nature conservation and enhancement.
Verges and open spaces project
During the weeks of lockdown, the verges and open spaces were not cut as frequently as possible. This allowed many species to flourish across the Country, even those that had been considered endangered. So, in 2021, working with parish councils and community groups, the District Council identified 15 pilot sites to trial limited grass cutting. These sites were only cut twice, once in early March and a second at the end of August. Some of these areas were scarified which means shallow holes were created in the ground, to give seeds already in the soil the space and light to germinate. Following Officer engagement, community groups sowed seeds and raked the grass clipping in line with the pilot of the now Biodiversity Project and the trail saw tremendous results.
In its second year in 2022, as well as continuing to nurture the 15 year one sites - to which four new locations were added - the project increased biodiversity on larger areas of land owned and maintained by the District Council, including parks, open spaces, roundabouts and churchyards.
By the end of 2022 there were 38 sites in total and botanical surveys identified 94 species of plants, ranging from common dandelions and buttercups to four species of orchid.
In 2023 79 sites were left and cut once with great results – with the rare bee orchid growing in 3 locations. In ongoing surveys 124 different wildflower species were found. Where practical ‘Bee Kind Embrace Nature’ signs were put on sites so that our residents understood that the sites were being managed for nature. Many sites had border cuts so that the verges look more ‘managed’. During the summer of 2023, the District Council joined forced with the County Council’s project of a similar nature called Pathfinders. The Pathfinder Project saw the District Council removing far more grass clipping with new equipment and reporting on the time and weight of the process. It is the intention of County Council to use this information to support a wider Derbyshire Strategy for grass cutting that enhanced biodiversity.
Through the 2024 season we continue to manage these 79 sites, including 12 that have been sown with wildflower seed. These will be cut at the end of the season with the exception of the Arc at Matlock which will have a mid season cut.
Interactive map of sites being managed for nature
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Wildlife Gardening
Find out more about wildlife gardening.
Swift boxes
The Council has recently installed universal swift boxes at our Town Hall offices and Matlock Bus Station hoping to attract pairs of swifts looking for new nest sites. Thanks to Derbyshire Swift Conservation for providing us with their advice on these projects.
Swifts are a summer visitor, arriving back in the UK to nest in our towns and villages. Established pairs return to the same nest every year, establishing colonies that can last for centuries. In common with several other migratory bird species breeding numbers of swifts have declined across the UK by over 60% over the last 25 years. In contrast to other species, however, one major factor causing Swift decline appears to be the ongoing loss of suitable nest sites as building repair, renovation and replacement gradually results in the loss of access holes to their nest sites within the fabric of buildings.
Swift facts
- Swifts are the fastest of all birds in level flight, reaching close to 70mph
- Swifts rarely land – they only land on buildings to nest for a few weeks a year
- Swifts have one of the longest migration journeys in the world
