Natural environment

The way in which we use our land has an important impact on the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Land use and land management also have an important impact on carbon balances, for example in soils and forests. Land use such as forestry and agriculture has the potential to make a positive difference, absorbing carbon dioxide and countering the harmful impact of emissions from other sectors.

Our Borough benefits from wonderfully diverse habitats, with numerous designated sites of special scientific interest, local nature reserves and conservation sites. However, significant proportions of our local species of birds, mammals, plants and insects are declining and at further risk.

It is imperative that we work with our communities and partners to halt the declines which we are already seeing and take measures to protect and improve our natural environment. By doing so, we can not only protect and restore local biodiversity, but we can also help to mitigate some of the future impacts of climate change.

Our 2030 Goals:

  • The Borough will benefit from a natural environment that is protected against future climate change, enhanced wherever possible and supported to recover from biodiversity loss.

  • The Borough will benefit from 30 per cent of the land area being utilised to support nature’s recovery.

  • The Borough will benefit from nature based solutions which limit the impacts of a changing climate.

  • We will lead by example by reconsidering management regimes of the Council’s own land holdings to the benefit of nature’s recovery, for example by planting more trees or by rewilding.