Welcome to Warwick District Council’s first Biodiversity Action Programme which has been developed following our Ecological Emergency declaration in October 2022.

Warwick District’s wildlife, habitats and ecosystems are vitally important, from the services they provide in terms of clean air, water and food, through to climate regulation and access to nature for health, wellbeing and recreation. Sadly, biodiversity is being lost at an alarming rate and Warwick District Council is determined to help by delivering local action. We need to stop destroying habitats, restore and extend what remains and create new spaces for nature. We should also ensure that wildlife can move between these habitats by establishing a connected ecological network.

Our Biodiversity Action Programme sets out our strategic approach to 2050 to help create a district that is rich in nature by halting biodiversity loss and putting nature on a path to recovery. It also plays an important role in the delivery of our plans for climate change mitigation and adaptation which were developed following the Council’s Climate Emergency declaration in 2019.

A key focus of the programme is the Council’s own land and assets. We are extremely proud of our wonderful parks and open spaces and we seek to maximise the benefits for nature and people through the way we manage and maintain them.

In our role as the Local Planning Authority, we will strive to help nature by setting local planning policies that protect and prioritise wildlife and habitats in construction projects – another key focus of the programme.

We cannot deliver this ambitious programme alone - people and partnerships are at the very heart of it and will determine its success. We want to work with individuals, communities, partner organisations, businesses and landowners to capitalise on local action for nature.

We are determined that our Biodiversity Action Programme prioritises action and have therefore created a detailed action plan to 2030. This sets out numerous, specific actions and we will monitor progress against these.

We’re excited to put biodiversity at the heart of what the Council does by launching this ambitious Biodiversity Action Programme and helping to make Warwick District a place that is rich in nature, delivering multiple benefits for wildlife and people.

Councillor Ian Davison, Leader of the Council

Councillor Chris King, Deputy Leader of the Council