NERC Act biodiversity duty and you Nick White

NERC Act, biodiversity duty and you Nick White

Why Care About Biodiversity?

An Unvalued and Threatened Asset

NERC Duty Re-Cap • Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 • Duty on ALL public bodies to: ‘have a duty to have regard to the conservation of biodiversity in the exercise their functions’ • NERC applied to England & Wales. Separate legislation in Scotland • Defra commitment to review the Duty – completed 2010

What Areas Does NERC Cover? • The Duty covers virtually every aspect of activities undertaken (including) – Procurement – Grounds and facilities management and maintenance – Staff – Customers/suppliers – Communications – Organisational policies and procedures – etc

NERC and Universities • 2010 NERC Duty review main findings – 19% of universities contacted responded to survey – Of those 61% aware of Duty – All (100%) believed Duty was relevant to them • Actions undertaken by Universities – 52% set aside time for staff to undertake vol activities – 43% issued internal guidance on biodiversity – 48% held public consultation/events on biodiversity – 61% had biodiversity strategy/policy – 51% had corporate objectives/action plan – 70% had incorporated into other policies – 61% incorporated into land management policies – 78% into grounds maintenance contracts

Drivers for Action Identified by Universities • Beyond the Duty itself the following drivers for biodiversity action were identified: – Staff and students – e. g. Establishment of environmental volunteering groups and academic staff projects – Participation in Eco. Campus scheme – Recognition that biodiversity rich estate can help attract students and attract and retain staff – Perceived ‘Moral Duty’ to do something • Guidance Universities were using – Defra NERC Duty guidance (39%) – UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) – Biodiversity on Campus – An EAUC Practical Guide

University Case Study 1 Loughborough University – external awareness raising • establishing a number of campus walks to help students and the local community experience nature on the campus; • � establishing a conservation action group to undertake practical conservation work – provides students with environmental education and exposure to conservation issues; • � woodland conservation days to get students into the woodlands on campus to undertake habitat works • the ‘Trees for Loughborough’ scheme, which is a carbonoffsetting scheme that takes into account biodiversity issues, as well as promoting action on climate change.

University Case Study 2 Warwick University – Integrating Biodiversity Into Environmental Policies • � “seek to integrate a consideration of environmental issues into all relevant aspects of the university’s teaching and research activities; • � in conjunction with local, national and other agencies, promote and raise awareness of good environmental management policies and practices among staff, students and other stakeholders across the university; • � promote a purchasing policy which favours those products and services which cause the least harm to the environment; • � develop and maintain the grounds and buildings of the university in an environmentally sensitive way, seeking to protect and enhance natural habitats and biodiversity. ”

University Case Study 3 London Metropolitan University – Greening the Grey • Has only one courtyard space and initial view was there was little it could do to benefit biodiversity. • BUT – it became a member of a local environment group and realised that it could do the following: – Putting ‘green roofs’ on new buildings – Replanting their courtyard space with native plants – Use of planters and containers to increase the amount of ‘green’ across their estate – Nesting and roosting opportunities

Other Actions Universities Have Undertaken • • • . creation of a biodiversity working group or equivalent adoption of biodiversity as a key performance measure; sustainable development strategy incl biodiversity or BAP Participation in the Eco. Campus scheme; liaison with grounds and environmental academic staff to identify potential projects production of a public realm design guide incl biodiversity Undertake management of the university estate or campus for the benefit of biodiversity surveys on the university estate* Biodiversity and BREEAM assessment credits; production of habitat management plans for universityowned land; Link with local environmental groups, BAP partnerships

Enough From Me. . Your Turn Thinking about your own role and also the type and nature of your institution I’d like you to come up with 2 actions for Biodiversity. 1. An immediate quick-win YOU can implement 2. Something more ambitious requiring collaboration and/or advice In particular are there ways that biodiversity can help to address other current/anticipated challenges your institution faces?

Final Thoughts • Landscape-scale thinking ‘Bigger, better and more joined-up’ Sir john Lawton • Ecosystem services and the role of biodiversity in enhancing these e. g. – Air quality – Flooding – Health – Carbon etc • The role and potential universities can play

Contact Nicholas White Nick. white@naturalengland. org. uk 07899 943544