Local Biodiversity Action Plan

Closed Thursday 16 March 2023.

The Council has launched a consultation on the second edition of its Local Biodiversity Action Plan (LBAP). The plan will cover the period 2022-2032 and sets out what can be done locally to help protect, restore and enhance our habitats and species over the next 10 years.

The LBAP aims to conserve biodiversity through local partnerships, considering both national and local priorities by involving local people and local community and conservation organisations through the practical delivery of biodiversity conservation.

The aims of the Local Biodiversity Action Plan are:

Objective 1: Help and conserve habitats and species
Objective 2: Raise awareness of the ecosystem services provided by key species in Ards and the North Down Borough Council area.
Objective 3: Involve people in biodiversity projects and develop partnerships

An essential part of the LBAP process is to establish, through a biodiversity audit, which of the internationally important and UK and Northern Ireland priority habitats and species that occur in the Council area. This is then used to identify habitats and species to be prioritised for conservation action.

As a result of an extensive audit, a series of actions have been drafted to help conserve and enhance the priority habitats and species identified that are of international, national, regional, and crucially local significance within this Council area.

LBAP Actions fall under one of four themes:

Theme 1: Education and Awareness
Theme 2: Research and Monitoring
Theme 3: Land Management
Theme 4: Building Partnerships

A total of 77 Actions have been proposed across all four themes

Why your views matter

Local biodiversity action plans are fundamental documents to deliver conservation at a local scale. The Biodiversity Action Plan is a partnership effort to target actions for key habitats and species in Ards and North Down. Integral to the success of the LBAP, is the collaboration of interested parties, sharing knowledge, expertise and resources to deliver action for nature. We would like to know what you think about our plan.

How to take part

Please read the Draft Local Biodiversity Action Plan 2022 - 2032 and the associated actions below. Following this please complete the online survey https://engage.ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk/parks-1/andbc-draft-lbap-2022-2032.

The consultation process opens on 19 January 2023 and closed on Thursday 16 March 2023.

Note, original closing date for this consultation was 26 February 2023 but deadline for responses was extended.