Welcome to Essex Biodiversity Project

You can use this site to find out about biodiversity in Essex, learn about the species and habitats in the Essex Biodiversity Action Plan, discover how you can get involved in projects and who to contact about wildlife issues.

The Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 came into force on 1 October 2006. Under Section 40 of the Act, all public bodies now have a legal duty to consider biodiversity in their work. More than 900 public bodies will be affected, including local authorities, police, BBC, museums and transport bodies. You can use this site to find out how your organisation could play a key role in enhancing and conserving biodiversity.

Emphasis is now shifting to focus on whole landscapes as the way to conserve biodiversity and the Essex Biodiversity Project is now working with the County and District Councils, Essex Wildlife Trust and other partners on two major projects over the next 2 years to benefit habitats and species across Essex. The Living Landscapes project seeks to produce a vision statement for 40 of the 80 identified Living Landscape Areas to restore areas for the benefit of wildlife people and the local economy, and the Local Wildlife Sites project seeks to achieve Positive Conservation Management for 34% of the identified LoWS in Essex so they have a written and implemented management plan. Both of these projects are part of the Essex Local Area Agreement (LAA) which is being steered by the County Council, with funding from national government, and with work being contributed by all partners. This will help to safeguard and improve the Biodiversity Action Plan species and habitats.

Further information on these projects and the other work of the Essex Biodiversity Project can be followed up using the green buttons to the left of this page.  

                                

Website developed through the 
 financial support of the Environment Agency