pollinator action plan 2019-2022 - west sussex …...our native pollinators include bumblebees and...
TRANSCRIPT
Pollinator Action Plan
2019-2022A Commitment from
West Sussex County Council
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POLLINATORACTIONPLAN2019-2022
ACommitmentfromWestSussexCountyCouncil
WestSussexCountyCouncil(WSCC)iscommittedtohelpingtoconservetheUK’spollinatorsbyensuringthecouncilwillconsidertheneedsofpollinatorsinthedeliveryofitsdutiesandwork.WSCCwillseektoprotectandenhancetheamountandqualityofpollinatorhabitatandmanageitsgreenspacetoprovidegreaterbenefitsforpollinators.WewillensurelocalpeopleareprovidedwithopportunitiestomakeWestSussexmorepollinatorfriendly.
Ourvision:Ourlocalenvironmentwillberichinflower-richhabitats,helpingsupportsustainablepollinatorpopulationsandmakingplacesmoreattractiveforpeopletoliveandworkin.
Aims:TheCouncilwillworkto:
-Encouragelocalplans,policyandguidancetorepresenttheneedsofpollinators
-ProtectandenhancetheamountofpollinatorhabitatinWestSussextopreventextinctionsandimprovethestatusofanylocallythreatenedspecies
-Improveourknowledgeandunderstandingofpollinatorsinourlocalarea
-Increaseawarenessofpollinatorsandtheirhabitatneedsacrosslocalresidents,businessesandotherlandowners
-Increasethecontributiontopollinatorconservationoflandundertheownershipof,ormanagedby,theCountyCouncil
BackgroundtothePlan
Theimportanceofpollinators,pollinatorsunderthreat,factorsleadingtoadeclineinpollinatornumbers,andthenationalpollinatorstrategyisincludedasdetailinAppendixA.
PollinatorsinWestSussex
ThisplanhasbeendevelopedtoraiseawarenessoftheplightofpollinatorsandtoensuretheCouncilanditslocalresidents,businessesandlandownersareprovidedwithinformationtohelpusallprotectandincreaseourpollinatorpopulations.ThisplanisdesignedtoensuretheneedsofpollinatorsareenshrinedacrossthebreadthofCouncilworkandtoincreaseawarenessandunderstandingofpollinatorsacrossourlocalcommunity.
ContributingtoourWestSussexPlan
OneofourWestSussexPlanprioritiesisourcountybeinga‘Strong,SafeandSustainablePlace’.Ourcommitmenttopollinatorscontributestouslookingaftertheenvironmentandourbeautifuloutdoors,andstrengtheningourcommunities.BreathingBetter(apartnershipapproachtoimprovingairqualityinWestSussex)highlightstheco-benefitsofimprovingpollinatorfriendlyhabitatandairquality.Itstates‘……..inadditiontoimprovingairquality(they)arealsoshowntoimprovewaterquality,reduceflooding,improvehealthandwellbeing,increasepropertyvalues,increasebiodiversityandcreatearesilientenvironment’.
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StrategyObjectivesandActions
Aim1:Toensuretheneedsofpollinatorsarerepresentedinlocalplans,policyandguidancewhererelevant:
Objective SpecificActionsforWestSussexCountyCouncil1.1 Increasetheprotectionaffordedto
pollinatorhabitatsandthespeciestheysupportbyensuringappropriatereferenceinlocalplansandpolicieswhererelevant
CarryoutareviewofexistingsurveysandbiodiversitymappingtoidentifykeypollinatorhabitatspresentinWestSussex
Reviewandrevisecurrentmanagementplans/policiesastimetabledtotakeaccountoftheneedsofpollinators
1.2 Increasetheprofileofhabitatsofvaluetopollinatorsinbiodiversityasset,greeninfrastructureandothermaps,plansandprojects
ContributefundingtotheSussexLocalWildlifeSitesInitiativetoreviewstatusandidentifynewsites.
IdentifyfundingforSussexBiodiversityRecordsCentretoundertakeaconditionassessmentofWestSussexNotableRoadVerges.
1.3 Recogniseandcapitaliseonopportunitiestocreatepollinatorfriendlyhabitatsaspartofnewdevelopment
WorkwithDistrictandBoroughPlanningServicestoencouragedeveloperstobringforward-pollinatorfriendlyenvironments/landscapingaspartoftheirrequirementsthroughGreenInfrastructureandotherpoliciesinadoptedplans.WorkwithLocalPlanningAuthoritiestoincorporatetherequirementthroughreviewsofthepoliciesandevidencebase.
Aim2:Toprotect,increaseandenhancetheamountofpollinatorhabitatinWestSussexandpreventanyextinctionandimprovethestatusofanylocallythreatenedspecies
Objective SpecificActions2.1 IncreasethevalueofLocalWildlife
SitesforpollinatorsEnsuretheneedsofpollinatorsaretakenintoaccountinthemanagementofallLocalWildlifeSites(LWS)whichareownedormanagedbytheCouncil
Provideinformationontheneedsofpollinatorstootherowners/managersofLocalWildlifeSites,viatheSussexLocalWildlifeSitesInitiative.
2.2 Increasethevalueofparksandothergreenspaceforpollinators
Highwaystoidentifyareasofvergeswhichmaybenefitfromareducedcuttingregime.Researchbestpractiseandpracticalities.
WorkwithDistrictandBoroughParksandGreenSpaceteamsandothergreenspaceownerstosupportabalancedapproachtoparkmanagementtosupportarangeofusesandwildlifebenefits
2.3 Reducetheimpactofpesticidesonpollinatorsandotherwildlife
ReviewuseofpesticidesbytheCouncilasevidenceorlegislationchangesNBNoevidencetosuggestuseofneonicotinoidsinWSCCestate.
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Aim3:Toincreaseawarenessofpollinatorsandtheirhabitatneedsacrosslocalresidents,businessesandotherlandowners
Objective SpecificActions3.1 Increaseawarenessofpollinators
inthelocalcommunityandwithinlocalbusinesses
WorkwithDistrictandBoroughteams,andcommunityteams,toprovideinformationonpollinatorfriendlygardeningactivitiestolocalresidentsandlocalallotmentholders
EncourageDistrictandBoroughteamstocreatepollinatorfriendlyflowerbedsinparks.
3.2 Increasethenumberofyoungpeoplewhounderstandthevalueoftheirlocalpollinators
Encouragelocalschoolstodevelopwildflowerareasinschoolgrounds.Encourageschoolstoparticipateinlocalornationalpollinatorawardschemes.
Aim4:Toincreasethecontributiontopollinatorconservationoflandundertheownershipof,ormanagedbytheCouncil Objective SpecificActions4.1 Makecouncilownedlandand
buildingsmorepollinatorfriendly
Identifyareasonourestatewherepollinator-friendlyplantingcanbetrialledandmonitorsuccessandfeedback.Specificareasincludeclosedlandfillsites,solarfarms,andmorepubliclyaccessibleareas.
Ensure management for pollinators is included in contractrenewal.
Follow guidance on Green Infrastructure (GI) on capitalprojects,toinclude:AGreenInfrastructureAuditAGreenInfrastructureStrategyforthesiteFollow any local GI policies set out by the Local PlanningAuthority.ProductionofaSiteConstructionEnvironmentManagementPlan,GIManagementandMaintenancePlan
4.3 Increasetheareaofpollinatorhabitatsonlocalgreenspacemanagedbylocalgroups
ResearchwhetherourHighwaysGreenOffercouldbeextendedtovergemanagement.
Aim5:Toimproveourknowledgeandunderstandingofpollinatorsinourlocalarea
Objective SpecificActions5.1 Establisheffective
monitoringofworkbeingcarriedoutinourarea
Carryoutabriefreviewofachievementsannuallyandpublicisesuccesstolocalresidents
Encouragestaffandcontractorstofeedbackonactionstheytakeforpollinators.
5.2 Increaseinformationonthestatusofpollinators
Encouragelocalpeopletosupportnationalpollinatormonitoringschemes
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APPENDIXA
TheImportanceofPollinators
Ournativepollinatorsincludebumblebeesandotherbees(250species),butterfliesandmoths,flies,beetlesandwasps.Inallthereareover4000speciesofinsectintheUKthatcarryoutpollinationofournativewildplantsandourfoodcrops.InsectpollinationisextremelyimportanttotheUKeconomy,withestimatedvaluesof£691millionannually.Withoutpollinatorswewouldstruggletogrowmanyvegetablesandfruitsincludingapples,pears,strawberries,beansandpeas.
Pollinatorsunderthreat
Ourpollinatorsareintrouble
-Halfofour27bumblebeespeciesareindecline
-Threeofthesebumblebeespecieshavealreadygoneextinct
-Two-thirdsofourmothsareinlongtermdecline.
-AcrossEurope38%ofbeeandhoverflyspeciesareindecline
-71%ofourbutterfliesareindecline
Themostsignificantfactorsleadingtothesedeclinesinpollinatornumbersinclude:
1.Habitatloss–Themostsignificantcauseofdeclineisthelossanddegradationofhabitatswhichprovidefood,shelterandnestingsitesforpollinators.Thelossofwildflower-richgrasslandsisoneofthemostimportantissues.Over3millionhectaresofthesehabitatshavebeenlostinEnglandalonesincethe1930s,thelossbeingattributedtomoreintensivefarmingandurban/industrialdevelopment.
2.Pesticides–Thereisgrowingevidencethattheuseofpesticidesishavingharmfuleffectsonpollinatorsincludinghoneybees,wildbeesandbutterflies.Widereffectsthroughoutecosystemsarealsoofconcernandpesticideshavebeenimplicatedinotherdeclinessuchasfarmlandbirdsandsoilorganisms.Theuseof26neonicotinoidsisofparticularconcern.Thesearesystemicpesticideswhichcanbeappliedasaseeddressing(thepreferreddeliverymechanism)orsprayandhaveahightoxicitytoinsects.
3.ClimateChange–longtermchangescandeprivepollinatorsoffoodsuppliesattimeswhentheyneedthem,increasetheirexposuretoparasitesanddiseases,orchangehabitatssothattheyarenolongersuitable.Theremaybegainsaswellaslossesbutaresilientnetworkofgoodpollinatorhabitatacrosstheareaisneededforthemtobeabletoadaptandtakeadvantageofchanges.
Whatpollinatorsneed
Pollinatorsneedmanyofthethingsweneed–food,shelterandnestingareas.
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Food–Pollinatorsneedfood(nectarandpollen)throughouttheseasonfromMarchthroughuntilSeptember.Manyplantsandtreescanprovidethesefoodresources,includingmanysocalled‘weeds’suchasdandelionsandthistles.
Inadditiontoflowers,manypollinatorsneedotherfoodresourcestosupporttheirdifferentlifestages–forexamplebutterflyandmothcaterpillarsneedparticularplantstofeedon.
Shelterandnesting-Densevegetationsuchastussockygrassland,scrub,maturetrees,andpilesofwoodandstonecanprovideessentialhabitatforhibernatingpollinators.Manyspeciesoverwinterasadultsincludingqueenbumblebees,andsomebutterfliesandhoverflies,othersaseggs,larvaeorpupae.Oldburrowsanddensevegetationareusedbybumblebees,withsunnyslopesanddrygroundusedbyground-nestingbeessuchasminingbees.
NationalPollinatorStrategy
TheGovernment’sNationalPollinatorStrategyforEngland(2014)setsouta10yearplantohelppollinatinginsectssurviveandthriveacrossEngland.TheStrategyoutlinesactionstosupportandprotectthemanypollinatinginsectswhichcontributetoourfoodproductionandthediversityofourenvironment.Itisasharedplanofactionwhichlookstoeveryonetoworktogetherandensurepollinators’needsareaddressedasanintegralpartoflandandhabitatmanagement.
InparticulartheStrategyaskslocalauthoritiestotakealeadacrossmanyoftheirworkareasandduties,includingtheirroleinlocalplanningandalsoasmanagersofpublicandamenityspaces,brownfieldsites,schools,carparks,roadsidevergesandroundabouts.
www.westsussex.gov.uk
WS32425 December 2018