UK Biodiversity Plans

Species and Habitat Action Plans
(SAPs and HAPs)

There are now 391 priority Species Action Plans (SAPs) and 45 key Habitat Action Plans (HAPs) which have been agreed and published. The SAPs and HAPs are 10-15 year plans, which set targets and objectives for the maintenance or enhancement of a species population and range, or for the management and restoration or creation of habitat.

In selecting species for action plans, the Steering Group used the following criteria:

• their numbers or range have declined substantially in recent years
• they are endemic
• they are under a high degree of international threat
• they are covered by relevant Conventions, Directives and legislation.

In selecting key habitats for action plans, the Steering Group used the following criteria:

• habitats for which the UK has international obligations
• habitats rare or at risk
• areas which may be functionally critical
• areas important for key species.

Each Action Plan has a Lead Partner(s) responsible for co-ordinating implementation. These can be a Government Department or Agency (e.g. English Nature, DEFRA) or a NGO conservation body (e.g. RSPB, Butterfly Conservation, Plantlife). For more information on these organisations and their role in SAPs and HAPs, click here.

The fact that national targets have been agreed for the conservation of critical species and habitats is of crucial importance, not only in defining clear objectives for their conservation, but also because it provides a basis for measuring the future success of the whole UK plan. Progress on implementing the UK's Action Plans is reviewed in the publication "Sustaining the Variety of Life - The UK Biodiversity Group's report on the first 5 years of the UK Biodiversity Action Plan" which can be accessed at the Government's UK Biodiversity website: www.ukbap.org.uk.

Local Biodiversity Action Plans

Local Biodiversity Action Plans (LBAPs) complement the national strategy. Each LBAP is developed by partnerships which determine the contribution they can make to the delivery of the national Species and Habitat Action Plans, as well as targets for local characteristic habitats and species. The initiators of a LBAP (often biodiversity conservation experts) identify other partners, including businesses and Local Authorities, to collaborate in a wider partnership. They then set roles for groups and individuals. There are now 160 LBAPs being prepared or implemented. To see what is being done in your local area, click here.

The UK Government has chosen progress with Biodiversity Action Plans as one of its headline indicators of sustainable development. Sustainable development has been defined as development which seeks to meet the needs of the current generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs (The Brundtland Report: "Our Common Future"). The concept of sustainable development aims to balance economic growth, environmental quality and social equity - the triple bottom line. Environmental quality refers to the whole environment: both areas such as waste management and energy efficiency which are standard components of company's environmental management systems, and the broader issues of ecology or biodiversity management. The UK government is committed to sustainable development targets agreed at the 1992 Earth Summit - and it expects companies to play their role in meeting these targets.

The UK Biodiversity Action Reporting System (BARS) is a web-based information system that supports the planning, monitoring and reporting requirements of national, local and company Biodiversity Action Plans (BAPs). Everyone working on BAPs at national and local levels can maintain their data in a secure environment and integrate it across users and organisations to provide an overview of BAP progress for each species and habitat and at different geographical scales. For more information click here.

Photo Credit: Peter Wakely/ English Nature