How is the Brighton & Hove Biodiversity Action Plan developing?

Brighton & Hove needs its own Biodiversity Action Plan to :

1. Ensure the City plays its part in achieving the targets of the Sussex-wide Urban BAP
2. Make sure local interests and values are fully taken into account

A small Brighton & Hove BAP Steering Group was established in September 2002 to guide development of the 'City BAP'. The Steering Group meets occasionally to set direction and oversee progress. The Steering Group currently comprises:

• English Nature
• Botanical Society of the British Isles
• University of Sussex
• Brighton Urban Wildlife Group
• Brighton & Hove City Council

You can contact the City BAP Steering Group at citywildlife@brighton-hove.gov.uk.

The first role of the City BAP Steering Group has been to recommend habitats and species that should be prioritised for action in Brighton & Hove. This has involved comparing the national and Sussex priorities with the biodiversity found locally. During 2003 the Steering Group assessed a huge amount of survey information, kindly collected without charge by Eco-logically, a local ecological consultancy. The survey data was collected from a wide variety of sources, including local recorders, the Sussex Biodiversity Record Centre and the Booth Museum. The Steering Group then established the following guidelines to help them decide on a draft list of priority habitats and species for the City BAP :

1. Species should be prioritised for biodiversity action which:

• Have (or have the potential for) a stronghold in Brighton & Hove.
• Have requirements that cannot be adequately covered by a habitat Action Plan.
• Have requirements that can be practically addressed within Brighton & Hove.
• Indicate wider environmental benefit.
• Have (or could have) potential for engaging people.
• Have an ecology that allows achievable and useful monitoring of the Brighton & Hove population.
• Have recognition at Sussex or national BAP level.

2. Habitats should be prioritised for biodiversity action which:

• Are relevant to a broad cross-section of people in Brighton & Hove.
• Have requirements that can be practically addressed within Brighton & Hove.
• Address national and Sussex priority habitats and species that occur in the City.

The Steering Group has since chosen a draft list of priority habitats and species for the City BAP and produced a draft City BAP Strategy. The Strategy sets out how separate Action Plans for these habitats and species should be progressed.

Proposed City BAP Priority Species

Click on the names below to find out more information about the ecology of the proposed City BAP priority species. You can also view current species records (including location maps) for each species and send us your own records for them:

Proposed City BAP Priority Habitats

Click on the names below to find out more information about the ecology of each habitat (location maps for each habitat are not yet available).

• The Downs
• Chalk Downland
• Urban Woodland and Street Trees
• The Beach
• Open Spaces
• Gardens (Private)
• Urban Commons
• School Grounds