Understanding the new Biodiversity Delivery Framework

In late 2008 the England Biodiversity Group published a new framework for the conservation of priority habitats and species in England – Securing biodiversity . It builds on the strengths of the Biodiversity Action Plan, including its target setting and partnership working, aiming to achieve biodiversity enhancements across whole landscapes and seascapes.

Pressures on our natural environment continue, and climate change further threatens the ability of many species to survive. We currently face losing essential natural products and services that support our everyday lives, such as medicines derived from plants and floodwater storage capacity.

The framework promotes landscape-scale conservation, restoration and creation. Working at this broader scale will enable us to protect the range of habitat types necessary to support species and conserve healthy, functioning ecosystems. Local and national specialists will be consulted on species needs. This will ensure specific requirements are recognised and integrated into habitat work, so making species well placed to move and adapt to the future effects of climate change.

Natural England has been appointed lead delivery body for the England Biodiversity Strategy and taking forward the new biodiversity framework for England.

The framework has four aspects:

Strategy Implementation Groups

Eleven groups responsible for progressing and developing policy in areas such as education, business and climate change for the delivery of the England Biodiversity Strategy.

• Sectoral – agriculture; water; woodland; marine; coastal; urban
• Cross-cutting – climate change adaptation; education and public understanding; local and regional action; economics and funding; engaging the business community

Biodiversity Integration Groups

Nine groups responsible for working with regional and local biodiversity partnerships to ensure that habitat is delivered in the right places with the right characteristics to support species present. The groups will also identify priority projects and resources to implement conservation work.

• Lowland farmland – arable field margins; calaminarian grasslands; hedgerows; lowland calcareous grassland; lowland dry acid grassland; lowland heathland; lowland meadows; purple moor-grass and rush pastures; traditional orchards; upland hay meadows
• Uplands – blanket bog; inland rock outcrop and scree habitats; limestone pavement; mountain heaths and willow scrub; upland calcareous grassland; upland flushes, fens and swamps; upland heathland
• Lakes and Ponds – Aquifer-fed Naturally Fluctuating Water Bodies; Eutrophic Standing Waters; Mesotrophic Lakes; Oligotrophic and Dystrophic Lakes; Ponds
• Rivers – chalk rivers; rivers
• Wetlands – coastal and floodplain grazing marsh; lowland fens; lowland raised bog; reedbeds
• Coastal – coastal saltmarsh; coastal sand dunes; coastal vegetated shingle; intertidal mudflats; maritime cliff and slopes; saline lagoons
• Marine – 16 marine habitats in England
• Urban and Brownfield – open mosaic habitats on previously developed land
• Woodland – lowland beech and yew woodland; lowland mixed deciduous woodland; upland mixed ashwoods; upland oakwood; wet woodland; wood-pasture and parkland

Targeted Species Recovery

Not all species actions can be carried out through integration into habitat-based work. In these cases Natural England will work with partners to deliver agreed work.

Regional and Local Delivery

Biodiversity is ultimately lost or conserved at a local level. Strong local and regional biodiversity partnerships are a crucial element in achieving this framework, and there will be closer working to ensure synergy of national and local expertise.

For more information on ecosystem services, visit the Defra ecosystems service project
For more information on the contribution that nature makes to our economy, visit the Natural England website to download No Charge? Valuing the natural environment
For more information on the global economic benefits of biodiversity, visit The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity study