The Harrogate district biodiversity action plan (BAP) sets out how we hope to stop and reverse the decline in wildlife in the district.
It's the result of a partnership between us and bodies including North Yorkshire County Council, Natural England and the Environment Agency, along with local naturalist and conservation groups and local people.
The Biodiversity Action Partnership has identified key habitats and species which are contained in the individual habitat and species action plans. These set out the importance of the species and habitat, identify their local status, threats to them and opportunities to help their recovery.
Finally, the action programme draws together the targets and actions to help to reverse these declines locally.
The BAP document includes a look at policy, an overview of the district's wildlife, 15 habitat action plans (HAPs), seven species action plans (SAPs) and the action programme. It's a “snapshot in time” but will be a useful reference tool and a basis for on-going monitoring of the district's wildlife - and for future projects to secure and improve biodiversity.
The plan is intended as a living document, so the action programme is likely to be updated annually. Progress will be monitored via the biodiversity action reporting system (BARS) progress report.