THE DECLARING of an ecological emergency in Warwick district has been welcomed.
A full meeting of Warwick District Council unanimously passed a motion put forward by Lib-Dem councillor Phil Kohler and seconded by Green member James Kennedy.
WDC will now develop a Biodiversity Action Plan which will support the Government’s Environment Act of 2021 – which aims to clean up the country’s air, restore natural habitats, increase biodiversity, reduce waste and make better use of resources.
It will also seek to improve biodiversity in the green spaces managed by WDC and its contractors, plant wildflowers on roadside verges, reduce or eliminate use of weedkillers, and create wildlife corridors.
Coun Kennedy said “I am delighted that this landmark biodiversity motion has been passed by Warwick District Council.
“It has followed extensive preparatory work by Green Party councillors and the relevant case officers, and the culmination of great co-operation with the Lib Dems and indeed by all parties.
“By helping nature to recover we can help ourselves by reducing flooding, improving air quality and cooling town centres. A more biodiverse environment is better for our mental and physical health.”
Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, charities and community groups, gardeners, allotment holders and farmers are already actively engaged in trying to improve biodiversity across the district.
And Warwickshire County Council has recently introduced a policy which considers a sustainable county-wide approach to verge maintenance and wildflower planting in order to increase biodiversity while maintaining road safety.
The Biodiversity Action Plan will also complement WDC’s Climate Action Plan adopted in 2019 after WDC declared a Climate Emergency.
The climate plan commits WDC to become a net zero council, to reduce carbon emissions of the district as a whole and to enable the district’s environment and communities to adapt to the rise in global temperatures, including an ambitious tree planting programme.
