GWT: Wildlife Public Consultation
A big thank you to the 50 or so residents who joined the Zoom presentation and discussion on 26th January.
And huge thanks too to Gareth Parry for a superb presentation. GWT will be presenting their report in late March so this will be shared with everyone.
Key points from the presentation:
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- Bisley with Lypiatt Parish sits within 2 wildlife priority landscapes –the Slad Valley to the north and the Golden Valley to the south. The centre of the Parish is largely undesignated. The NDP is an opportunity to identify actions in planning law.
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- The Nature Recovery strategy focusses on an ecosystem approach and is led by Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust in Gloucestershire https://www.gloucestershirenature.org.uk/nature-recovery-network
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nature-recovery-network/nature-recovery-network
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- Development can benefit wildlife through the quality approach and policies embedded in Building with Nature https://www.buildingwithnature.org.uk
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- Bisley could be a recipient of “net gain” from development outside the parish
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- The aesthetics of the Cotswold landscape agenda and biodiversity do not always sit comfortably together
Key points from Q&A’s and the discussion:
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- How farmers can or will participate may well depend on the details of the Environmental Land Management schemes the government is considering, but GWT works hard to ‘row in the same direction’ to benefit wildlife (SUDS schemes one example; also FWAG work https://www.fwagsw.org.uk).
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- “Off-setting” via ‘net gain’ may depend on practical considerations – for example funds might be directed to the upper reaches of the Toadsmoor Valley to help that become an ‘ARC’ area (https://www.arc-trust.org) to protect, for example, the white-clawed crayfish.
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- Question about linking south – north via Toadsmoor Valley and Bisley village as a wildlife corridor?
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- A challenging time for woodlands (ash die back in addition to climate change that particularly affects beech).
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- Perhaps open areas, “commons” can be considered for increasing public access and can have ‘uplift’.
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- Importance of planting and well-maintained hedgerows especially good for wildlife and soils.
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- Importance of stone walls as habitat for wildlife – but cost is a challenge. NDP Design Codes can help. Oakridge and Eastcombe have ongoing programmes of restoring stone walls on Parish land
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- Small ‘affordable’ homes very important to keep the villages alive and our communities sustainable. Young people are committed and know about their environment and wildlife so are critical for the long-term future of Bisley. GWT is engaging with the younger generation – they are the future.
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- Volume of traffic and roads are a huge problem viz hedgehog deaths in Bisley (example of pine marten thriving in the Forest of Dean could be because introduction was during lockdown so reduction in traffic meant none killed on roads).
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- Allotments are important areas for wildlife, and should be captured as excellent habitat