About Biodiversity

What is the North East Local Biodiversity Partnership?

The North East Local Biodiversity Partnership was formed in 1996 from a wide range of statutory and voluntary agencies and individuals with a common interest in conserving biodiversity. The local authorities involved in the North East Local Biodiversity Action Partnership are Aberdeenshire Council, Aberdeen City Council and Moray Council. The government agencies, non-statutory and voluntary organisations that have an active role in the partnership are Scottish Natural Heritage, Forestry Commission, Scottish Landowners Federation, National Farmers Union of Scotland, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, University of Aberdeen. There are also a number of individuals that contribute to the running of the North East Local Biodiversity Partnership.

The aim of the partnership is to protect and enhance the local biodiversity of the area by developing and implementing the Local Biodiversity Action Plan (LBAP). A Local Biodiversity Action Plan Steering Group was established to co-ordinate the production of a series of action plans for the North East of Scotland. These action plans identify a range of species, habitats and areas that are considered important locally and nationally and require action to ensure their protection. A number of these action plans can be found on this web site. The Local Biodiversity Action Plan is designed to fit into a national and international programme designed to enhance biodiversity globally.

What is biodiversity?

Biodiversity, shorthand for biological diversity, can be defined as "the variety of life, the great richness of living things in the natural world". Biodiversity conservation is about sustaining and using wisely the whole variety of life. The careful use of land and natural resources is one of the most important influences on the abundance and variety of animals and plants sharing our environment.

What is an action plan?

An Action Plan is a working document that is used by local organisations and Local Biodiversity Action Plan Partners. Action plans layout the measures needed for the protection of habitat, species or areas in the North East area. A local action plan is designed to protect and enhance local and national priority species, habitats and areas. It is a detailed five year plan specifying the actions required to meet proposed objectives and targets. Action plans are accessible to a wide range of people, from those in lead organisations, such as Councils, to individuals with an interest in the environment.

Action plans are written by volunteers with a particular research interest or knowledge of a particular species, habitat or area. Once a first draft of the action plan has been compiled a consultation process takes place by a working group of stakeholders in the plan. The plan is subsequently published, implemented and periodically reviewed. The current action plans for the North East can be found on this web site (Click Here to View the Action Plans)

Why do we need to protect and enhance local and national priority habitat, species and areas?

We need to protect and enhance local and national priority species, habitats and areas of the North East in order to maintain the biodiversity of this area. Biodiversity is essential to our existence on this planet. Without the intricate network of biological systems, habitats and species the support systems that sustain human existence would cease to continue. It is important to realise that biodiversity is the dynamic interrelationship of living species and communities operating together to produce living habitats and ecosystems. The loss of one species can have serious knock on effects that are hard to predict. Individual losses of species or habitats are likely to precipitate further losses or at least a general decline in the biodiversity.

We must conserve the variety and richness of life on earth for our own enjoyment and quality of life. We also have a moral obligation to pass on to the next generation an environment that is healthy and intact. Regrettably we have already lost many species from our countryside but we cannot allow any more to reach the point of extinction.