Leicestershire County Council sets out a new approach to protecting and improving the county's natural environment and biodiversity

Boosting biodiversity, looking after country parks and enhancing the role of nature are powering a brand new blueprint designed to protect Leicestershire’s environment.

The county council is setting out a new approach to protecting and improving Leicestershire’s natural environment and biodiversity.

Called ‘Action for Nature’, the bold initiative sets out key areas to focus on.

They include rivers and wetlands such as the River Anker and parts of the River Soar near Quorn as well as a decline in mature trees and grassland areas.

The project also pinpoints a number of broad areas for action including:

• Improving the land management practices on land directly owned or managed by the county council and supporting the tenants of council land to do the same

• Ensuring biodiversity is included in the development of council policies, plans and projects and adding value to the plans of other partner organisations where possible

• Supporting awareness raising and education on biodiversity

• Maintaining and developing local data on the county’s natural environment

• Identifying opportunities that benefit ecosystems on county council owned land.

Cllr Blake Pain, the county council’s cabinet member for environment, said: “Our new blueprint is a vital piece of work.

“It will outline where we need to focus our actions and on which key areas – such as tree management, looking after our country parks and raising awareness of the county’s biodiversity and how people can help to protect it.

“These measures will help us achieve our ultimate aim becoming a net zero county by 2045.”

The draft was discussed at the Environment and Transport Overview and Scrutiny Committee yesterday (Thursday).

You can see the plan and related reports here.

The document will provide a foundation on which to respond to the proposed changes in the upcoming Environment Bill.

It will integrate with action to meet the council’s net zero ambitions and with wider actions to adapt to the changing climate.