Ecology partnerships in Buckinghamshire

We’re working with partners in Buckinghamshire to improve ecology and biodiversity across the county.

The Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Natural Environment Partnership (NEP) project brings people together who want to make a positive change in nature.

Buckinghamshire Council is a partner of the NEP.

This NEP forms one of 49 Local Nature Partnerships (LNPs) in Britain, developing a vision to:

• highlight the importance of the natural environment
• develop a more joined-up approach, linking environmental objectives with social and economic goals

The NEP was recognised as a LNP in June 2012. It consists of a variety of sectors alongside environmental bodies.

Read more about the Natural Environment Partnership and their conservation priorities.

The Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Environmental Records Centre (BMERC) has been collating records across the county since the 1970s.

The data informs decision making in planning, development, and wildlife conservation.

BMERC collects data from:

• skilled volunteer recorders
• the general public
• professionals working for wildlife charities (BBOWT and RSPB)
• professionals working for government agencies (the Environment Agency and local authorities)
• ecological consultants

Having up to date records allows us to:

• map where species are
• how these distributions are changing
• inform conservation measures

You can get involved by recording wildlife and geology, and submit your own records to BMERC. It’s a great way to enjoy wildlife and nature in your area.

We use this data at a local level to:

• inform planning decisions and conservation measures
• contribute to national datasets such as the National Biodiversity Network
• contribute to international databases such as the Global Biodiversity Information Facility

We can then use the data to conserve species globally. This includes understanding how species will react to future events such as climate change.

The record centre also:

• provides data to local recorders and national recording schemes - you can request a data search via the website
• coordinates recording groups in Buckinghamshire, such as the Buckinghamshire Rare Plant group and Buckinghamshire Invertebrate Group (BIG)
• loans out equipment to help with wildlife recording
• organises free recorder seminars with talks on biodiversity and wildlife recording in Buckinghamshire

Find out about sending in records and how we use these records on the BMERC website.

We are developing a Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS), as part of a nationwide process.

These strategies are a new way of helping nature. They will:

• support efforts to recover nature across England
• help planning authorities
• include nature recovery objectives
• support the delivery of Biodiversity Net Gain
• help deliver our national environment targets

The Government has now published LNRS regulations and statutory guidance which establish the ‘rules’ to enable high quality and consistent LNRSs to be prepared across England.

View more in depth information including why we need an LNRS and who is responsible on the Local Nature Partnership for Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes (Bucks MK NEP) website.

Our strategy is the Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes LNRS.

We are setting up more channels for stakeholders to have their say, including surveys and consultation groups.

You do not need to be an expert. We want the LNRS to be reflective of the needs and ambitions of people who live and work in the area.

The LNRS guidance emphasises the need to involve the people who:

• own and manage the land
• live and work in the area
• take regulatory decisions

So they can contribute to what action is being proposed.

We are seeking input from a range of different stakeholders and stakeholder groups, including:

• farmers and landowners
• Council directorates
• residents of the area
• businesses, developers
• Town & Parish Councils
• (environmental) Non-Governmental Organisations
• various convening groups
• students
• key infrastructure and utilities groups

We can keep you updated about the stakeholder consultations and you can learn more about the LNRS on the Bucks MK NEP website.

Email [email protected]

An action plan, ‘Forward to 2030: Biodiversity Action Plan’ for biodiversity within Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes, has been produced by the Natural Environment Partnership.

The Local Nature Partnership worked in collaboration with the council as well as other statutory conservation agencies, non-government organisations, local government, landowner and manager representatives, naturalist groups and individual wildlife, landscape and conservation experts.

The Plan serves as an interim Biodiversity Strategy, with a focus on nature’s recovery, until such time as formal Local Nature Recovery Strategy is completed within Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes.