1. Living Landscapes
Rob Stoneman

6. Island biogeography

9. Flooded fenland

21. Hospital gardens

23. Protecting Wildlife for the Future
The Biodiversity Action Planning process has the potential to significantly increase the effectiveness of nature conservation in the UK. If operated effectively, it can focus limited resources on the species and habitats considered to be most in need of help, target both national and local priorities, co-ordinate and integrate the work of many different agencies and organisations, attract new resources, and spread the responsibility for biodiversity conservation beyond the traditional “environmental sector”.
The importance of diverse, living natural systems is well known and well understood by professional nature conservationists, amateur naturalists, academic ecologists, botanists and zoologists; but even in this enlightened era of sustainable development and biodiversity action planning, there is a worrying lack of understanding and commitment in the wider world. Some forward thinking planners are beginning to grasp the issues at the heart of biodiversity conservation. Some enlightened politicians, developers, land managers and interested members of the public have started to take an interest in the health of our living environment; but more often than not only a pitiful few manage to place it centre stage in the decisions they take.
In Sheffield, there has been a strong interest in the quality and quantity of the local natural environment for many years. The Sorby Natural History Society is one of the country’s biggest and oldest. The City has the benefit of being served by two Wildlife Trusts – the Sheffield Trust and the Yorkshire one. Sheffield City Council has a long-standing interest in maintaining and enhancing the quality of the City’s parks, woodlands and open spaces – an interest that is reflected in several policy and strategy documents[1]. The City has an active Environment Forum and Nature Conservation Group, both of which bring together a large number of local and City-wide groups with an interest in various aspects of the natural environment.
Even with this background, the level of public participation in wildlife survey and practical conservation work is small compared to the potential presented by a population of 530,000 people.
Biodiversity is something that everyone intuitively understands, most people subconsciously like, and from which nearly everyone derives considerable benefit – whether they are aware of it or not. Those of us with a special interest in biodiversity are very much aware of the need to treat the natural world with respect, and the need to incorporate measures to protect and enhance its biodiversity wherever possible. There is an increasing number of community groups and non-specialist individuals who also understand, and who are willing to do their bit to improve the lot of biodiversity in their local neighbourhood – given sufficient (and appropriate) encouragement, support and advice.
Unfortunately, the process of protecting and enhancing biodiversity depends on much more than just the commitment and action of an enlightened, active minority. The processes currently operating to acquire information on biodiversity, to analyse it, to work out its implications, to communicate this understanding to a wider audience, and to generate commitment and action across society as a whole, are not as well developed or smooth-running as they might be. As a result, nature conservation is not succeeding as well as it might, in furthering the cause of biodiversity as a central part of modern society – alongside health, education, social inclusion and economic performance. Too often, the natural heritage is seen as a side issue: a little-understood luxury that should be taken into account if it doesn’t cause too much of a problem, but which can easily be ignored if it runs the slightest risk of getting in the way of “business as usual”.
Important as it is for naturalists and ecologists to record and understand the UK’s biodiversity resource, and for conservationists to translate this understanding into positive practical action (guided by various plans and strategies), we must also not underestimate the need to interact meaningfully (and effectively) with a wider audience.
Specialists understand terms like “Biodiversity”, “Ecosystem”, “Habitat” and “Successional Change”. We know that biodiversity is important and that “green corridors”, linking town and country, can be a valuable tool in both maintaining it and giving people access to it.
But does Joe Bloggs understand? Does he care? I believe that until he does, nature conservation will ultimately fail, and that one of the greatest challenges faced by the whole biodiversity action planning process is the challenge of getting Joe Bloggs (whether he is a steel worker, a school teacher, an MP, or an investment banker) to accept terms like “Biodiversity” and “Green Corridors” as being just as much a part of his everyday life as “Coronation Street”, “Sheffield Wednesday” and “Mortgage Payments”. If biodiversity is to be placed center-stage in our economic and political world, then people must be incorporated at the core of the biodiversity action planning process, right from the start.
Over the next few minutes, I would like to explore this subject in a little more depth, give a few examples of approaches being taken by the Sheffield Wildlife Trust as part of its Biodiversity & Green Corridors Project, and look at ways in which things could be taken forward and extended in future – through initiatives such as Wild Web 2000, which is being supported financially by the Hanson Environment Fund.
[1] Sheffield Nature Conservation Strategy (1991); Sheffield Parks Regeneration Strategy (1993); Sheffield Unitary Development Plan (1998); Sheffield’s Countryside Strategy (1999); Sheffield Biodiversity Action Plan: Priorities for Conservation (2000).
Protecting Wildlife for the Future

25. Living Landscapes

26. A new campus on the edge of York