NERC Act, biodiversity duty and you

1. NERC Act, biodiversity duty and you Nick White

2. Why Care About Biodiversity?

3. An Unvalued and Threatened Asset

4. NERC Duty Re-Cap • Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 • Duty on ALL public bodies to: ‘have a duty to have regard to the conservation of biodiversity in the exercise their functions’ • NERC applied to England & Wales. Separate legislation in Scotland • Defra commitment to review the Duty – completed 2010

5. What Areas Does NERC Cover? • The Duty covers virtually every aspect of activities undertaken (including) • Procurement • Grounds and facilities management and maintenance • Staff • Customers/suppliers • Communications • Organisational policies and procedures • etc

6. NERC and Universities • 2010 NERC Duty review main findings • 19% of universities contacted responded to survey • Of those 61% aware of Duty • All (100%) believed Duty was relevant to them • Actions undertaken by Universities • 52% set aside time for staff to undertake vol activities • 43% issued internal guidance on biodiversity • 48% held public consultation/events on biodiversity • 61% had biodiversity strategy/policy • 51% had corporate objectives/action plan • 70% had incorporated into other policies • 61% incorporated into land management policies • 78% into grounds maintenance contracts

7. Drivers for Action Identified by Universities • Beyond the Duty itself the following drivers for biodiversity action were identified: • Staff and students – e.g. Establishment of environmental volunteering groups and academic staff projects • Participation in EcoCampus scheme • Recognition that biodiversity rich estate can help attract students and attract and retain staff • Perceived ‘Moral Duty’ to do something • Guidance Universities were using • Defra NERC Duty guidance (39%) • UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) • Biodiversity on Campus – An EAUC Practical Guide

8. University Case Study 1 Loughborough University – external awareness raising • establishing a number of campus walks to help students and the local community experience nature on the campus; • •establishing a conservation action group to undertake practical conservation work – provides students with environmental education and exposure to conservation issues; • •woodland conservation days to get students into the woodlands on campus to undertake habitat works • the ‘Trees for Loughborough’ scheme, which is a carbon-offsetting scheme that takes into account biodiversity issues, as well as promoting action on climate change.

9. University Case Study 2 Warwick University – Integrating Biodiversity Into Environmental Policies • • “seek to integrate a consideration of environmental issues into allrelevant aspects of the university’s teaching and research activities; • •in conjunction with local, national and other agencies, promote and raise awareness of good environmentalmanagement policies and practices among staff, students and other stakeholders across the university; • • promote a purchasing policy which favours those products and services which cause the least harm to theenvironment; • • develop and maintain the grounds and buildings of the university in an environmentally sensitive way, seekingto protect and enhance natural habitats and biodiversity.”

10. University Case Study 3 London Metropolitan University – Greening the Grey • Has only one courtyard space and initial view was there was little it could do to benefit biodiversity. • BUT – it became a member of a local environment group and realised that it could do the following: • Putting ‘green roofs’ on new buildings • Replanting their courtyard space with native plants • Use of planters and containers to increase the amount of ‘green’ across their estate • Nesting and roosting opportunities

11. Other Actions Universities Have Undertaken • creation of a biodiversity working group or equivalent • adoption of biodiversity as a key performance measure; • sustainable development strategy incl biodiversity or BAP • Participation in the EcoCampus scheme; • liaison with grounds and environmental academic staff to identify potential projects • production of a public realm design guide incl biodiversity • Undertake management of the university estate or campus for the benefit of biodiversity • biodiversity surveys on the university estate* • Biodiversity and BREEAM assessment credits; • production of habitat management plans for university-owned land; • Link with local environmental groups, BAP partnerships .

12. Enough From Me....Your Turn Thinking about your own role and also the type and nature of your institution I’d like you to come up with 2 actions for Biodiversity. • An immediate quick-win YOU can implement • Something more ambitious requiring collaboration and/or advice In particular are there ways that biodiversity can help to address other current/anticipated challenges your institution faces?

13. Final Thoughts • Landscape-scale thinking ‘Bigger, better and more joined-up’ Sir john Lawton • Ecosystem services and the role of biodiversity in enhancing these e.g. • Air quality • Flooding • Health • Carbon etc • The role and potential universities can play

14. Contact Nicholas White Nick.white@naturalengland.org.uk 07899 943544