Biodiversity and nature recovery in Powys
Powys is a rural county covering 25% of Wales with a variety of important habitats which are home to a diverse range of species.
This Biodiversity includes all living things including plants, mosses, lichens, algae and animals. These live in our farmed land, commons, woodland, grassland, heathland, wetland, upland, scrub, ffridd, hedgerows, roadside verges, brownfield sites and within the urban environment.
The landscape and wildlife of Powys are part of an ecosystem that provide us with fresh water, food and fuel as well as income from tourism and opportunities for leisure, recreation and education. The services provided by nature are known as ecosystem services. Healthy resilient ecosystems depend on biodiversity.
Local Action for Biodiversity
In 2022 Powys County Council declared a Nature Emergency to match the Climate Emergency declared in 2020. Several reports in recent years have highlighted the overall decline in biodiversity and the actions needed to help halt this loss of nature.
Both nature and climate are linked and if we are to tackle climate change we need biodiverse habitats, species and landscapes so nature can adapt more easily to a changing climate. We also need to tackle climate change in order that our natural world has a better chance of surviving.
To help coordinate nature recovery actions in Powys, the Powys Nature Partnership (https://en.powys.gov.uk/article/10933/Powys-Nature-Partnership) was formed. It is network of people and organisations with environmental knowledge and a passion for restoring biodiversity and helping nature recover in Powys.
Hosted by Powys County Council, the Powys Nature Partnership coordinates and fulfils the actions within the Powys Nature Recovery Action Plan. This is our strategy for nature recovery across Powys and aims to halt and reverse biodiversity declines with a set of priority actions in several Habitat Actions Plans and Species Action Plans.
The Council's role in nature conservation
The Environment (Wales) Act 2016 requires public authorities to 'seek to maintain and enhance biodiversity,' and thereby 'promote resilient ecosystems' whilst performing their functions. The Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 Act 2015 states that local authorities must 'maintain and enhance a biodiverse natural environment with healthy functioning ecosystems. It must support social, economic and ecological resilience. It must also have the capacity to adapt to change (for example climate change).'
As a local authority our activities have a direct impact on species and habitats, such as managing publicly-owned land, planning for local housing and maintaining and improving the road network. So we have a significant role to play in conserving biodiversity.