Biodiversity in the South East
The South East England region is extraordinarily rich in biodiversity - as a consequence of our mild climate, varied geology and history of farming. With over 35 internationally important wildlife sites and over 680 Sites of Special Scientific Importance (134,000 Hectares) it supports a wide range of habitats - from coastal mudflats to ancient woodlands, river valleys, heaths and calcareous grasslands.
The South East has:
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over a third of England's ancient woodland;
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40 % of the UK's lowland heathland;
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a quarter of the UK's flower rich chalk grassland;
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and over 30% of the UK's species most in need of urgent conservation action.
Biodiversity is an integral part of the South East's economy, supporting our livelihoods and our well-being. Yet the threats to the region's wildlife are great: they include: inappropriate management, direct and indirect habitat loss, environmental pollution and invasive non-native species. These pressures are compounded by climate change, especially as the biodiversity in the South East is so fragmented.
The challenge we face is to halt the ongoing losses and rebuild biodiversity, while taking account of climate change. This requires us to look beyond protecting sites and separate species and move towards an integrated landscape scale approach, working to restore whole ecosystems. It is not only the partners in the South East England Biodiversity Forum working together who need to tackle this, but all those that can affect biodiversity.
The South East Biodiversity Forum have produced a South East Biodiversity Strategy. This strategy aims to:
- be a clear, coherent and inspiring vision for the South East;
- provide a framework for the delivery of biodiversity targets that guide and support all those who have an impact on biodiversity in the region;
- embed a landscape scale approach to restoring whole ecosystems in the working practices and policies of all partners;
- create the space needed for wildlife to respond to climate change;
- enable organisations in the South East to support and improve biodiversity across the region; and
- be a core element within the strategies and delivery plans of organisations across the South East region.
Please follow the link to the South East Biodiversity Stratgy website for more information (top right blue leaf).
Here, SEEBF provides a summary of the key issues affecting biodiversity within the region.