South Norfolk Council commits to Biodiversity recovery

South Norfolk’s diverse landscapes and rich ecosystems face the risk of being irreversibly lost due to mounting climate and ecological pressures. To combat this, the council’s Climate Change, Environment and Biodiversity Delivery Plan has been launched. This plan responds directly to these challenges by prioritizing sustainable land use, active biodiversity recovery, and strengthening environmental safeguards across the district.

South Norfolk Cabinet member Martyn Hooton said:

South Norfolk is a place of remarkable natural beauty, with its rural landscapes, historic market towns, and charming villages, and I am proud of the unique environment we call home. It is our responsibility to conserve and protect these special places, ensuring future generations can continue to enjoy the wildlife, open spaces, and character that make our district so distinctive.

This Biodiversity Strategy sets out a proactive approach. We will enhance the land we manage through five-year plans, habitat creation, species recording, and transparent monitoring to deliver measurable results. Beyond council-owned sites, we will support biodiversity across South Norfolk, creating larger, better, and more joined-up ecosystems that improve climate resilience and provide attractive, usable spaces for our communities.

Through partnership with site managers, community organisations, and local stakeholders, we will inspire wider action and embed biodiversity thinking into land use across the district, and so this strategy sets out how we will conserve and protect South Norfolk’s natural heritage while helping both people and wildlife to thrive."

Biodiversity, the variety of all living organisms and the ecosystems they create, is the essential foundation for thriving natural systems. These systems deliver vital services, including clean air and water, climate regulation, flood management, food production, and human wellbeing. With nature currently under strain, safeguarding and restoring biodiversity is not just an environmental issue; it is fundamental to the long-term health, resilience, and prosperity of the region’s communities.

This local commitment is reinforced by a wider legal and regional framework designed to reverse nature's decline. The Environment Act 2021 sets a new legal responsibility for local authorities to act, introducing a statutory target to halt species loss by 2030.

South Norfolk’s efforts are also aligned with regional initiatives, including the Norfolk Local Nature Recovery Strategy, which highlights priority zones for habitat restoration and ecological connectivity, and the Greater Norwich Green Infrastructure Strategy, which coordinates efforts to improve access to nature and enhance green spaces throughout the region.

Ready the South Norfolk Biodiversity Strategy here.