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Biodiversity in Bromley
What is biodiversity?
Biodiversity is simply the 'diversity of life on Earth'; incorporating mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, invertebrates, plants, algae, fungi and micro-organisms such as bacteria and viruses...and us! It includes the complex relationships between different species and with their physical surroundings.
The biodiversity around us was an inspiration to Charles Darwin, who lived in the borough for forty years and gave him insights into the variety and complex 'functioning' of the natural world. It is this natural world on which we strongly depend for our health, wealth, food, fuel and more!
Surprised? Just think of nature slightly differently. Street trees cleanse the air and provide us with sound barriers as well as providing nesting places for birds.
Birds, such as the song thrush, help to control troublesome species in our allotments and gardens, such as snails. Snails help to recycle green waste and to develop soil. Bacteria in soil supports the growth of plants that produce our food, once they have been pollinated by the wind or insects, such as bees.
Globally and locally, the species and habitats around us need protecting, with positive management to help them thrive. In doing so these living networks can continue to support and benefit everyone!
The Bromley Biodiversity Plan
The Bromley Biodiversity Plan is a guidance document for anyone who has an interest in, or an impact upon the borough's biodiversity. Any open space has value for wildlife, from open farmland to your own back garden. We can all contribute to protecting and enhancing biodiversity in Bromley, first by recognising the wealth of habitats and species we have in the borough and secondly by our actions upon them.
Some areas of the borough are already recognised for their wildlife value, and are designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest and Local Nature Reserves. Other areas are recognised as Sites of Importance to Nature Conservation, green belt land, conservation areas, ancient monuments or common land.
To find out more about the habitats and species in the borough and what you can do to protect them, please read the Bromley Biodiversity Plan 2015 — 2020. The plan is written by the London Borough of Bromley and the Bromley Biodiversity Partnership. It succeeds the previous Bromley Biodiversity Action Plans and is a written strategy for the protection and enhancement of biodiversity in Bromley.
Downloadable Bromley Biodiversity Plan
For more detailed guidance on how your actions can benefit biodiversity please see the extended version of this article on the Bromley website here:
This introductory article was written by Jenny Price.