GREEN-minded councillors have officially called an eco-emergency in Stratford district.
Members of Stratford District Council’s Cabinet endorsed the declaration of an ecological emergency at a recent meeting.
The declaration advocates action at both national and local levels to preserve and enhance biodiversity.
The motion, put forward by Coun Dave Passingham, requests SDC lobby the government to meet its own international commitments on biodiversity, but for councillors to also do their bit locally.
This would include developing a council policy on biodiversity to increase areas considered rich in habitats, by not only making sure they are included in new developments but including them in the next local plan.
The council will also pledge to provide leadership and to work with organisations and communities to reverse the decline in biodiversity and to develop local measures to promote biodiversity net gain.
SDC’s development spokesperson Coun George Cowcher said: “Cabinet’s decision shows that we recognise the global ecological emergency and the local impacts it has and acknowledges that the climate and ecological emergencies are intertwined, and we must act now to fight both these crises.
“During our first term in office, we have already taken steps to improve biodiversity, including adding in the ‘No Mow May’ initiative in our new Grounds Maintenance contract, the designation of the Stratford-upon-Avon Local Nature Reserve and the Free Trees for Farmers scheme, and this declaration will enable us to build on these to improve local action to support nature.
“I look forward to working with local partners as we develop our approach to achieving this.”
The declaration of an ecological emergency follows SDC’s declaration of a climate emergency in 2019.
At the time, the council announced three climate ambitions that it would work to achieve by the year 2030.
The council has an earmarked climate change reserve of approximately £1.2million to deliver its climate change ambitions.
