Relentless pressure from development, pollution and, climate change is wiping out the world’s species. As a result we are destroying the very habitat on which we depend. We must conserve this biological diversity to safeguard our future.

In Sheffield

Sheffield is unique in the quality and quantity of natural green spaces, trees and woodlands. However more disadvantaged areas have lower tree cover and less healthy environments than our richer suburbs.

Our beloved "urban forest” is full of ageing trees that will die within 30 years. The Local Biodiversity Action Plan is key to enabling the city to meet its international obligation to protect habitats and species. Wildlife organisations are vital to implement the Plan. This work is strategically complex, unfunded, uncoordinated and barely understood by our leaders. Sadly the Council uses our green spaces more to attract business to the city than to develop a lasting and environmentally sound future for everyone.

What we have done

• Identified small green spaces in Central ward for development money.
• Supported community projects in green spaces and parks - Lynwood Gardens, Gell St and Hanover playgrounds and Langdon St garden.
• Helped set up an Environment Group in Broomhall which now receives funding from the Area Panel for training local people.
• Done many litter picks and clean-ups on local parks and small green spaces.
• Supported tree management plans - i.e. pruning and replacement, explaining the need to cut down mature trees for future tree growth.
• Saved trees threatened by planning developments.

As city councillors we will:

• Promote wildlife, green spaces and the natural environment.
• Increase Sheffield's ability to monitor and enforce planning regulations and conditions.
• Campaign to make the Local Biodiversity Action Plan effective.
• Extend the successful Community Forestry programmes by employing foresters and rangers to get local people involved in such programmes and in managing parks and open spaces.
• Reduce use of pesticides, artificial fertilisers and peat-based compost.
• Stop closely mowing large areas of grass, which is costly and does not help wildlife, but increase the contribution made by parks to deliver the Biodiversity Action Plan.
• Adopt city-wide standards to provide publicly funded landscaping schemes.
• Develop a safe city wide network of footpaths and cycle ways along green corridors and waterways.
• In the Sheffield Development Framework, include detailed ecological surveys to identify suitable sites for wind generation that complement the environment. Survey brownfield sites for ecological diversity before considering development on them.