Plan to protect and restore natural environment
Monday 20 January 2025
Work to protect Calderdale's landscapes and wildlife and promote nature conservation and restoration is being outlined as part of a bold new Ecological Emergency Action Plan for our area.
Restoring nature offers a range of benefits, from enhancing climate resilience through improved carbon storage, to supporting biodiversity, reducing flood risk and improving air and water quality. Accessing vibrant green spaces also supports physical and mental wellbeing, bringing benefits to the people who live, work, study in and visit Calderdale.
Calderdale Council declared an ecological emergency in 2021, acknowledging that the borough's wildlife and wild spaces are under threat and face major challenges, many linked to the impacts of climate change.
As part of the Calderdale Climate Action Plan, which outlines the steps needed by 2026 to meet ambitious carbon net zero targets, the development of an Ecological Emergency Action Plan was identified.
The Ecological Emergency Action Plan sets out the comprehensive and long-term approach to protecting and enhancing the borough's natural environment for the benefit of present and future generations. The plan outlines the actions to achieve the goal of protecting and improving at least 30% of Calderdale's land, rivers and wetlands for nature by 2030.
The plan's priorities were developed by the Wilder Calderdale partnership, a collection of organisations from the public, private, community, charitable and academic sectors, which is hosted by Calderdale Council. The priorities include:
- A focus on making communities greener, with initiatives such as installing bird and bat boxes in neighbourhoods across the borough and tackling surface water through increasing natural storage.
- Reintroducing grazing cattle to under-grazed areas to breathe life back into Calderdale's meadows and ancient grasslands.
- Committing to the protection and restoration of peatland across Calderdale, recognising the important role of upland landscapes for community climate and flood resilience.
- Protecting rivers, waterways and wetlands, by tackling invasive species and driving action to eliminate sewage pollution.
- Developing restoration plans for Calderdale's woodlands and hedgerows, working with landowners and land managers and supporting natural regeneration and well-planned tree planting.
- Protecting Calderdale's wildlife, gathering information about local wildlife and creating a Calderdale Species Inventory to track changes in numbers and protect those at greatest risk.
Together these priority actions aim to support a borough that by 2030 is made up of a thriving and diverse network of habitats, species and healthy landscapes, which is resilient to the pressures being placed on it by climate change and other factors.
Progress will be tracked through an annual progress report, ensuring that work remains on course.
Calderdale Council's Cabinet Member for Climate Action and Housing, Cllr Scott Patient, said, "The UK's nature and wildlife is in devastating decline, with threats including climate change, habitat loss and invasive species.
"In Calderdale, we responded to these challenges, declaring an ecological emergency in 2021. After extensive research, we've now launched the borough's action plan outlining the steps we can take to reverse the habitat loss of recent decades. With urgent effort, we can bring nature back.
"The Council is a key partner in the plan's development and delivery, but the actions can be supported by everyone in the borough. We can all play a part in protecting and preserving our important natural environment."
The Ecological Emergency Action plan can be viewed in full and as a quick read version here.
Climate action continues to be a priority for the Council and its partners. For regular climate action updates, sign up for the Zero Carbon Calderdale e-newsletter.