Biodiversity on Royal Miltary Canal has increased for last 15 years
shepwayvox
Twelve years prior to declaring a Climate & Ecological Emergency, in 2019, Folkestone & Hythe District Council’s Cabinet [then known as Shepway Distrct Council], signed the Nottingham Declaration on Climate Change. The Cabinet on the 20 Jun 2007 voted six for, two against and no abstentions.
Signing up to the Nottingham Declarationmeant our Council had to develop plans with their partners and local communities to progressively address the causes and impacts of climate change, according to local priorities, securing maximum benefit for our communities.
On the 6 August 2008 Councillor David Drury Monk, then District Secretary for Finance signs off on Report Number C-08-22 The Legal Officer’s comment in the report states:
Public bodies must have regard to biodiversity when exercising its functions.
“Every public body must, in exercising its functions, have regard, so far as is consistent with the proper exercise of those functions, to the purpose of conserving biodiversity.”
Biodiversity is the variety of life on earth, and includes all species of plants and animals and the habitats that support them. Biodiversity describes our natural wealth, which makes up the living landscape around us, sustains ecological systems and enhances our quality of life. Given its enormous benefits, our duty to conserve biodiversity is unquestionable.
Biodiversity can contribute to:
climate change adaptation and mitigation
pollution control and air, water and soil quality
stronger communities, learning, health and well-being
The Royal Military Canal [of which Princes Parade is a small part] has been managed to increase the species count for the last 15 years. A biological survey will be carried out this season to show the results of this management programme. The GM teams have been closely working with the BumbleBee and Butterfly and Moths Trusts and spent many volunteering hours planting moths, butterfly and bumble bee friendly habitat.
The Council’s Carbon Action Plan adopted by Cabinet on 24th February 2021 makes it clear the council will use the land it owns to increase biodiversity and carry out tree planting where appropriate; Both will require more research.
We are committed to creating new habitats for wildlife and there will be new accessible parkland plus a series of open spaces throughout the development further enhancing the setting of the Royal Military Canal for all to enjoy.
We appreciate the importance of natural public spaces for people to experience – both for their physical and mental health – and this development will ensure that the enjoyment of these areas is more accessible to everyone who visits Princes Parade in the future.
The National Planning Policy Framework makes it clear at , Para 170(d) and Para 175(d)there must be a Net Biodiversity Gain but the NPPF does not specify a number/percentage for the gain. The latest update to the forthcoming Environment Bill includes a requirement for all future schemes including the development of land to deliver a mandatory 10 % biodiversity net gain. This net gain will be required to be maintained for a period of at least 30 years. Our concern is where the money will come from to monitor this.
Member Mark Brophy said: “Mother Nature is mourning the death of the trees which have been felled unnecessarily by the council.
She is accompanied by the animals of Princes Parade who will be evicted if the development goes ahead and are currently being disturbed by the investigation work that is the first stage of the scheme. There are small crosses with words like “bye-bye blackbird” and “poor little sparrow evicted” representing the birds that are no longer able to use the trees or may have perished due to the disturbance by heavy machinery.”
As worthy as the words and actions of Mr Brophy (pictured) and the Wild About Princes Parade group are, it would appear they are misplaced. The wildlife from Princes Parade will, according to the Council be rehomed on the North Bank of the canal. This will mean the Canal will not lose any animals.
“The Royal Military Canal [of which Princes Parade is a small part] has been managed to increase the species count for the last 15 years.”
The biodiversity increase coincides with the council signing the Nottingham Declaration in 2007, and the 2008 Report Number C/08/22
If, Mr Brophy and his friends, who belong to the Wild about Princes Parade group, can’t believe the reports signed off by Cabinet Member Cllr Lesley Whybrow working group in 2020, and Cabinet Member for Finance, Cllr David Monk in 2008, what is the world coming to when they, and perhaps you, can’t believe a word a Cabinet Member of our Council says.
