Biodiversity

Biodiversity report and Nature Recovery Strategy

Biodiversity is the variety of all life on Earth. It includes all species of animals and plants, and the natural systems that support them. Biodiversity matters because it supports the vital benefits we get from the natural environment. It contributes to our economy, health and wellbeing and enriches our lives.

Nature has been in serious decline across the globe. The UK's State of Nature Report (2023) (opens new window) confirms that the UK's biodiversity has followed a similar pattern of decline following centuries of habitat loss, land management changes, development and persecution. 

England's environmental improvement plan

In 2021, the Environment Act was passed into law. This required the government to publish a series of environmental targets and in 2023, England's environmental improvement plan was published (opens new window). It includes targets to halt and reverse the decline in species and to restore or create 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitats by 2042.

Chichester District Council's Biodiversity Report and Nature Recovery Strategy

The Environment Act 2021 introduced an enhanced biodiversity duty on public authorities to consider what they can do to conserve and enhance biodiversity. The council is also required to report on the actions it has taken to comply with the duty. In advance of the first Biodiversity Report (opens new window), has been published.

The council is currently developing a Nature Recovery Strategy which will focus on the Council's longer-term priorities for recovering nature in the district.

West Sussex Local Nature Recovery Strategy

Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRSs) are new, county-wide strategies for nature.  West Sussex County Council and Sussex Nature Partnership, are leading on the preparation of the strategy for West Sussex.  Residents, community groups, land managers and organisations in West Sussex have agreed shared priorities for recovering nature in the West Sussex and identified the actions that are needed to deliver them.  The strategy will also identify the best locations to deliver those actions.  The Council is inputting into the development of the strategy, as one of its Supporting Authorities.  For further information on the West Sussex Local Nature Recovery Strategy, please visit: Sussex Nature Recovery (opens new window)

Brandy Hole Copse local nature reserve

Brandy Hole Copse lies to the north-west of Chichester City's built-up area. It is an area of managed woodland comprising mainly of Sweet Chestnut, which until recently, had been coppiced continuously since the 18th Century. It is 6.5 hectares in total and includes three small ponds with dipping/viewing platforms. The area was designated a Local Nature Reserve in 2001 to help protect and enhance its diverse flora and fauna, which includes a sea of bluebells every spring and numerous rare and fascinating species throughout the year.

Within the Copse there are also two Iron Age boundaries known as Chichester Entrenchments which also contain some of the few remaining in-situ examples of WWII defensive structures. The Copse is crossed by and can be accessed from the former Chichester-Midhurst railway line; "Centurion Way".

The Friends of Brandy Hole Copse (FBHC) have been key players in the management of the copse for many years. Throughout the year, volunteers from the group conduct guided walks, pond dipping sessions and nature trails. The Crumblies Conservation Volunteers also contribute to the management of the copse at key times of the year. If you would like to volunteer to help maintain and improve the biodiversity of Brandy Hole Copse Local Nature Reserve please follow the link. Volunteer at Brandy Hole Copse (opens new window)

Dogs at the harbour

• Dog Walking Code of Conduct
• Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs)
• Chichester Harbour conservancy
• Disturbance of birds
• Bird Aware Solent - (Follow the coastal code)
• Where can I walk my dog?
• Responsible dog ownership

Dog Walking Code of Conduct

There are many places to walk dogs, it is only in exceptional areas for wildlife that restrictions need to be put in place. Chichester Harbour is a Special Protection Area (SPA) which means that it is identified by the European Union as one of the top wildlife sites in Europe. Working together we can protect this special site and the wildlife that lives there for future generations to enjoy.

Dog walking code (PDF, 991 KB)

As the local population has grown we have seen an increase in the amount of visitors to this site. Due to this, it is important that we help reduce the disturbance to the birds that rely on these important feeding grounds on the harbour mudflats.

Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs)

In October 2017, Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) were introduced under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, replacing Dog Control Orders. Councils now have the power to introduce restrictions or requirements to tackle or prevent any other activity that is considered to have a detrimental effect on the quality of life of those in the locality, or is likely to have such an effect.

Examples of PSPO's could include:

• Excluding dogs from designated areas
• Requiring dog faeces to be picked up by owners
• Requiring dogs to be kept on leads
• Restricting the number of dogs that can be walked by one person at any one time

Public Spaces Protection order - Dog Control 2017

Part B - Dogs on Lead by Direction

Chichester Harbour

Dogs on lead by direction applies around Chichester Harbour, including Fishbourne, Nutbourne and Prinsted. This means that if your dog is causing a disturbance to overwintering birds, you may be asked by a council officer to put your dog on its lead.  If you refuse, it could result in a £100 fixed penalty notice fine, and so we would ask you to help us give this extra protection which is so vital to the survival of the birds.

Chichester Harbour

Chichester Harbour Conservancy (opens new window) is internationally recognised as an important location for thousands of wading birds and wildfowl. These birds spend the winter months here in internationally significant numbers. They are attracted to the harbour for the plentiful supply of food they find in the saltmarshes and mudflats.

As the tide recedes you will see a variety of birds feeding in these areas. By feeding on these rich sources of food they build energy reserves as they prepare for onward migration. For some this can be up to 3,000 miles. The amount of food they eat also has a direct impact on their breeding success in the following season.

Whilst these birds are resident at Chichester Harbour, we all have a crucial role to play to help protect them.

Disturbance of birds

Findings from an important Solent wide study (opens new window) have shown that people and dogs can impact upon the birds as they feed and roost.

The footpaths around the Harbour are very popular with walkers, and so the disturbance to the birds is increasing. However, being aware of what may disturb the birds and responding to this, will go a significant way to improving the situation.

When the birds are disturbed they can react in many different ways. In many instances they will fly away. This interrupts their feeding time and also makes them use valuable energy on an unnecessary flight. There are also less obvious impacts. Birds will avoid areas that are regularly disturbed. Unfortunately, sometimes these are the richest areas for food. Alternatively, the birds will simply lift their heads and watch, or they will run or walk further aware. All of these reactions can affect the bird's health and breeding potential. In extreme cases, it can lead to their death. Thank you for your help and understanding and for helping us to protect this special area.

Evidence has emerged that walkers and dog walkers can cause disturbance to feeding birds in the winter. This page explains more about that evidence and the wildlife concern that it raises. It also explains the need for dog walkers to be aware of how their dog's behaviour could adversely affect wild birds, particularly dogs off leads. In certain particularly sensitive areas it may become necessary to require dogs to be on leads through the use of Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs).

Disturbance of overwintering birds reduced their feeding time and hence their chances of surviving the winter period. Reduced feeding time can also impair breeding success the following spring. The Solent includes many areas that are heavily used by birds for feeding but also by people for a wide range of activities.

For two successive winters a range of sites across the Solent have been surveyed to see what types of human activity occur, how many birds are present on the sites and what the birds response was, for example alert, short walk or swim, short flight or major flight. The surveying also recorded people's locations relative to the high tide mark. Was the activity on the shore or on the intertidal areas; and if so how far down toward low tide mark?

Out of this Solent wide data some clear messages emerge. The vast majority of human activity on the shoreline and the intertidal is from walkers (46%) and dog walkers (41%). A third of all activity involves walkers with one or more dogs off the lead. Other forms of human activity are relatively rare. Dog walkers with one or more dogs off lead accounted for 51% of all disturbance, walkers with all dogs on leads accounted for 5% of all disturbance

For all types of activity on the shore or on the open water 86% caused no disturbance and only 5% caused major flight by the birds. However for activity on the intertidal area 26% of events caused major flight. Of all events causing major flight response 45% were caused by dogs off leads on the intertidal area, the largest single cause of major flight disturbance.

This is the Solent wide picture. From the first winter's surveying we have some more detailed information about Fishbourne channel. This shows that Fishbourne had the highest level of disturbance of all the 13 sites surveyed that winter (early 2009) with an average of 4.0 disturbance events per hour, compared to a Solent wide average of 1.3 disturbance events per hour. Fishbourne is not the busiest site surveyed, but the birds seemed to be particularly sensitive to disturbance as 50% of activities resulted in some form of disturbance, compared to a Solent wise average of 15%.

The largest single cause of disturbance at Fishbourne was from dog walkers - 1.9 times per hour out of 4.0 total disturbance events per hour, the second largest cause of disturbance was walkers without dogs at 0.7 events per hour out of 4.0

From this evidence some conclusions can be drawn. Walkers and dog walkers who stick to the shoreline path cause fewer problems for birds than those who go onto the intertidal area. For dog walkers keeping all the dogs on leads reduces the amount of disturbance. Thirdly, trying to direct visitors away from particularly sensitive areas of the harbour will also help reduce the problem.

Bird Aware Solent - (Follow the coastal code)

Bird Aware (opens new window) is an initiative to raise awareness of the birds that spend the winter on the Solent, so that people can enjoy the coast and its wildlife without disturbing the birds.

Every year 90,000 waders and wildfowl fly here from as far as the Arctic. This makes the Solent coast of worldwide importance for wildlife. These birds need to feed and rest undisturbed so that they can survive the winter and build up enough energy to fly back to their summer habitats. Their survival relies on everyone helping to prevent bird disturbance.

Please consider the Bird Aware Coastal Code

• Look out for birds feeding or resting on the coast
• Take care not to scare or disturb them
• Move further away if birds become alert and stop feeding
• Stay on paths where they exist
• Always follow requests on signs
• Exercise your dog away from coastal birds to avoid disturbing them
• Keep your dog in sight and on a short lead if you cannot rely on its obedience
• Please clean up after your dog
• If you are going out on the water contact the local harbour authority for special guidance

 Bird Aware Leaflet web version 2017 (PDF, 626 KB) - take the leaflet with you when you visit the Solent Coast

Tell your friends and family about the Coastal Code

Where can I walk my dog?

Walking your dog keeps both of you healthy and fit and there are lots of places you can go including:

Thousands of miles of public rights of way, shown in green on Ordnance Survey Explorer maps.

Ordnance Survey (opens new window)

You have the right to access some land for walking or certain other leisure activities.

Gov.uk - right of access (opens new window)

Millions of acres of Forestry Commission land.

Forestry commission (opens new window)

Country parks, permissive paths, beaches and National Trust land. Register at:

Forestry commission (opens new window)

to search for dog friendly places across the UK & Europe:

• Dog days out
• Where to stay
• Pubs to visit
• High Street businesses

Responsible dog ownership

For information on responsible dog ownership, please explore:

Good Citizen Dog Training Scheme

Kennel club (opens new window)

The majority of dog owners are brilliant and keep their dogs under close control, which ultimately helps to ensure that they are welcome in many of the UK's parks, beaches and other public places.

Dogs cannot behave irresponsibly only owners can

Chichester Harbour

Protecting bird populations

Chichester Harbour is not just a place of great beauty, or for enjoying leisure activities. It is one of the most important wildlife sites in Europe and as such it has a range of international wildlife designations. These bring with them a high level of protection in law. Assessment of the 21 bird species for which it is designated shows 11 species on alert or high alert. 

Declining bird numbers have many causes, but water quality and disturbance of the birds by humans are two of the known main impacts. The water treatment works issues at Apuldram are being investigated by Southern Water and the Environment Agency. For the time being larger developments in Chichester may be restricted, but an engineering solution will be needed.

However for the disturbance problems, the solutions lie in all our hands. By being aware of where the sensitive parts of the harbour are, by exploring alternative sites to visit and by behaving responsibly in the most sensitive parts of the harbour, we can all help protect wildlife for present and future generations.

Chichester Harbour is particularly important for over-wintering birds. These wading birds feed on the invertebrates in the mudflats and salt marshes and come to the harbour because it is a rich source of food that can sustain them over winter, and help them feed up in order to breed the following spring.

However in winter, daylight is short and the feeding grounds are only exposed at low tide. With a short feeding window anything that disturbs the birds making them fly off has a double effect, energy is used in flying and energy is lost as feeding time is further shortened. Studies commissioned through the Solent Forum show that the problems of disturbance of birds is particularly pronounced in Chichester Harbour, with Fishbourne channel having the highest level of disturbance of all the sites surveyed in the Solent in winter 2009. This is probably due to the narrowness of the channel and the visibility of the footpaths surrounding it, as it is not the most heavily visited site of those surveyed.

Solent disturbance and mitigation project

The wider Solent, from Hurst castle in the west to Chichester Harbour in the east and including the Isle of Wight is internationally important for its wildlife interest and has a number of designations including three Special Protected Areas (SPAs).

Sites designated as SPA's are given special protection and as a consequence any plans or projects (including development) can only go ahead if it can be proven that there will be no adverse effects on the SPA. With new housing developments and the potential for a larger local population in Chichester, this can bring pressure on local recreational sites, through an increase in there use. The coast provides a particular draw for many people and numerous studies have shown that recreational pressure can have a negative impact on the bird species at coastal areas. 

Solent mitigation and disturbance project

The Solent mitigation and disturbance project looks at the issue and ways that the negative impacts on wintering waterfowl can be resolved. The impact of disturbance are more than birds flying away when approached. Areas which are regularly disturbed are more likely to be avoided by birds feeding and the birds which take flight from disturbance loose vital energy through lost feeding and increased flight.

To look at the impact of housing we need to understand how visitor access patterns on the Solent are linked to where people live. This issue however is more complex than determining how many local residents visit the coast. The closer the people live to the coast the more likely they will visit, so the spatial distribution of housing is likely to be an important factor in determining access. Activities undertaken by local residents are likely to depend on the range of opportunities for access in the general area and the physical characteristics of the coast.

Project Phases

Phase one of the project involved desk studies which looked at data and made recommendations for further work. These recommendations formed the later stages of the work.  The aim of the Solent Disturbance and Mitigation Project is to produce a model to predict the recreational use of sites in relation to housing. 

Phase two involved collecting the information needed to create the model. This information included;

• On site visitor survey - where people were interviewed who visited the coast during January and February 2011. The interview mapped peoples routes, and asks questions about why people visited and what activities they are planning to do.
• Bird fieldwork - was undertaken  during the winter of 2009/2010 and recorded how birds responded to disturbance, looking at how the birds responded at different distances and if there were areas which birds avoided.
• Household survey - this was sent to 5000 homes across the Solent and asked questions relating to access to coastal sites.
• Onsite visitor fieldwork - these were done in the winter of 2009/2010 and looked at the level and type of visitors in different locations.  A total of 784 interviews were conducted accounting for 1,322 people and 550 dogs. 

Findings

• 6% were holiday makers
• 42% of people were taking their dog for a walk
• 89% of visitors stayed a maximum of 2 hours
• 51% of visitors arrived by car and 46% on foot
• 14% of the routes visitors use go below the Mean High Water Tide Mark where waterfowl will commonly feed during the winter
• A total of 2,507 potential disturbance events were observed

Conclusions 

The level of disturbance recorded was determined by how people behaved and where they went rather than the actual volume of use. Activities that took place on intertidal were more likely to result in disturbance and 41% of observations resulted in disturbance. Though a range of activities took place, dog walking was of particular concern, with 27% of disturbances causing major flight by birds when the dog was off the lead. If you would like find out more about the project or would like to see the survey data, please see the Solent Disturbance and Mitigation Project (opens new window) website.

Strategic Wildlife Corridors Project

The countryside around Chichester is home to a wide variety of wildlife across a rich diversity of habitats, most of which are located either within the South Downs National Park (SDNP) or the Chichester Harbour National Landscape. However, the area squeezed between these protected areas is also home to a range of species that depend on 'corridors' of undeveloped land to travel safely between their habitats, linking the coast with the Downs inland.

The best sites for nature are often designated, however they cannot exist in isolation. To maintain and safeguard them over the longer term requires a living landscape around them and connections between them. This connectivity allows animals the space to forage, feed and breed within a wider landscape and move between sites. Consequently, this maintains genetic diversity and gives wildlife the chance to adapt to changes in their surroundings, both natural and man-made. To ensure the connectivity between important sites and habitats from the coast to the national park, seven strategic wildlife corridors (SWCs) have been identified.

These SWCs are vitally important for many declining species, for example, the district has one of the last remaining strongholds for the Water Vole and some of the best bat roost sites in southern England (Ebernoe Common Nature Reserve, Cocking and Singleton Tunnels and The Mens Nature Reserve). There are also 10 internationally designated sites, Special Protection Areas (SPA) and Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) in or partially within the district, plus 38 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

Many of the SWCs contain chalk rivers or streams. These emerge from the South Downs chalk aquifer, so the very pure water is rich in minerals and remains at a relatively constant temperature year-round. This lets diverse aquatic plants grow and provides good water quality that supports many invertebrate and fish species. Only 200 chalk rivers are known globally, 85% of which are found in the UK in southern and eastern England.

The aim of the Strategic Wildlife Corridors Project, is to work with land managers and owners, community groups and volunteers, to enhance and restore, habitats within the corridors for wildlife.  This will help make the corridors, and the habitats and species within them, more resilient to future stresses such as climate change and ensure that they continue to function for wildlife over the longer term.

The seven SWCs are:

• SWC 1 - Hermitage to Westbourne
• SWC 2 - Nutbourne to Hambrook
• SWC 3 - Chidham to Funtington
• SWC 4 - Bosham to East Ashling
• SWC 5 - Fishbourne to Lavant
• SWC 6 - Westhampnett to Pagham
• SWC 7 - Easthampnett to Pagham

Funding is available for landowners and land managers to undertake habitat enhancements on land within the corridors.  To check whether your land holding is within one of the corridors, please visit: Chichester District Council - My Chichester District.  For more information on the project or to find out about options for your landholding, please email: swc@chichester.gov.uk

Tree planting

Planting trees can provide new habitats for wildlife and help to combat climate change. The council has produced this summary of Tree planting funding schemes (Word doc, 58 KB) for tree-planting at all scales to help potential tree-planters.

Did you know our Green Spaces team can help you if you'd like plant a tree in one of our parks? 

The council actively encourages the planting of donated trees and are happy to work with families and organisations in helping to select the most appropriate tree and location. This can be to remember a loved one, enhance the appearance of a site, provide shade, support wildlife or improve air quality. 

Fees and further information

• There is a standard charge of £150 + VAT, this is for the tree, materials and labour, unless the tree is provided then the charge is £55 + VAT. Or the cost of the tree exceeds £95.
• Planting takes place between October and March.
• Extra Heavy or Semi Mature specimens preferred - larger trees are less vulnerable to vandalism and establish faster.
• Plaques are not allowed.
• Consideration of site and species. Consider adding to the dominant existing species per site before thinking of different species.
• Height and location - choice of location versus species - consider footpaths, buildings, existing trees, spacing for example. The final decision on species location will be made by CDC Officers.

Tips on tree choice

• bark interest
• flower
• fruit
• autumn colour
• native trees
• trees for shade

List of tree planting sites available

• Whyke Recreation Ground
•  Sherborne Road Recreation Ground
• Oaklands Park
• Florence Park
• New Park Road
• Jubilee Park
• East Broyle Estate
• Priory Park -  limited space available. (Because of the historic value of the ramparts, we are unable to replace or plant new trees on the grass banks.)

We will prepare the hole/s, plant and stake the tree/s, but welcome public involvement.

Aftercare - we will install a slow release irrigation bag and mulch the tree base and water the tree for the first two years as standard, but will monitor the weather and water beyond the two years if necessary. We will replace the stake and ties until the tree is established.

To find out more email parks@chichester.gov.uk to discuss further.

Guidance on ecological surveys and planning applications

The council has a legal duty to consider conservation of biodiversity within the district. There are steps you can take before you submit a development proposal to save you time and money. These also will make sure you do not go against government legislation for the protection of wildlife.

If you are planning a development, please see our Planning application forms and guidance notes page, and read the guidance document.

Chichester District tree scheme

The council has launched a new initiative to help increase the number of trees that are planted in Chichester District. Please visit our Chichester District tree scheme page.

Local wildlife in the garden

Your garden, and the other 15 million gardens in Britain, can make a huge difference by supporting wildlife. With increasing development and loss of habitats, gardens can provide vital shelter and food for a wide variety of different species. There are a number of ways to encourage wildlife to live and feed in our gardens and with a few simple steps you can transform your garden into a wildlife haven. The most important things you can do to attract wildlife into your garden are to provide food, water and shelter. This can be done in any size garden! Using chemicals to control pests can damage the other wildlife in your garden. Instead try some of the more nature friendly tips on this web page to sort out those pests.

• Shelter
• Year round food
• Avoiding chemicals

 Shelter

All wildlife needs to rest, some create nesting sites and others need a place to hibernate. Here are a few examples of what you can do to give your local wildlife some shelter.

• A pile of logs left in the corner of your garden to slowly rot down over a number of years, will provide an ideal home for insects and hedgehogs 
• Keeping an overgrown area will provide an ideal spot for wildlife to rest and hibernate
• Climbing plants not only look nice, but also provide shelter and breeding sites for birds. A perfect example is the Honeysuckle 
• Shrubs and hedges provide nesting places and encourage hedgehogs, nesting birds, weasels, voles and wood mice into your garden
• Leaving borders overgrown over the winter provides excellent shelter for insects
• Nesting boxes can attract birds and bats

Year round food

You'll need to provide food and water and this is simple to do and can be incorporated into the plants you grow all year. Here is our simple guide for feeding wildlife in each season.

Autumn - A time to stock up on supplies

Many animals are increasing their food stocks for the winter period while others are preparing for hibernation in autumn. Some of the plants, which help local wildlife during these months include;

• Ivy, Michaelmas Daisies, Asters and Sedium - a source of nectar for insects
• Fruiting bushes and trees - provide a wide variety of fruits, which are eaten by birds hedgehogs and insects
• Honeysuckle - provides berries for birds
• Hedgerows (including Hawthorne, Rose Hips, Blackberries and Elderberries) - full of berries and haws for birds
• Sunflowers and Thistle seeds - fallen seeds provide food for a variety of birds

Winter - A time to conserve

Winter can be a hard time for garden wildlife to find food but planting the following can help;

• Verbene Bonariensis - long lasting flowers, which provide food for butterflies until the first frosts
• Lungwort, Hellebores, Snowdrops - provide a good source of nectar for insects
• Sweetbox Shrub - provides a good source of nectar for insects
• Ivy - a source of berries in later winter months for birds
• Fruiting Trees - fruit left fallen can provide a source of food

Spring - a time to grow

Spring is a busy time with creatures coming out of hibernation and other species hungry after the long winter months.  Include a number of these plants to help attract wildlife into your garden.

• Bluebells, Hyacinth, Lesser Celandire, Daffodils and Snakehead fritillary - all early spring bulbs, which provide nectar for insects and a source of food for birds
• Holly - provides berries for birds
• Foxgloves - provides food for bees, butterflies and moth lava
• Buddeja - an excellent source of food for butterflies

Summer - a time to bathe 

Summer is the most active time with a variety of species looking for food and their offspring venturing out of the nests.  Plants which provide food during the summer include; 

• Lavender, Verbena and Iceplant - an excellent source of food for butterflies, bees and moths
• Perennials with broad flower heads - encourage bees into your garden
• Daisies and Clover - leave weeds in your lawn as these attract bees and insects

Water

You must remember to make water available in your garden.  You can do this by keeping your garden watered or leaving a bowl or birdbath for rainwater to collect in.

Extra food sources

There are lots of other household food items, which you could leave out for your local wildlife to supplement their diets.  Remember to only leave out food where you know the animals are visiting so you don't encourage rats.  Some of the tastiest treats include;

• Nuts and seeds left in bird feeders and on tables
• Hedgehogs enjoy meat based cat food, unsweetened muesli, sultanas, small pieces of fruit, light fruitcake, cooked chicken and raw meat
• Badgers like wet cat and dog food, a variety of fruit (including apples, pears and plums), unsalted peanuts and Brazil nuts, and earth grown vegetables (including carrots and cooked potato)

Avoiding chemicals

Using chemicals can be harmful to the biodiversity of your garden.  Here are a few natural tips to help prevent damage from pests.

• Stop Aphids by encouraging ladybirds and hoverflies into your gardens with plants that have lots of easy to reach pollen (including Daisies) 
• Greenfly and Black fly don't like the smell of marigolds, so plant them near plants you want to keep bug free
• Remove Vine Weevil by putting nematodes (very small parasitic worms which can be brought at your local garden centre) into your soil
• Stop caterpillars by encouraging more birds into your garden who will eat them
• Use natural fertilisers including seaweed and manure
• Put cardboard or carpet around the base of your plants to prevent insects from laying their eggs
• Grow something different each year to stop the build up of insects around plants
• If you still have a pest problem, spray a very weak solution of soapy water on the infected areas.  Do this in the evening when most wildlife is less active and do not spray on the flower heads

Remember insects in your garden are helping to provide food for a variety of other species, which are most likely attracted to your garden because of the insects!

Habitat Banks for Off-site Biodiversity Net Gain

If you are a land manager, owner or occupier, you can receive funding from developers to create and restore wildlife habitats on your land. This is under the requirement for Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG).  BNG has been introduced to ensure that development leaves the natural environment in a better state than it was before.  BNG ensures that habitats are enhanced and created as part of the design of new development.  For more information on preparing for BNG as a land manager, please visit the Government site here: Meet your BNG requirements: Steps to take for land managers (opens new window)

Off-site BNG sites

Where a development is likely to cause losses to biodiversity, work can be undertaken on-site to try to compensate for those losses. This is the preference in the first instance under the biodiversity net gain mitigation hierarchy. There may be occasions where the biodiversity net gain cannot all be delivered on-site. Habitat losses will need to be offset on sites elsewhere, this is known as off-site BNG.

Developers can offset biodiversity losses within their own landholdings or through a third party, such as a habitat bank.  The monitoring and management of off-site BNG will need to be legally secured for a minimum of 30 years through a legal agreement.  This can either be a s106 agreement with the local planning authority or a conservation covenant (opens new window) with a Responsible Body.   More information on legal agreements for BNG can be found here (opens new window)

Benefits to land managers for providing BNG sites

Providing off-site biodiversity net gain on your land will create 'biodiversity units' that you can sell to developers. The two mechanisms for developing off-site BNG and selling the resulting biodiversity units are:

• Habitat banks - where the land manager initiates habitat creation or enhancements in advance of securing sales of resulting biodiversity units.
• Habitat to order - where the land manager enhances/creates habitat in response to a requirement from a development.

In order to sell units, you will need to: 

• measure the existing biodiversity value of your land using the statutory biodiversity metric (opens new window)
• calculate how many biodiversity units you could generate.
• secure your gain site through a legal agreement.
• register your units as a biodiversity gain site on a national public register. 
• record on the register the allocation of the off-site gains to a developer, who will use it to achieve their BNG.  

You will also need to decide whether to carry out the actions required to create the biodiversity units yourself or through a third party.

More information on selling biodiversity (opens new window) units is available.

Is Biodiversity Net Gain 'stackable' with other environmental schemes?

Land that is enrolled in other environmental schemes can be used for BNG in some circumstances. Government guidelines state that you can sell BNG units and nutrient credits from the same piece of land by stacking them. You cannot sell a habitat enhancement funded by an Agri-environment scheme as a BNG unit. However, you can use the same land to create further habitat enhancements on top of an existing Agri-environment agreement. 

More information on combining environmental payments is available here: Combining environmental payments: biodiversity net gain (BNG) and nutrient mitigation (opens new window)

Securing off-site BNG through a s106 Agreement with the Council

If you are a landowner or have a long lease on the land, you may be able to secure off-site BNG through a legal agreement with the Council.  If your lease is shorter, you'll need to include the freeholder in your legal agreement. 

You will need to demonstrate that you have enough cash flow to cover the management of the site for the 30-year period. You must be willing to allow the Council to access the site to monitor the habitat and send us regular monitoring reports.  The site must have no licences, permissions, consents or restoration plans on the land that could conflict with delivery of BNG.  The site must be within the Chichester Local Plan Area                 .

What are the costs involved?

If we enter into a legal agreement with you, we will charge you:

• A set-up fee to cover the time spent for us to review your proposal and draft the legal agreement. The cost will depend on the complexity of the proposal.
• A biodiversity monitoring fee to cover the cost of monitoring the progress of the habitat creation for 30 years. The cost will be based on the size of the site and technical complexities but will usually be £16,162 (2025 figure).

How we're prioritising potential sites for Habitat Banks

The council will prioritise those proposals with the best biodiversity outcomes.  Factors considered include:

• Is the proposal creating or enhancing the right habitat in the right place, as indicated in the West Sussex local nature recovery strategy (opens new window), Sussex Biodiversity Opportunity Areas (opens new window) statements and Chichester District's proposed Strategic Wildlife Corridors Chichester District Council - My Chichester District.
• Does the proposal offer a range of habitats appropriate to the site context.
• Does the proposal create or enhance priority habitats of high distinctiveness.
• Does the location address our need for a spread of habitat banks across the Local Plan Area
• Are the proposals in a state of readiness, ecologically, legally and financially to address Principle 7 of The Statutory Biodiversity Metric (habitat interventions need to be realistic and deliverable within a relevant project timeframe).
• Will the proposal deliver in excess of 10 biodiversity units.
• Does the proposal offer low risk to the council.

If you are interested in securing a habitat bank for off-site biodiversity net gain, please email: environmentalstrategy@chichester.gov.uk with details of your proposed scheme.

For sites within the South Downs National Park

For sites within Chichester District that fall within the South Downs National Park planning area, off-site BNG can be secured through the South Downs Renature Credit Scheme (opens new window)  To find out if your site is within the National Park you can use the following tool: Do I live in the National Park? - South Downs National Park Authority (opens new window)

 Information for Developers on local Habitat Banks

For information on local habitat banks for off-site Biodiversity Net Gain, please email: environmentalstrategy@chichester.gov.uk.

Wildlife crime

If you are concerned about wildlife crime or would like more information about what to do if you see a wildlife crime taking place please see the information in this section.

What is wildlife crime?

Wildlife crime can be people buying, selling, harming or disturbing wild animals or plants that are protected by law.

Examples include:

• Disturbing, injuring or killing bats or damaging or obstructing their roosts;
• Disturbing or killing wild birds or taking their eggs;
• Destroying a badger sett;
• Poaching of game, venison or fish;
• Poisoning of animals such as birds of prey;
• The illegal use of snares, explosives or dogs to kill or injure animals;
• Illegally trading in protected species;
• Smuggling protected species and their parts (such as tortoises; ivory and caviar);
• Taking protected plants from the countryside.

In some instances the killing or taking of protected plants or animals is allowed where someone has acquired a licence.

Why report wildlife crime?

Wildlife crime needs to be stopped because it reduces the numbers of rare animals and plants, pushing them closer to extinction. It also causes animals' pain and suffering and it can be linked to other serious crimes like drugs, money laundering and firearms offences.

What are the national wildlife crime priorities?

The following are the wildlife crime priorities in the UK. These priorities were identified because there is either a high volume of crime or there is the greatest threat to the conservation status of the species:

• Bat persecution
• Persecution of birds of prey
• Poaching
• Badger persecution
• Illegal trade in International Endangered species 
• Poaching for freshwater pearl mussels.

How to report wildlife crime

If you witness a wildlife crime in action, call 999 immediately and ask for the police. For your own safety do not approach suspects or touch anything at the scene.

To report a wildlife crime after the event or for other queries you can call the non-emergency number on 101, who can put you in contact with your local wildlife crime officer.

To remain anonymous, you can contact Crimestoppers:

Name: Crimestoppers

Web: Crimestoppers - Crime Prevention Charity (opens new window)

Tel: +44 0800 555111