What is Biodiversity?

Biodiversity is short for biological diversity, which means the total variety of all living things, and includes all plants and animals, as well as the places and spaces in which they live.

Biodiversity Action in the UK originates from the Rio Convention of Biological Diversity which was signed by 159 governments at the Earth Summit in June 1992. This was the first treaty to provide a legal framework for biodiversity conservation. It called for the creation and enforcement of national strategies and action plans to conserve, protect and enhance biological diversity. The convention was drawn up in recognition of significant declines in wildlife across the globe. In response to this the UK government
published the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. This sets out a blueprint of action to address the conservation of those species and habitats that are considered to be of national concern and importance. Visit the UK BAP website.

The UK Biodiversity Steering Group was established and made a series of recommendations for action that have been adopted by the government, including the recommendation that action will be needed at local level if national priorities are to be fully achieved. This led to the emergence of a Local Biodiversity Action Plan process across the country.


WILDthings delivers Local Biodiversity Action in the Bath & North East Somerset district.