DEPARTMENT FOR
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS News Release (365/08) issued by
COI News Distribution Service. 18 November 2008
Plans to boost the
number of people who volunteer to help protect England's
nature and wildlife were unveiled today by Environment Secretary
Hilary Benn.
A £750,000 campaign to increase conservation volunteering is
being launched by Defra to help more people who want to do their
bit for the natural environment and wildlife get involved in local projects.
Opportunities for volunteering could include creating and
maintaining ponds, putting up bird and bat boxes, nature walks to
count types of wildlife, or planting. Working with a range of
voluntary organisations and other bodies, Defra will roll out the
initiative in the coming months in partnership with the Department
of Health's Change4Life campaign.
Defra is also giving more than £1million to a new fund to improve
local recording of wildlife across England, giving people better
access to information collected in different parts of the country.
The Defra Fund for Local Biodiversity Recording will boost the
work of the National Biodiversity Network. Defra funding has
already increased the number of local wildlife records publicly
available from 8million in 2004 to more than 30 million this year.
Mr Benn was speaking at the launch of the biggest and most
comprehensive survey of Britain's countryside and its natural
resources, published today. The Countryside Survey maps changes
to the landscape and wildlife habitats, showing where some species
of plants that birds and insects feed on have increased or decreased.
Hilary Benn said:
"The Countryside Survey shows us the pressure that our
natural world is under, so it's more important than ever that
we do our bit for wildlife.
"More people are getting
involved in environmental volunteering, there was a 31 per cent
increase between 2000 and 2007 but overall the number is still
relatively low.
"Conserving biodiversity is not something government can do
alone, and I want more people to have the opportunity to protect
and take pride in their local wildlife and landscape.
"I value the work of local wildlife record centres and the
Countryside Survey - the more we know about the state of our
wildlife and habitats, the better equipped we are to come up with
policies to look after them."
For more information on the Countryside Survey go to http://www.countrysidesurvey.org.uk
For more information on what types of wildlife can be found in
your area go to http://www.nbn.org.uk
Notes to Editors
The Defra Fund for Local Biodiversity Recording will provide up
to £1.175 million over three years: up to £285,000 in 2008/9,
£450,000 in 2009/10, and £440,000 in 20010/11. The fund will be
managed by Natural England.
Public enquiries 08459 335577;
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