DEPARTMENT FOR
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS News Release (STATISTICAL
RELEASE 78/09) issued by COI News Distribution Service on 3 April 2009
An updated
overview of biodiversity in the UK has been published today, which
helps gives insight into the health of our natural environment.
Biodiversity is the variety of individual species, the genetic
diversity within species and the range of ecosystems that support them.
These eighteen indicators were agreed in 2007 by the UK
Biodiversity Partnership (Defra, the Joint Nature Conservation
Committee, Country Agencies, Devolved Administrations in Scotland,
Wales and Northern Ireland, and non-governmental organisations) to
summarise some of the key priorities for biodiversity in the UK.
The indicators include the population status of: key species;
plant diversity; the status of priority species, habitats and
ecosystems; genetic diversity of rare breeds of sheep and cattle;
protected sites; management of woodland agricultural land and
fisheries; impacts of air pollution and invasive species;
expenditure on biodiversity; and the amount of time given by
volunteers to nature conservation activities.
Of 33 component measures assessed within the indicators: 11
measures show long-term deterioration; 9 show long-term
improvement; one shows little or no overall long-term change; 11
had insufficient data for long-term assessment; and one is not assessed.
In assessing change since 2000: seven measures show
deterioration; 13 show improvement; 10 show little or no overall
change; two had insufficient data for an assessment; and one is
not assessed.
A table showing the assessments for each indicator, using a
system of traffic lights, is given below.
Overview of assessment of change for all indicators
The table summarises traffic light assessments since 2000 and
over the longer term for the 18 indicators and their 33 component
measures. Theses are available on the NDS website: http://nds.coi.gov.uk
For three indicators - genetic diversity, invasive species, and
marine ecosystem integrity - this is the first time that the
indicator measures have been available. They have been developed
as a result of research funded by Defra, Devolved Administrations
and the Country Agencies.
The full presentation of all the indicators, with charts,
assessments, commentary and supporting material is today published
on the Joint Nature Conservation Committee's website at http://www.jncc.gov.uk/biyp.
A summary printed publication, UK Biodiversity Indicators in Your
Pocket 2009, will be published on 22 May 2009 by Defra on behalf
of the UK Biodiversity Partnership.
NOTES FOR EDITORS
1. The indicators are presented in full on the Joint Nature
Conservation Committee's (JNCC) website at http://www.jncc.gov.uk/biyp.
They include charts, assessments, commentary, data tables, data
sources, and technical and other supporting information. The
indicators have been compiled by Government Statisticians within
Defra in collaboration with scientific and other experts within
Government and non-Governmental Organisations.
2. The indicators were agreed in 2007 by the UK Biodiversity
Partnership (consisting of Defra, JNCC, Natural England, Devolved
Administrations, and non-governmental organisations), and were
first published in printed form in the National Statistics
publication Biodiversity Indicators in Your Pocket 2007 and
subsequently updated in May 2008 (internet only).
3. An updated version of the printed publication, Biodiversity
Indicators in Your Pocket 2009, will be published by Defra on 22
May 2009. Copies will be available to order free of charge from
Defra publications Admail 6000, London, SW1A 2XX (tel: 08459
556000, e-mail: defra@cambertown.com).
4. Details of Defra-funded research are available on http://randd.defra.gov.uk/.
5. Other pocket-sized publications in the series are Sustainable
Development Indicators in Your Pocket 2008 [quote product codes
PB12683 (A6 size) or PB12683A (A4 size)] and Environment in Your
Pocket 2008 [quote product codes PB13185 (A6 size) and PB13185A
(A4 size)].
A National Statistics publication
National Statistics are produced to high professional standards
set out in the National Statistics Code of Practice. They undergo
regular quality assurance reviews to ensure they meet customer
needs. The indicators are dependent on a wide range of data from
Governmental and non-governmental organisations. The compilation
of the indicators has been undertaken by statisticians in Defra in
consultation with the appropriate experts within the organisations
providing the data. Every effort has been made to ensure that the
indicators are reliable and are based on the best available
scientific knowledge. However, it is not practicable to review in
detail and validate the data collection procedures. Not all of the
indicators are therefore individually National Statistics, but it
is considered that collectively they provide the best available
overview of biodiversity in the UK that it is currently
practicable to compile.
1. The earliest available year is used as the baseline for
assessment of long term change. The base year used for each
measure is shown in the table. Where data are unavailable, or do
not precede 1996, a long term assessment is not given.
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