BHWF Vision Statement and Aims

We believe nature has intrinsic value and is vital for our wellbeing. We want to make our city richer in nature and increase people's engagement with the natural world. We will work with others to protect, enhance, celebrate and increase awareness of the habitats, features and species special to Brighton and Hove. BHWF looks forward to a future where nature and our community live together to our mutual benefit, enabling our city to play its part in addressing the nature and climate crises.

Brighton and Hove's Wildlife Forum Aims

• Inspire local people to have greater awareness of the natural world living with them across all Brighton and Hove’s land and sea. Share our passion, knowledge and understanding with others. Providing a repository of local wildlife knowledge and expertise to the community, at no cost, or signposting to commercial providers as appropriate.

• Ensure and encourage adherence to, and disseminate the Local Biodiversity Action Plan (LBAP), feeding into a review when appropriate.

• Through engagement with the council directly as part of working groups, the planning process, direct contact and the development of good working relationships, ensure that biodiversity and geodiversity are firmly embedded in City Council decision making in line with their formal duties under the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 (NERC Act 2006) and Environment Act 2021, whether in land, open space and estate management or the planning process.

• Specifically work with other stakeholders, groups and the council to encourage the adoption of wildlife friendly management procedures and method in parks, open spaces and on highway land.

• Ensure that all parks and public open spaces, including downland properties have current management plans with nature conservation and sound environmental management at their cores, agreed by their friends groups and local specialists, and other local stakeholders, which are implemented on the ground. The management plans should be adhered to and updated on a regular basis and include for regular monitoring.

• Ensure a map of all local wildlife sites is maintained. This will be core to a larger foundation of biodiversity and geodiversity resources Sections 40 and 41 (NERC Act 2006) requires habitats and species listed are fully taken into account.

• Ensure the foundation of natural resources is not reduced. Where possible, seek opportunities to enhance biodiversity habitats, species, and geodiversity features are increased. Encourage the linking of wildlife sites and green space in the city by connecting habitats such as private gardens by expanding the information available to local residents and businesses on how they can use their private space to improve opportunities for nature.

• As one of the few Natural History museums in the country, promote the Booth Museum as a unique resource for local naturalists, environmental learning, planning projects and those developing biodiversity related policies.