Biodiversity Action Plan
The Wessex Water Biodiversity Action Plan, WWBAP, was the first corporate initiative of its kind to be based on the UK Biodiversity Action Plan, UKBAP, and has been acknowledged by the UK government report 'Sustaining the Variety of Life' as a best-practice example of corporate involvement in biodiversity work.
It draws on a long tradition of wildlife conservation work within Wessex Water and has developed into a coherent package of activity, including:
- providing funding to projects carried out by wildlife organisations - the partners programme.
- the partners programme action to minimise the impact of building new infrastructure, such as treatment works and pipelines
- our environmental assessment work to enhance biodiversity on Wessex Water land, such as the sites of treatment works
- our Conservation, access, recreation work which outlines our duty of care in the region.
Why was this work described as a 'biodiversity action plan'?
Simply, because it incorporated objectives and targets within the UKBAP.
The WWBAP was also given impetus by regulation that has been instrumental in the development of biodiversity work.
This includes:
- international agreements such as the International Convention on Biodiversity, agreed at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development at Rio de Janeiro in 1992 and the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance
- European Union (EU) legislation, eg, the Species and Habitats Directive covering the Natura 2000 sites
- national legislation and policy, eg, the UKBAP, the Code of Practice on Conservation, Access and Recreation and the duty to conserve biodiversity under the Natural Environment and Rural Communties Act, Water Act and the Conservation and Rights of Way Act
- the South West Regional Spatial Strategy, for which there is a significant biodiversity dimension.
For more information on our Biodiversity Action Plan, please click the following links:
Wessex Water is committed to reducing its impact on the environment and was one of the first water companies to report its progress towards sustainability.
Sustainability for us means providing our customers with high quality services in a way that has minimal effect on rivers, the coastline and the wider environment.
We continue to invest in initiatives that help reduce our impact on the environment and bring us closer to realising our ambition of becoming a sustainable business.
For example, at Bristol sewage treatment works we have invested in new engines that produce 50% more green energy.
Our target is to increase the production of energy we use from renewable sources to 20% by 2005 and 50% by 2020.
This is just one of the ways we are contributing to the UK’s target to reduce greenhouse gases.
We produce an in depth report, Striking the Balance, which examines our targets and achievements towards sustainability.
Wessex Water’s innovative biodiversity action plan , BAP, was the first corporate initiative of its kind to be based on the UK BAP.
The government acknowledged it as a best practice example of corporate involvement in biodiversity work.
It has been implemented in partnership with various wildlife organisations, including the Wildlife Trust, RSPB and Plantlife.
The programme involves:
- funding projects to protect and enhance the region’s biodiversity
- minimising the impact of Wessex Water’s investment programme on biodiversity
- enhancing biodiversity on Wessex Water sites.