The Habitat Survey has been a joint project between HBRC and the Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust. A set of coloured Habitat Maps have been completed for the county.
Using all ecological data available, sites were assessed to identify sites of at least district importance. These are known as County Wildlife Sites and are regarded as being of critical natural capital (assets whose loss or damage would produce significant and irreversible changes for the worse). This designation can assist the local authorities in the planning process and many districts have incorporated the wildlife sites in their Local Plans.
The Hertfordshire Structure Plan (1998) seeks to safeguard habitats of importance to wildlife, stating that: ' critical assets will be given protection from development or other proposals which would cause loss, permanent damage or significant and irreversible change to those particular characteristics and features that define their special quality'.
Included as 'critical assets' are Wildlife Sites and Prime Biodiversity areas. With the completion of the Habitat Reports ( 1997-1999) and digitisation by HBRC of the wildlife sites onto a computer Geographical Information System (GIS), it is now possible to assess the extent of wildlife sites in the county. Advances in information technology will greatly assist in future monitoring of the county’s ecological assets. A total of 1783 sites covering 16236 hectares of land has been identified as achieving the criteria set for wildlife site status. Further information on the distribution, location and data for the wildlife sites is available from The Hertfordshire Biological Records Centre.
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