Landscape and Biodiversity

The "natural capital" of our historic landscape and diverse wildlife in Suffolk is a huge asset but exists in a delicate balance.

Climate change is likely to have a pronounced effect on the county’s landscape and biodiversity and in particular its coastal areas.

Many partners are already leading on projects in this field but the Greenest County initiative is steering further collaboration and a joined-up approach. We are developing a range of projects in a three-tiered approach aiming to promote the value of what we’ve got, avoid deterioration, and to improve and enhance our landscapes wherever possible.

We are supporting current landscape and biodiversity mapping initiatives and the use of standard tools to help us understand the landscape, its character and problems. We are committed to ensuring that Environmental Stewardship continues and is adequately funded as a tool for achieving biodiversity and habitats that are appropriate. A further key project is to develop a better understanding of green infrastructure, learning from the Haven Gateway project and other schemes elsewhere in the country.

We are also investigating the possibility for major landscape initiatives such as rewilding of some coastal or Breckland areas. We will support local communities with caring for and using our wonderful landscapes, and will support community landscape or woodland projects through our partners, while providing a strategic direction that ensures they contribute to the greater whole. We are also working on an integrated coastal zone management strategy that addresses the unique issues of this landscape and the needs of its inhabitants, in an area that is most threatened by climate change.