NATURAL ENVIRONMENT - BIODIVERSITY AND WATER
Natural open spaces can help to mitigate climate change and also have a role in adapting to future more extreme weather conditions. The Council manages a significant amount of open space and needs to do so with climate change in mind. It can also influence the provision of new space as well as the management of the natural environment beyond its ownership. The same is also true of water. We are acting to reduce our own consumption as well as encouraging others to reduce theirs.
Current activities:
- managing sites to maximise biodiversity through the development of site management plans.
- Re-using most of the timber from our sites; smaller pieces are used to create log pile habitats and larger pieces of timber are sent to a power station which uses biomass as a fuel.
- planning policies require the protection and enhancement of natural areas, biodiversity and open space, as well as the creation of new open areas in new development schemes.
- planning policies seek to reduce levels of water consumption in new developments.
- reducing water consumption in our main offices; for example, the installation of waterless urinals.
- using innovative planting schemes to reduce water use in parks and open spaces.
- installing rainwater storage tanks to capture rainwater which is used to irrigate planting schemes in Horsham.
Future Actions:
| Initiative | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 to 2 years: | |
| Building Energy & Carbon Management Policy & Strategy | Will include actions to reduce water consumption in Council buildings |
| Low water planting schemes | Continue to innovate with the planting schemes used on Council- owned land that reduce water use |
| 2 to 5 years | |
| Rainwater Harvesting | Investigate utilising rainwater captured on existing or new Council developments to provide water for highway sweeping and cleaning fleet vehicles |
| Site management plans | Continue to use these plans to increase biodiversity and adapt to climate change. |
| Mowing regimes | Investigate alternative grass cutting regimes for some of the Council’s open spaces to reduce the use of vehicles |