Making your mark on the local wildlife

Nov 6 2007 by Karen Wilson, The Journal

Jo Bussey explains what businesses and local authorities can do to help protect local wildlife.

THE issue of biodiversity can often be a difficult one for the corporate sector to understand or get involved in. It is a term that can be both inspiring and threatening, particularly if it is connected to environmental management systems or the measurement of corporate social responsibility.

In our region a significant number of businesses are undertaking steps to not only reduce the impact that their business has on the local environment, but also to go further in actively seeking to develop new projects and initiatives which help promote or conserve local biodiversity.

If this sounds like your business, then the Trust would like to hear from you.

As part of Northumberland Wildlife Trust’s ongoing partnership with regional energy supplier npower, the 2007/08 Conservation Awards are now being launched.

Entries are invited from local businesses under the corporate category of the awards. Any project or initiative that makes a contribution to wildlife conservation and local biodiversity can enter. Example projects can range from a business positively promoting local biodiversity in-house or the planting of shrubs and hedgerows to developing wildflower areas and installing ponds or encouraging staff to develop wildlife areas in their own gardens.

Projects can therefore be developed in-house or implemented in conjunction with the local community. Previous winners include Quaker’s Hole Community Wetland Project, Lee Moor Business Park and Northumbrian Water.

Closing date for entries to the awards, sponsored by npower, is Wednesday February 20, 2008. First, second and third prizes will be awarded to entrants in the corporate category. Only projects in Northumberland, Newcastle upon Tyne and North Tyneside are eligible. Winners will be announced during the week following the closing date, with an awards ceremony for entrants and winners in March 2008.

The awards ceremony provides an excellent networking opportunity for all awards entrants and is an ideal way of gaining new project ideas or developing partnerships with other local businesses. For further information visit our website at www.nwt.org.uk.

In addition, if your business requires help in implementing biodiversity improvements, The Wildlife Trusts’ Biodiversity Benchmark assessment may be the answer.

The Biodiversity Benchmark enables an organisation to assess its impact on the natural world and improve its contribution to the environment, whilst demonstrating commitment to biodiversity. It is the first recognised scheme to reward an organisation for its continual biodiversity improvement.

The benchmark is flexible and adaptable, so it can be applied to any organisation with land, from businesses through to local authorities, service utilities, NHS Trusts, developers and charities.

Biodiversity Benchmark certificates may be issued for single operating sites, across multiple sites or across the whole organisation.

The Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) acknowledges the Wildlife Trust’s Biodiversity Benchmark as a realistic assessment methodology for companies to use when determining their operation’s actual impact on the natural environment surrounding their business.

For more information about how your organisation can benefit from assessing your impact on biodiversity contact Steve Lowe, head of conservation at Northumberland Wildlife Trust on (0191) 284-6884 or visit the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts’ main benchmark website at www.biodiversitybenchmark.org/main.htm.

Jo Bussey is head of fundraising and development for Northumberland Wildlife Trust.