From Issues that will affect East Lothian in the next 10-15 years
Protecting the Natural Environment
Improvements to biodiversity is one of the more obvious ways to address the nature crisis. Planning policy has long protected designated sites and protected species. European Sites and Sites of Special Scientific Interest together represent all of the main habitats and species of the UK and Europe.
Some of these designations such as SPAs and RAMSAR sites are international designations. The Council designates Local Biodiversity Sites, Country Parks and Local Nature reserves for people and nature. But now we must go further, towards a step change for nature.
The ongoing protection of these sites is vital in the context of the Nature Crisis and the development of the Green Network. Their protection will continue through the next LDP and the development of the next spatial strategy.
