South East Biodiversity Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment
South East Biodiversity Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment
Development, agricultural changes, habitat destruction and pollution have all had an impact on our biodiversity over many years. Climate change will exacerbate these existing pressures and exert additional pressures such as: changes to the ranges of many species; changes in species abundance; and changes to the timing of seasonal activity. In fact, there is evidence that many species are already responding to climate change (Hopkins et al, Defra 2007). If society and the economy are to adapt to climate change, it is crucial to minimise the effects of the damaging impacts to the underlying environment.
Natural England in the South East have developed a model to help us assess biodiversity vulnerability to climate change at a strategic scale in order to advance our approach to climate change adaptation for the natural environment.
Natural England has developed a GIS grid model to input data, including habitat information and topography, and to undertake a spatial analysis at a 200m2 grid scale. The results of this biodiversity climate change vulnerability assessment will help us to target adaptation action for biodiversity.
The below map shows the overall results from the vulnerability assessment for all BAP habitats in the South East.
Future Work
Future Work The South East England Biodiversity Forum aims to explore how this vulnerability assessment can be used alongside the Biodiversity Opportunity Areas to provide further information on targeted habitat creation and management to enhance biodiversity and increase its resilience in the face of a changing climate with a range of partners.
For example, the following maps show the grid squares that have either low or medium adaptive capacity for connectivity or management for two local areas, North Kent and the Surrey Heaths.
These low Adaptive Capacity grid squares are then mapped against the South East England Biodiversity Forum’s Biodiversity Opportunity Areas. We can then use these maps in partnership initiatives to help to identify our best opportunities to focus interventions on improving connectivity and management and therefore to improve habitat resilience to climate change.
North Kent - vulnerability assessment and BOAs
Surrey - vulnerability assessment and BOAs
Contact details
If you would like any further information on the South East Biodiversity Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment, or a copy of the full report please contact Sarah Taylor on mailto:sarah.taylor@naturalengland.org.uk or 0300 060 3922.