A 10-YEAR action plan that sets out how natural habitats in Leicester (UK) will be managed has been given the seal of approval by the city mayor. The Leicester Biodiversity Action Plan 2011-2021 is focused on helping wildlife to survive and disperse across the city. It outlines the council's commitment to protecting and increasing threatened habitats with the active participation of the local community.

Part of the plan involves ongoing support for the ICLEI member city's popular Bioblitz events which give volunteers the chance to join experts in recording the variety of wildlife living in selected areas of the city. A series of community wildlife events will be organised by Leicester City Council over the coming months, with the next major Bioblitz taking place in May 2012.

Biodiversity in Leicester is surprisingly high, with a recent survey identifying 80 species in just one day. Numerous sites across the city are managed as nature reserves and the newly approved plan aims to establish a network of green sites. Although knowledge of the distribution of many wildlife species in Leicester is patchy, the public are being encouraged to engage as observers and recorders, particularly of high profile species such as foxes, bats, hedgehogs and birds.

For more information, click here.