Policy & Legislation

The Trust is actively involved in promoting the development and implementation of policies that favour wildlife.  This we do at European, national and local level and most usually through our involvement with networks of Non-Governmental Organisations.  Most of our policy work is not specific to herpetofauna. We work to promote the creation of a society that supports the conservation of biodiversity as a whole. Such an environment  is important for the effective conservation of amphibians and reptiles.

UK

Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP)

• In the UK we are members of Wildlife & Countryside Link and through this network we work to further the BAP.  We are keen to see this plan applied more effectively at all levels and to see it provide aspiration and innovation and a robust policy and legislative framework for furthering the conservation of our wildlife. 

• We believe that the UK BAP should be a mechanism that pulls together the many and diverse mechanisms for wildlife conservation, effectively offering a ‘one-stop shop’ to involve and inform Governmental and non-Governmental organisations and individuals.  Stronger and more explicit links between different conservation initiatives, for example integrating the EC Habitats Directive at the heart of BAP, would provide a greater synergy and focus. 

• Notably we advocate that the concept of ‘Favourable Conservation Status’ (a term defined in the EC Habitats Directive) could provide a valuable means for setting BAP targets.

• Click here to visit the Government's UKBAP site.

• Click here to visit the England Biodiversity Strategy site

• The HCT has been keen to promote the general duty towards Biodiversity Conservation placed on public bodies by different pieces of legislation in the UK (e.g. Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004, Natural Environment & Rural Communities Act 2006). We are working with Government through Wildlife & Countryside Link towards its effective implementation.

Land use planning 

• Land use planning – whether as reactive ‘development control’ or proactive ‘forward planning’ – affects our wildlife, and especially our reptiles and amphibians.  Strong conservation policies here will make a significant contribution to the long term survival of populations.  We are therefore involved actively at all levels in seeking stronger protection and enhancement measures and seeing a greater support for biodiversity conservation through the planning system.

• At a national level we advocate a much stronger and more explicit appreciation of biodiversity conservation as a key element of ‘Sustainable Development’, with healthy and locally characteristic wildlife and habitats contributing to local social and economic well being as well as being integral to the character of an area. Our involvement with Wildlife & Countryside Link allows us to contribute effectively to the development of national planning policy, for example Planning Policy Statements in England. 

• Locally we support the development of specific planning policies, are involved with specific planning issues and advocate designation of local wildlife sites for amphibians and reptiles.  We are keen to see a greater role of Local Biodiversity Action Plans as part of the local planning process and the integration of these in local and community plans & strategies.  We are also keen to monitor the developing role of Regional Assemblies and to ensure that opportunities for wildlife conservation through these are maximised.

Legislation

Wildlife legislation in the UK is complicated, both through its steady evolution and amendment creating numerous different acts, regulations and statutory orders, etc, but also because the Environment is a devolved function for the different country administrations in the UK. therefore different legislation (and policy) has developed in the different countries of the UK. It is also further complicated by the interaction between national, European and international legislation and jurisprudence. The HCT works to see the more effective development and application of legislation to help the conservation of amphibians and reptiles by:

• Maintaining a good understanding of the legislation and advising on its application to herpetofauna conservation to a wide range of people, including enforcement agencies, statutory bodies, consultants, developers, non-Government organisations and individuals

• Seeking to promote amendments to the legislation, it's schedules and annexes and to the guidance that is provided to help its implementation.  

A summary of the protection afforded to amphibians and reptiles for each country in the UK can be obtained by clicking on the links below:

England and Wales

Scotland

Northern Ireland

Other Issues 

• We also contribute to a wide range of other policy issues. For example Water Conservation, wildlife trade and the review of ‘rural delivery’ (Haskins Review).  We contribute to work on wildlife crime, notably through our support for the Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime (PAW).

• We also work at the European level to influence the development and implementation of European level policy and legislation. Click here for more information.