Wildlife and countryside research programme
Introduction
Defra's Wildlife and Countryside Research Programme is designed to support three policy divisions:
European Wildlife Division, whose main objective is to conserve
and enhance the diversity and abundance of English wildlife in accordance
with EU and international commitments;
Global Wildlife Division, whose mission is to press for effective
protection measures for wildlife internationally, and to support that
objective with efficient licensing and enforcement systems domestically;
Countryside (Recreation and Landscape) Division, whose main objective
is to improve enjoyment of an attractive and well-managed countryside
for all.
The work of all three Divisions contributes mainly to Defra Objectives 1 and 5, but also to Objectives 2, 4 and 6; and to PSA target 3. See more of Defra's aims and objectives.
The overall objective of the programme is to ensure that wildlife and countryside policies are based on the best scientific evidence available. The programme contributes to the achievement of several of Defra's overarching science strategy objectives, including:
- To undertake surveys and analysis to improve knowledge of the requirements and ecological functions of key elements of biodiversity (including both species and key habitats, e.g. farmland birds, SSSIs) and the factors contributing to their unfavourable conservation status.
- To create the evidence base necessary to manage problems of invasive species, vertebrate pests (including escapees into the wild) and wildlife vectors of disease.
- To develop the tools to help us to enable society to make policy decisions and take actions to optimise biodiversity locally and globally, including the ecosystems approach, valuation, risk assessment, information systems, forecasting and decision support, and regulation of the trade in endangered species.
- To improve the evidence base for rational decision-making about the management of resources and the use of marine protected areas.
The use of science, including social science, is essential to develop and implement effective policies to conserve and enhance wildlife and promote enjoyment of the countryside. Scientific evidence is required for:
- the current status and trends in biodiversity;
- understanding the reasons for unfavourable status and decline in biodiversity, assessing vulnerability and identifying effective remedial measures;
- the identification of special marine sites for protection;
- understanding and assessing values of biodiversity and landscape character;
- social and environmental impacts of access to the countryside;
- human health and wellbeing through countryside recreation.
There are also a number of essential cross-cutting areas in which we need greater knowledge and understanding to underpin longer term policy development, especially the effects of climate change; the ecosystem approach to resource management; the use of new technologies to improve our operations; and the provision of information in accessible forms for the user. The Department is preparing to undertake a major integrated survey of natural resources, the latest Countryside Survey, in 2006. For research, which seeks to anticipate future impacts on policy, the Directorate has access to Defra's Horizon Scanning Programme operated by the Science Directorate.
BiodivERsA - new funding for biodiversity research in Europe
Around €20m, almost £14m, of research money is available for research to tackle biodiversity decline in Europe. The new funding comes from BiodivERsA, a network of 19 public research funding bodies from 14 European countries. The UK partners are the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), who together are contributing €4m, around £2·7m, for this first funding call. Further information
Page last modified: 11 December 2007