Biodiversity Duty
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) requires local authorities operating in England to report on the policies and actions they have undertaken to comply with their biodiversity duty. Under the Environment Act 2021, public authorities must have regard to the purpose of conserving and enhancing biodiversity in the exercise of their functions.
To meet these requirements, Ipswich Borough Council has produced a Biodiversity Report 2024–2025 (PDF), which sets out the measures taken to fulfil its statutory duties and contribute to biodiversity conservation and enhancement within the Borough.
Open Space and Biodiversity Policy
Ipswich Borough Council adopted the Biodiversity Strategy for Ipswich 2026–2036 - Enhancing Urban Life Through Access to Nature’ on the 24 March 2026. The Biodiversity Strategy, lays out the approach taken to maximise the biodiversity value of the Council’s land holding and also highlights the particularly important sites and species in the local context. More information on this can be found here.
Suffolk Local Nature Recovery Strategy
The Suffolk Local Nature Recovery Strategy LNRS provides a strategic, spatial framework for habitat creation and ecological enhancement across Suffolk, identifying priority areas for nature recovery.
The adopted Suffolk LNRS and some supporting information can be found on the Suffolk County Council website.