What does it mean for me?
You may have noticed climate change impacting on wildlife around you, for example birds nesting earlier or changes to species in your countryside, city or coast.
BRANCH is looking at how to use our spatial planning system to provide wildlife with the ability to respond to climate change, for example providing space for species to move through.
To do this we are developing a sound evidence base to enable spatial planners to take action to promote habitat and species' resilience to climate change.
Our European partnership is producing practical guidance and tools, as demonstrated here at Greenweek, to inform policy development. We are working at European, national, regional and local levels.
BRANCH products to assist planners include:
European maps projecting climatic ranges for over 400 species under different climate scenarios.
Maps of coastal vulnerability to sea level rise and climate change.
A review of the effectiveness of spatial planning policies in protecting and enhancing biodiversity under a changing climate, including recommendations.
Visualisation of coastal sites under climate change to inform decision-making (Case studies in Normandie, Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Dorset).
Models of species movement in the landscape to inform habitat planning in the best places for the long term (Case studies in Limburg , Kent and Hampshire).
Roll out of guidance through a series of events.
We are developing the above Tools for Planners' through stakeholder engagement with planners and decision makers to ensure these are useful and enable climate change adaptation policies and actions for wildlife to be embedded in spatial planning.
All results including case study examples, will be available through the project website www.branchproject.org .
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