- Overly neat and tidy gardening.
- Alien species – dumping of nonnatives.
- Cutbacks in public sector funding.
- People pressures – dog fouling leading to soil enrichment, trampling, vandalism and a desire for manicured parks.
- Development pressures – a lack of
awareness by developers of building for biodiversity, reduction in garden size (infilling)
and loss of mature trees.
- Inappropriate management of
roadside verges and railway embankments.
Urban
Urban biodiversity has been given priority status because of
increasing pressures from development, recreation and inappropriate
management. Urban wildlife also offers a high potential for public
involvement and it is where Torbay’s local population will enjoy
Torbay’s biodiversity the most. This action plan encompasses all
managed greenspace (domestic gardens, golf courses, playing fields,
public parks, churchyards, school grounds and tourist facilities e.g. caravan parks, zoos
and allotments), buildings, industrial estates and derelict land, retail parks, railway embankments and roadside verges.
Main Objectives & Key Actions:
1. Increase positive management for biodiversity in the urban environment.
2. Raise public awareness of the importance of urban biodiversity and greenspace.
Current threats to this habitat:
