Launch Of Highland Biodiversity Partnership Agreement Forum

The Highland Biodiversity Partnership Agreement, which is a commitment from over 20 organisations operating in Highland to work together to help understand, safeguard, restore and celebrate the biodiversity within the Highland Council area, was launched at the weekend at the 2006 Highland Biodiversity Forum held at the Town House Inverness.

The Forum provided an opportunity for delegates to be updated on the 40 projects, which have been taken forward by local individuals or groups over the last two years.

Councillor Ian Ross, Chairman of The Highland Council’s Sustainable Development Committee, said: "There is a record of considerable biodiversity achievement in Highland and community groups and others across the area are to be applauded for their hard work and success. There is a quiet but justifiable satisfaction with the progress to date. The challenge is to do yet more, but there is the confidence and commitment to do just that and we are far from complacent over the need for additional biodiversity action. "

"The launch of the Highland Biodiversity Partnership Agreement is a significant step and provides the linkage and coherence of structure which will add to our ability to act effectively and also seek to maximise the available resources."

The Forum also provided the opportunity to run workshops which encouraged a full discussion on key issues and future goals. The feedback from the workshops will be used to inform future work programmes and share information and good practice from across Highland.

Highland biodiversity officer, Jonathan Willet, said: "It can be easy to feel depressed about the state of the natural world and our effect on it. But gatherings such as these show that there is a huge amount of positive work being done to protect and restore the Highland’s Biodiversity and a huge number of enthusiastic people involved. With further money for projects close to being secured for the next three years we hope that there will be even more good news about Highland’s Biodiversity to celebrate in 2007 and even more people involved"