Urban Habitat Action Plan

Urban areas are found across the UK and are expanding due to the increased pressure for housing numbers. The Urban Habitat Action Plan covers habitats occurring within towns or villages in RBWM. Not only will this Habitat Action Plan cover larger settlements within the Borough such as Maidenhead, Windsor, Ascot and Wraysbury, but smaller villages such as Holyport, Cookham and Datchet. Urban areas are often considered as being less important for biodiversity than the more rural environments. However, urban environments can provide important habitats for a range of plants and animals as well as providing ecosystem services for local residents, such as mental and physical health and well being, provision of food and clean water, reduction of pollution and flood amelioration. Features such as roads and railways connect the majority of the man-made structures within the borough but can also provide important connectivity for wildlife.

New developments can have a significant effect on wildlife and on the ability of people to experience and enjoy nature and therefore it is important that this be recognised, protected and enhanced.

The biggest opportunity for enhancing biodiversity and creating new habitat in urban areas is by ‘urban greening’. This can be through the creation of green roofs, green walls, providing artificial nest and roosting sites for birds and bats or through the incorporation of Sustainable Urban Drainage systems (SUDS).