Wildlife and biodiversity issues relate to the variety of plants and animals that exist within the Essex County Council area. Essex contains several valuable and rare habitats, from coastal saltmarshes and mudflats to ancient woodlands, trees and wetlands.
Essex County Council has a duty to ensure that these environments are managed and maintained, where it owns them or carries out activities that may affect them. It aims to ensure that the diverse array of plant and animal life across the county is protected, managed and recorded so that future generations will be able to enjoy them.
Essex County Council employs ecologists and works with a range of partners and experts in order to ensure that the county meets its statutory obligations and that decisions across a wide range of areas are informed by wildlife and biodiversity issues.
Essex County Council is involved in several schemes and initiatives designed to protect and enhance the biodiversity of Essex. The following projects and initiatives target specific subjects and issues relating to wildlife and biodiversity.