9 | Greenleaf Autumnr 2014
Continued articles Urban Paradise
En ha nci ng Br ighton’s environment is the aim of the ambitious Valley Gardens proposal, which if passed, will transform Brighton’s central area from the Level to Old Steine. The plans embody the holistic “Green Infrastructure” approach by providing more streamlined travel routes into the city as well as enhanced tree coverage, sustainable drainage, and attractive landscaping. The area is under-used, rarely visited by residents or tourists, yet is ideally placed to become a stunning centrepiece to the city, providing economic as well as social benefits. But the Biosphere project is not just about changes residents will see happening around them. Empowering local residents to participate is a core principle of the five-year strategy. Challenges such as climate change affect everyone, and there is great potential in our city for developing connections between local people and the quality, culture and heritage of their environment. Pete West, Green Councillor and Chair of
the Environment, Sustainability and Transport Committee, consulted extensively with local people about the Biosphere Project. “The response was wholly positive. What people really grasped was that their environment is special, and that they’re very proud of it. I’m really keen to see this profoundly important designation work, it can really help to shape a better future.” Brighton and Hove Allotment Federation have been at the forefront of changes led by local residents. Site representatives, allotmenteers and volunteers will play a key role in the city’s new Allotment Strategy for 2014-2024, promoting organic gardening, cutting down on use of chemicals, increasing composting and reducing water consumption. These measures all help to meet the city’s Biosphere objectives, which include the social benefits of greater participation and ownership of their environment. So the new designation means many things. To give just a few examples, it is international
NHS not for sale Continued from page 6
The Tories promised to “cut the deficit, not the NHS” before the election, a promise they did not stick to when they began making £20bn of cuts when they began making £20bn of cuts. Every voice of objection raised will help make it more likely that the NHS, a cherished national institution which has served generations of families over decades, stays with us for generations to come.”
What is the biosphere?
Continued from page 7
Brighton Green MP Caroline Lucas has already supported a draft NHS Reinstatement Bill that would reverse damaging reforms and restore the NHS fully back into public hands, reinstating the Government’s legal duty to provide the NHS in England. For more on protecting our NHS: w w w. c a r o l i n e l u c a s . c o m / issues/health
accolade which can attract visitors and raise Brighton and Hove’s profile as a pioneer of sustainable living. It will provide countless opportunities for residents and visitors to learn about their diverse environment, and to connect with their local culture and heritage. In fact, involving residents, visitors, pupils, students, businesses, and a wide range of community organisations is part of the ambition behind this distinctive status. The Brighton and Lewes Downs Biosphere Project recognises the environmental, social and economic challenges we face and provides a creative framework for addressing them together. As Pete West puts it: “Biosphere status adds to our ambitious work on sustainability as the world’s first One Planet City. But
it also gives us the opportunity to raise greater awareness about our environment locally, puts us on the world map as a place to visit and invest, and it opens the door to attracting more funding to the city. Our Biosphere will help everyone learn about and enjoy the wealth of nature on our doorsteps, help us conserve and enhance it, and set us up for exciting opportunities ahead.” Brighton and Lewes Downs Biosphere website: http://biospherehere.org.uk/ Biosphere Management Strategy: http://biospherehere.org.uk/wp/ wp-content/uploads/2013/09/ Biosphere%20Management%20 Strategy_2014-19.pdf
The biosphere is a term that covers life, land, water and the air.
What is a biosphere reserve?
A biosphere reserve is an area that has been recognised for its unique mix of plants and animals, valued environment and sustainable way of life of the people who live and work within the biosphere reserve. The biosphere reserves are chosen by UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) but rely on local cooperation to ensure the careful management of the resources within biosphere reserves that allow development without harming the area for future generations.
Where is our biosphere reserve?
The city of Brighton and Hove, along with the coastal communities and downland between the River Adur to the west and the Ouse to the east and extending two nautical miles out to sea, is the area that has been awarded official UNESCO Biosphere designation.
Have I heard of any other biospheres?
There are 631 Biosphere sites, spanning 119 different countries. The UK the sites include North Devon’s Biosphere Reserve, the North Norfolk Coast, Biosffer Dyfi Biosphere in Wales, Galloway & South Ayreshire and Beinn Eighe, in Scotland.