Our biodiversity duty

A biodiversity duty was placed on all public bodies and statutory undertakers from 1 October 2006.

This duty, set out in Section 40 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006, requires that:

"Every public body must, in exercising its functions, have regard, so far as is consistent with the proper exercise of those functions, to the purpose of conserving biodiversity."

To demonstrate implementation of this duty, accompanying Government guidance states that conserving biodiversity includes restoring and enhancing species populations and habitats; as well as protecting them.