The purpose of this project is to create a visual tool that shows where wildlife habitats are and how they connect across a landscape. It will highlight areas that are rich in biodiversity, areas in need of restoration, and natural corridors - like hedgerows - that allow animals and plants to move and thrive. This will help guide planning, conservation, and land-use decisions to protect and rebuild a healthy, connected natural environment.

The aim of the map is also to encourage landowners to manage their land in a biodiversity-positive way. The map will recognise and celebrate those that do, and provide advice to those that wish to have their land parcel acknowledged on the map. This will be achieved through a questionnaire system, where minimum requirements must be met.

This project will be developed in partnership with Digimap Guernsey.

Although planning for this project is underway, it has not yet commenced. The costs in the first year are anticipated to the approximately £25,000, and this includes the development of the map with Digimap Guernsey, training so that Nature Commission staff can update and maintain the map, and costs of administering the questionnaire aspect for biodiversity-positive land recognition.

Following the first year, once the map is developed, it is anticipated that the annual cost of this project, to update and maintain the map will be approximately £7,000.

This concept has been implemented in the Isle of Man, through their Nature Recovery Network.

Find out more here: Nature Recovery Network - Biosphere

This project helps to progress against the following UN Sustainable Development Goals:

• #11 sustainable cities and communities
• #15 life on land

The Nature Commission is a Guernsey charity that works with business, government, the third sector, and the public to enhance the Island's natural environment and promote greater native biodiversity. In particular, the Nature Commission is working to reverse the decline in biodiversity by protecting and enhancing Guernsey's natural environment for the health of our economy and well-being of our island community.

For more information visit Nature Commission Guernsey

To support this project, please contact: office@naturecommission.gg