The DAC strategy on biodiversity recognises the contribution that the 400 parish churches and other places of worship, their curtilage land and churchyards make to the provision of varied habitat in both urban and rural settings in all parts of the Diocese.
It is a strategy for informing, advising and supporting parishes in the management, care and development of their church buildings and churchyards to support and enhance biodiversity, alongside the functions of care of the church building as a local centre of mission and worship as well as heritage, and care of the churchyard as a place for burial, commemoration and reflection.
The DAC strategy is:
- To ensure that the maintenance and enhancement of biodiversity are taken into account in DAC advice, generally and in casework.
- To inform and encourage parishes to understand and appreciate the value of the churchyard, curtilage land and church building for nature, and the existing habitats and species the churchyard, land and church building support.
- To provide information and advice to help parishes to map and assess the relative value of habitats and species for biodiversity.
- To ensure that parishes have regard to the maintenance and enhancement of biodiversity alongside other factors such as the care of historic fabric, needs for mission and outreach, and Net Zero Carbon, in developing schemes of repair and in making changes.
DAC Strategy on Biodiversity