THE variety of wildlife found in our countryside is on the decline but a project in Warwickshire is trying to change that.

Biodiversity offsetting is a new mechanism to help fix a broken system that has been ignoring the full impacts of development on the environment.

It also generates new funding opportunities for landowners who want to improve our county for wildlife.

Louise Martland, biodiversity offsetting project officer, said: "Biodiversity offsetting offers great opportunities as important habitats and sites are still protection within the planning system, but other habitat impacts can now be fully compensated for. We can now properly assess unavoidable impacts from developments while offering full funding for conservation works undertaken by landowners to improve Warwickshire for wildlife."

Biodiversity offsetting is now becoming an established part of the Warwickshire planning system but for the system to work well, more landowners are needed who would like to receive funding to improve the wildlife value of their land.

For more information visit environmentbank.com or call Louise on 01926 412772.