Purpose

The Environment & Sustainability Strategy seeks to deliver a series of outcomes from carbon reduction to nature protection and recovery.
Following extensive wildfires on Hatfield Moors in May 2020 that caused significant damage to habitat and a loss of peat carbon, partnership discussions reflected on the greater need to protect our peatland assets in the light of climate change, not only to protect the nationally important store of peat carbon and prevent it becoming a carbon source, but also to conserve biodiversity in a warming climate. Intervention was needed at a landscape scale that integrated the present and future needs of a wider range of interests.
As a result, the Council is now leading a multi-agency partnership to prepare a nomination to UNESCO for Biosphere Reserve status for Doncaster & Humberhead Levels.

Decision

To approve the allocation of £4,500 from the Environment & Sustainability earmarked reserve to develop an external UNESCO Biosphere website

Alternative options considered

1. Do not create an external Biosphere website
a. The project will continue to feel a council initiative and not a partnership
b. The project will not be promoted allowing less people to get involved and reducing its ability to promote the region.

2. Use a YourLifeDoncaster webpage for the biosphere
a. Does no allow for partnership input as a council webpage
b. Does not have capabilities we require – such as an interactive map, activities interactive
calendar (and merchandise capabilities if required in the future), example of this is the Living Coast website.
c. A risk of using YourLifeDoncaster is having a website that does not keep up with current website development and risks looking outdated.

An external website would allow us to have improved presentation and provides future proofing of the project as the website capabilities rapidly develop.