Biodiversity-Strategy-January-2023

19 6.0 The Biodiversity Crisis Whilst our District is host to many unique, common and important habitats and species, they are continually under threat and have suffered declines, just as biodiversity has suffered regionally and worldwide. There are several issues that are acknowledged as key drivers of biodiversity loss. The biggest threat to biodiversity at a global, regional and local scale, is the loss of natural habitats and fragmentation of existing habitat. Since the 1950s, 41,000 hectares of countryside in Northern Ireland has been lost to urban development, with an unquantified loss of biodiversity. Pressures associated with intensive agriculture have had major impacts on habitats and species, with over 70% of the number of habitats of EU interest reported to be negatively impacted by agriculture (State of Nature 2019, 2019). Agricultural Management Climate Change Urbanisation Pollution Woodland Management Fisheries Invasive Non-native Species Freshwater Management The greatest drivers of change in Northern Ireland are... Drivers of Biodiversity Change in Northern Ireland based on State of Nature 2019 Report.