The approach to BAP nationally, regionally and locally in Swindon has always been at the species and habitat level, rather than at a spatial level. There is now recognition nationally that to achieve targets to halt habitat and species loss, conservation effort needs to take place at a landscape scale. There are already many successful landscape scale projects taking place this area and elsewhere across the country, including for example: Wiltshire Wildlife Trust's Rebuilding Biodiversity in North Wiltshire Project.

 The England Biodiversity Group has now identified a series of Integrated Biodiversity Delivery Areas (IBDAs) which are national pilot areas for landscape scale working. The Natural Environment White Paper which is due to come out at the end of February will provide more information about the way forward for the landscape scale approach, and what this will mean for the BAP process. We will include more information here as it becomes available, including what this means for Swindon.