Sir David Attenborough’s Wild Isles documentary has inspired council chiefs to do all they can to help nature recover in Gloucestershire.

Gloucestershire County Council unanimously agreed to commit to hosting a biodiversity week in which they can actively promote ways to help maintain wildlife.

Councillors also passed a declaration on May 24 to recognise the importance of biodiversity.

They have committed to give biodiversity the same level of consideration as carbon when considering the environmental impacts of any given decision.

Envirnonment and planning cabinet member David Gray (C, Winchcombe and Woodmancote) said he was really pleased the council will lead by example.

And he hopes a Gloucestershire biodiversity week will encourage communities to get involved and promote the recovery of biodiversity.

He said: “Like many, I suspect, I recently enjoyed watching the spectacular BBC series Wild Isles, presented by Sir David Attenborough.

“I was especially pleased to see our beautiful county represented in that programme including the wild boar and robins of the Forest of Dean.

“It was an enjoyable programme to watch but it was also a challenging watch in that it not only highlighted how wonderful our country is in terms of nature but also how much biodiversity we have either lost or is under serious threat.”

He lamented the 60% decline in the number of insects and that a third of bird species are under threat.

Councillor Chloe Turner (G, Minchinhampton), who seconded the motion, also spoke of how the country has lost its abundance of biodiversity.

And she explained the council will be key in the county’s nature recovery.

“We’ve squeezed, we’ve stressed and we’ve polluted nature out of our world but with work we can make space for it again.

“This work must be properly resourced and funded by this council. I do welcome this motion and the commitment to give the same level of consideration to biodiversity as to carbon in all council decisions.”

Cllr Turner said she was also pleased that ecological impact assessments will feature in cabinet reports and that the council is committed to pursuing biodiversity net gain on council land. Councillors voted unanimously to approve the motion.