South Oxfordshire’s report highlighted the district’s significant environmental assets.
These included four Special Areas of Conservation – Aston Rowant, Chilterns Beechwoods, Hartslock Wood and Little Wittenham – as well as 38 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) covering 1,550 hectares.
It also recorded a national nature reserve at Aston Rowant, known for its floristically rich chalk grassland and beech woodland.
The council says it is now managing more than 40% of its own land for nature, and maps out extensive work with local partners including the Local Nature Partnership, National Landscapes, and the Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre.
Recent projects included expanding wildflower meadow trials, reducing mowing regimes, and the “Let it Bee” campaign aimed at supporting pollinators.
Councillor Mike Giles, cabinet member for Climate Action and Nature Recovery, said nature recovery remains a key priority, with a new Climate Action Fund launching later this year to support community-led biodiversity initiatives.