Bermuda for its lack of biodiversity protection.

The World Wildlife Fund report makes poor reading for those concerned about the Island's fragile ecosystem and its dimininshing resources.

It lists areas where Bermuda is lacking in safeguards for the natural environment and one conservationist claimed the report shows Government thinking on the environment is 40 years behind the rest of the world.

The report, "Overlooking Britain's greatest biodiversity?'', focuses on all of Britain's overseas territories and the state of their animal and plant life.

It says there is no national biodiversity plan, poor planning legislation to protect the natural world, little funding for conservation and a constant pressure on the environment.

In addition it claims there is no strategic planning for biodiversity conservation, land encroachment, poor protection for native species and inferior enforcement of fishing laws.

Ian Macdonald-Smith, a trustee of Save Open Spaces, said: "The report really is embarrassing for an Island that is selling its ecology for tourists.

"The Government tries to come across as environmentally-friendly but it is not.'' He said there was a general air of apathy that permeated from Government to the people, when it came to looking after the environment. An attitude that put the Island behind many other countries in terms of protection.

"Bermuda doesn't think it is backward, they (the Government) think everything is lovely. Unfortunately they have a 1950s attitude.

"And here we are in the 1990s, the rest of the world has got serious about conservation and Bermuda is going backward saying "we don't really care''.'' The report is critical of Bermuda over a biodiversity project which is still being completed as new buildings rise apace. It says "the territory with the most sophisticated infrastructure and the densest human population does not have a national plan which integrates biodiversity conservation''.

Of planning laws it says "it has legslation that supposedly goes some way toward protecting biodiversity but it is poorly enforced and there are several flagrant examples of its abuse...zonings are often ignored, overturned by ministerial decisions...tourism has been used as justification for unsuitable development which would lead to the erosion of biodiversity''.

The report also raises concerns over the pressure on natural habitats, the burden of fishing, protection of spawning sites, and the pumping of sewage into the sea, one mile off South Shore.

There is also praise for Government Conservation Officer David Wingate, who it says has done much to conserve species and habitat.

In addition there is praise for some non-Governmental organisations, such as Save Open Spaces and Keep Bermuda Beautiful, who have made efforts to preserve the environment.

Mr. Macdonald-Smith predicted that the British Government might well step in and force territories to take action to protect their biodiversity, if countries did not start to formulate their own plans.

He said the Foreign Office could become far more involved in the future, partly to save face over any possible embarrassment, and also to make sure there was enough funding for conservation groups.