LOWLAND NEUTRAL GRASSLAND
ACTION PLAN
The Dry Grasslands Sub Group of the
Northamptonshire Biodiversity Partnership Group has developed this Plan. The
group comprises representatives from, English Nature, Forestry Commission,
County Recorders, The Wildlife Trust for Northamptonshire and interested
individuals.
Lead Agencies: Public Sector English Nature
Voluntary
Sector The Wildlife Trust
Dry Neutral Grassland occurs as grazed pasture
or hay meadows on neutral soils where the land is not frequently flooded. It
was therefore once an extensive habitat in Northamptonshire, particularly on
the dryer slopes of the river valleys. Even today more neutral grassland of
wildlife value remains than limestone or acid grassland, but the resource is
becoming increasingly fragmented as sites are ploughed or sprayed.
Habitats included in this Plan:
MG5 Centaurea-Cynosuretum cristati (Knapweed –
Crested dog’s-tail) Grassland
MG6 Lolio-Cynosuretum cristati (Rye grass - Crested dog’s-tail) Grassland
Associated Plans:
Roadside
Verges
The definition of neutral grassland includes
lowland neutral grasslands which typically occur on circumneutral brown
soils. These grasslands also provide
feeding or breeding habitat for a number of scarce or declining birds such as
the Skylark (Alauda arvensis).
Scrub is frequently associated with grassland
and can contribute to local biodiversity by providing shelter and nectar for
invertebrates and scrub edge conditions. A small amount of scrub on a grassland
site is usually beneficial to wildlife. However, scrub cover should not be
allowed to increase to the detriment of the grassland. Scrub control is
necessary on many sites.
2.1.1 MG5.
Centaurea-Cynosuretum cristati Grassland
This is the typical grassland community of
grazed hay-meadows managed in the traditional fashion in lowland Britain. It is
becoming rarer due to agricultural improvement but is still widespread in farm
fields. Fragmentary stands also occur in churchyards, on roadside verges and
railway embankments.
Example One: Grafton Regis Meadow Nature Reserve. Grid Ref: SP 765465
Grafton Regis meadow
is on the Grafton Estate in South Northamptonshire. A remnant of a once
extensive suite of hay meadows, the meadow is now only one of two hay meadows
surviving on the River Tove in Northamptonshire. The meadow supports a wide
range of flowering plants, including Southern Marsh-orchids (Dactylorhiza praetermissa).
2.1.2 MG6. Lolio-Cynosuretum
cristati Grassland
This community
is the major permanent pasture type on moist, but freely-draining,
circumneutral brown soils in lowland Britain. Enclosed stands in farm fields
are widespread and form the bulk of dairying and fatting pasture, as well as
providing occasional crops of hay or silage. It is also widespread as a
recreational sward, as village greens and roadside verges.
Example Two: Great Oakley Meadow
Local Nature Reserve, near Corby. Grid Ref: SP 863854
Although
small, Great Oakley Meadow supports a range of habitat types, including MG6 dry
neutral grassland. These types of neutral grassland have nearly always been
grazed traditionally and their ground flora therefore tends to be slightly more
sparse than that of hay meadows. However, they still support a range of plants,
and Great Oakley Meadow supports Pignut (Conopodium
majus), Lady’s Bedstraw (Galium verum)
and Pepper-saxifrage (Silaum silaus).
2.2 International /
National Status
In England and Wales the cover of lowland semi-natural
grassland has reduced by 97% over the last 50 years to approximately 0.2
million hectares and Northamptonshire has mirrored this trend. Current
estimates put the amount of species-rich neutral grassland remaining in the UK
at less than 15,000 hectares.
2.3 Local Status
English Nature surveys in Northamptonshire in
the late 1980s and early 1990s suggest a total of around 350 ha of unimproved
neutral grassland remain in Northamptonshire.
Green woodpecker (Picus viridus), Kestrel (Falco
tinnunculus), Grey partridge (Perdix
perdix) and Skylark (Alauda arvensis)
3.2 Local Priority Species
Red-belted Clearwing (Synanthedon myopaeformis)
and Wormwood Moth (Cucullia absinthii).
See Appendix 4 Dry
Grasslands and Heaths Priority Species for full list.
·
Agricultural intensification including the use
of fertilisers and pesticides (spray drift and run-off from adjacent land may
be a problem), ploughing, reseeding and a shift from hay to silage production.
·
Lack of appropriate management, such as
suitable grazing. This results in the increasing dominance of coarse grasses
and tall herbs and invasion by bracken or scrub. Heavy grazing pressure can
also lead to floristic impoverishment.
·
Loss of habitat due to development activities
such as mineral extraction, road building, housing and landfill.
·
Changes in management, such as altering the
grazing or cutting regime, can have a significant impact over time.
·
Fragmentation of the habitat brings increased
risks of species extinctions in the small remnant areas.
·
Recreational pressure bringing about floristic
changes associated with soil compaction or soil erosion.
·
Localised afforestation.
·
Atmospheric pollution and climate change may be
having an effect on grassland; however, the influence of these factors is not
fully assessed nationally and very little is known locally.
5.1.1 International and National
·
Several plant, invertebrate and bird species of
neutral grassland are protected under the Schedules of the Wildlife and
Countryside Act 1981.
·
A rough estimate suggests that approximately
20% by area of the unimproved neutral grassland in Northamptonshire is
designated as SSSI.
5.1.2 Local
·
The County Wildlife Site designation covers
virtually all the remaining unimproved neutral grassland in the county in
addition to those sites containing a mosaic of unimproved and semi-improved
grassland or the better examples of semi-improved neutral grassland.
·
The County Structure Plan and district Local
Plans contain policies that help protect Sites of Special Scientific Interest
and County Wildlife Sites, including neutral grasslands, from development to
varying degrees. Policies to protect archaeological features and parkland,
among others, can also protect important grasslands.
5.2 Management, Research
and Guidance
5.2.1 National
·
Initiatives such as Countryside Stewardship and
the English Nature Wildlife Enhancement Scheme have played a significant role
in effective management of neutral grassland sites.
·
The condition of neutral grassland SSSIs is
regularly monitored by English Nature.
5.2.2 Local
·
A significant contribution has been made by
various non-governmental organisations to the conservation of neutral grassland
in the county through the establishment of nature reserves.
LOWLAND NEUTRAL GRASSLAND OBJECTIVES AND ACTIONS
|
|
OBJECTIVE |
ACTION |
LEAD AGENCY |
PARTNERS |
TARGET |
|
6.1 |
Policy and Legislation |
||||
|
|
Objective One: Ensure that BAP
species and their habitats are given an appropriate level of protection in
local plans |
Include habitat and species protection
policies in local plans and/or supplementary guidance |
Local Authorities |
|
By 2003 |
|
|
Objective Two: Continue to protect
species scheduled in the Countryside and Wildlife Act 1981 |
Ensuring the implementation of the
Countryside and Wildlife Act 1981 |
English Nature |
|
Throughout Action Plan Period |
|
|
Objective Three: Halt all further
loss of unimproved neutral grassland throughout the county |
Take account of the conservation requirements
of neutral grassland when responding to consultations concerning the
development and adjustment of agri-environment schemes |
|
BAP Partners |
Throughout Action Plan Period |
|
6.2 |
Site Safeguard and Management |
||||
|
|
Objective Four: Monitor extent of
lowland calcareous grassland of nature conservation importance |
Keep the extent of SSSI coverage under review and notify further
sites as necessary to fill significant gaps in coverage. This process should
take into account emerging BAP priorities, research and surveys |
English Nature |
|
Throughout Action Plan Period |
|
|
|
Notify English Nature of any sites considered suitable for
notification as SSSI |
English Nature |
BAP Partners |
Throughout Action Plan Period |
|
|
|
Notify Wildlife Trust of sites considered suitable for CWS status |
Wildlife Trust |
BAP Partners |
Throughout Action Plan Period |
|
|
Objective Five: Within SSSIs,
initiate rehabilitation management for all significant stands of unimproved
lowland calcareous grassland in unfavourable conservation status by 2005 and
achieve favourable conservation status by 2010 |
Secure the uptake of positive management with owners and
occupiers of SSSIs where necessary to achieve favourable conservation
conditions |
English Nature |
|
By 2005 |
|
|
Objective Six: Ensure appropriate
management is undertaken on sites managed by BAP Partners |
For stands at other localities, secure favourable conservation
status over 30% of the resource by 2005 |
The Landowner |
|
By 2005 |
|
|
|
For stands at other localities, secure favourable conservation
status of 100% by 2010 |
The Landowner |
|
By 2010 |
|
|
|
Encourage the setting up of local networks, e.g. for livestock
provision, sharing of knowledge/expertise, machinery etc. that will help to
ensure sympathetic management is possible |
|
BAP Partners |
By 2005 |
6.3
|
Advisory |
||||
|
|
Objective Seven: Promote appropriate management of sites |
Contact owners/managers of all calcareous grassland
County Wildlife Sites and inform them of the wildlife value of their land and
offer management/grant advice |
Wildlife Trust |
Local Authorities |
By 2005 |
|
|
|
Liaise with the relevant road verge
management bodies and landowners to ensure adoption of suitable management
prescriptions |
County Council |
Wildlife Trust |
By 2002 |
6.4
|
Monitoring and Research |
||||
|
|
Objective Eight: Monitor management of sites of importance for
wildlife |
Re-survey all neutral grassland County
Wildlife Sites every 5 years; use survey results to adjust management
activities of sites if necessary |
Wildlife Trust |
Local Authorities |
Throughout Action Plan Period |
6.5
|
Communications and Publicity |
||||
|
|
Objective Nine: |
Use all available opportunities to gain
publicity for neutral grassland conservation issues |
|
BAP Partners |
Throughout Action Plan Period |
|
|
Objective Ten Publicise the progress made in delivering
this Action Plan in a BAP Annual Report |
|
|
BAP Partners |
Annually Throughout Action Plan Period |
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to Dry Grasslands and Heaths