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Delivery Plan for North East Regional Biodiversity Habitat Targets (In Support of the English Biodiversity Strategy) Acknowledgements

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Delivery Plan for North East Regional Biodiversity Habitat Targets (In Support of the English Biodiversity Strategy) Acknowledgements www.naturalengland.org.uk Delivery Plan for North East Regional Biodiversity Habitat Targets (in support of the English Biodiversity Strategy) Acknowledgements This plan has been produced with use of help and information from many people and organisations across the North East of England. This include members and staff from the North East Biodiversity Forum, Natural England, The Environment Agency, Local Biodiversity Partnerships, County Councils, Local Authorities, the North Pennines AONB, Northumberland National Park, Northumberland Coast AONB, RSPB, Durham Wildlife Trust, Northumberland Wildlife Trust, Tees Valley Wildlife Trust, English Heritage, The Woodland Trust, Grassland Trust, INCA, The National Trust, Tarmac Ltd, UK Coal, Lafarge UK. Also individuals such as Dr Janet Simkin, Claire O’Reilly and many others. 2 - Delivery Plan for Regional Biodiversity Habitat Targets Contents Introduction Purpose of the Delivery Plan - 4 Format of Delivery Plan - 5 Notes on target terminology - 5 Implementation of the Delivery Plan - 5 The Habitats Native Woodland - 6 Proposed Delivery Map -14 Wood Pasture and Parkland - 10 Lowland Meadows - 16 Proposed Delivery Map - 22 Upland Hay Meadows - 20 Lowland Dry Acid Grassland - 24 Lowland Calcareous Grassland - 28 Proposed Delivery Map - 36 Lowland Heathland - 32 Lowland Raised Bog - 38 Fens - 41 Proposed Delivery Map - 52 Reedbeds - 46 Coastal and Floodplain Grazing Marsh - 48 Coastal Sand Dunes - 54 Maritime Cliffs and Slopes - 57 Proposed Delivery Map - 62 Saline Lagoons - 60 Upland Calcareous Grassland - 64 Blanket Bog/ Heathland Location: North Pennines AONB Map - 72 Upland Heathland - 66 Northumberland National Blanket Bog - 69 Park Map - 73 Eutrophic Standing Waters - 74 Mesotrophic Lakes - 76 Purple Moor-Grass and Rush Pasture - 78 Delivery Plan for Regional Biodiversity Habitat Targets - 3 North East Biodiversity Forum Delivery Plan for Regional Biodiversity targets Purpose of the Delivery Plan A new set of biodiversity targets for England were produced following on from the UK BAP targets review of 2006. Subsequently each of the English regions signed up to delivering a proportion of the revised habitat targets by 2015. The purpose of this Delivery Plan is to set out how the North East region proposes to achieve its share of the targets. The Delivery Plan contains: • An assessment (where possible) of current progress towards meeting the targets • Proposed delivery mechanisms for achieving the targets • Milestones for the delivery of the targets • Linkages between delivery of the target and landscape-scale biodiversity projects • Specific actions and accountabilities for delivering the regional targets The Delivery Plan will form an important part of the work programme for the North East Biodiversity Forum and inform discussions with the national Biodiversity Integration Groups (BIGs) set up under the England Biodiversity Strategy. The start date for targets is taken to be the year in which the national action plan for a habitat was first published. Depending on the habitat this varies from 1995 to 1999.The end date for all targets is 2015. The Delivery Plan currently only considers UK BAP priority habitats for which a regional disaggregation of targets has been produced. The England Biodiversity Group has not produced a disaggregation for all habitats and some important types are not currently included in this plan (for example salt marsh). 4 - Delivery Plan for Regional Biodiversity Habitat Targets Format of Delivery Plan A Delivery Plan for each individual habitat is provided. These follow a set format: 1) A table showing the (minimum) contribution that the region is expected to make, an estimate of current progress and an estimate of the ‘gap’ that needs to be bridged by 2015 2) A summary of current progress toward meeting the targets for that habitat 3) Proposed delivery mechanisms for targets - a description of how the region intends to meet the targets for the habitat by 2015 4) Additional activity needed – this identifies other associated actions that will be needed if the targets are to be met. These are normally broader and more generic that those actions identified in the section on delivery mechanisms 5) Suggested milestones for meeting the targets by 2015. These milestones are cumulative (i.e. reflect total progress by that date, including work achieved in previous years) 6) Key areas where delivery will take place – this identifies broad geographic areas where action will be focussed in order to deliver the targets . These are normally identified at the level of Joint Character Areas (JCA) 7) Potential barriers to delivery of targets – this identifies any risks to target delivery 8) Other issues with habitat and/or current targets – this identifies any wider issues with the habitat or with the present regional targets 9) Links to landscape-scale projects 10) Summary of key accountabilities/timescales – this identifies a suggested lead organisation for the habitat, who would assist the North East Biodiversity Forum in ensuring the targets are delivered. This section also contains a table setting out key actions and where appropriate identifying specific numeric contributions that organisations will make towards the targets. 11) Support needed from relevant Biodiversity Integration Group (BIG) – this identifies any issues where the region may need help or advice from the national habitat group. Notes on target terminology The regional targets fall into three categories: Expansion targets – these are for creation of new BAP habitat where none was previously present and where no significant relicts of BAP habitat exist Restoration targets – the aim of this is to restore relict areas of degraded or remnant BAP habitat to a state where it is considered to be BAP habitat in good condition Achieving condition targets – the aim is to maintain the quality of existing BAP habitat (where it is good) and improve the condition (if it is poor) of existing BAP habitat. Implementation of the Delivery Plan The Delivery Plan sets out the actions and activities needed to ensure that the region meets its contribution to UK BAP targets. These are a mixture of ongoing projects by a variety of organisations, projects currently in development, and new activities. The scale at which these projects take place varies from individual sites up to the landscape level. Delivery at the landscape level will be an important element of future biodiversity delivery but our biodiversity targets will not be delivered by landscape-scale working alone – the actions identified in this Plan should be viewed as a total delivery package that will require both local and large-scale activity. A number of priority areas for landscape-scale biodiversity delivery are identified within the Plan. These are areas that should be a focus for the expansion and restoration of a mosaic of BAP habitats. These are complementary to the existing landscape-scale delivery undertaken by the Northumberland National Park and the region’s two AONBs. The ongoing work of the National Park and the AONBs is crucial to the implementation of this Plan and should be viewed together with the landscape-scale biodiversity areas as representing the region’s main focus on large-scale biodiversity action Delivery Plan for Regional Biodiversity Habitat Targets - 5 Native woodland Minimum Regional Estimated current Additional gain required target progress to meet minimum regional target by 2015 Restoration target = 184 ha 376 ha 500ha Expansion target = 2960 0 2800ha Current progress Progress has been made on these targets using the England Woodland Grant Scheme. The figures above have been provided by the Forestry Commission and reflect work undertaken through the England Woodland Grant Scheme (EWGS) and through Forest Enterprise initiatives at Kielder Forest. In addition, 330ha of restoration has commenced through Planted Ancient Woodland Sites (PAWS). This work is continuing through gradual transition of woodlands and should be complete by 2015. Significant expansion and restoration of upland woodland types has taken place in the Northumberland National Park through their Challenge Scheme and in the North Pennines AONB Partnership’s Living North Pennines project. In the region’s lowlands, significant expansion of broadleaved woodland was undertaken by the North East Community Forests prior to receivership. What is not recorded here is work undertaken outside the England Woodland Grant Scheme. This largely occurs through planning mitigation measures, through quarry restoration schemes and through agri- environment schemes. This work has proved difficult to capture due to the fragmented nature of the schemes and lack of consistent data capture. These schemes range in size from tiny plantations within developments or farmland, to large scale diverse schemes on opencast sites (e.g. 100 ha expansion on Stockswood and Stedburn opencast) or within green infrastructure developments such as those in North Tyneside. 6 - Delivery Plan for Regional Biodiversity Habitat Targets Planned initiatives Significant woodland expansion will be taking place by the Woodland Trust up to 2015. Some of the largest initiatives include Whitehill Woods (74 ha expansion) and Low Burn Hall (70 ha expansion). Large PAWS restoration schemes include 33 ha at Ragpath, over 100ha at Pont Burn wood and 16 ha at Quaking Houses. Smaller initiatives will be taking place in Tyneside and Teeside. Proposed delivery mechanisms for targets Work under the England Woodland Grant Scheme
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