Environment Act (Wales) 2016 – Section 6 Biodiversity Duty Report Brecon Beacons National Park Authority
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Environment Act (Wales) 2016 – Section 6 Biodiversity Duty Report Brecon Beacons National Park Authority Period covered: April 2017 – March 2018 The information provided below provides a basic account of works undertaken to maintain and enhance biodiversity, by the National Park Authority. This information will be used to inform the Authority’s first report to demonstrate compliance with Section 6 of the Environment (Wales) Act. Section 6 Reports will be due every 3 years, with the first one due in 2019. Background: The Environment Act (Wales) 2016 Part 1: Sustainable Management of Natural Resources is in place to sustainably manage Wales’ natural resources and tackle the effects of climate change. The Act enshrines the UN Convention of Biodiversity and the Ecosystem Approach into legislation and strengthens the biodiversity duty. The objective of the SMNR is to maintain & enhance the resilience of ecosystems and the benefits they provide, and in doing so meet the needs of present generations of people without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Halting & reversing the loss of biodiversity is integral to this objective. Section 6 under Part 1 of the Environment Wales Act (2016) introduced an enhanced biodiversity and resilience of ecosystems duty (Section 6 Duty) for public authorities. The duty requires that public authorities must seek to maintain and enhance biodiversity so far as consistent with the proper exercise of their functions and in doing so promote the resilience of ecosystems. Public authorities are required to provide a report by the end of 2019 to show what it has done to comply with the new duty and then every 3 years after this date. The works reported below are interlinked with several key legislative and strategic drivers: Environment Act Wales (2016) Well-being of Future Generations Act (2015) goals, specifically: A resilient Wales - a biodiverse natural environment with healthy functioning ecosystems that support social, economic, and ecological resilience and capacity to adapt to change The Nature Recovery Action Plan for Wales (2015) (and in turn development & delivery of BBNP Nature Recovery Plan) BBNP National Park Management Plan (2015-20) Theme 2: Conserving & Enhancing Biodiversity (& commencing review and related preceding State of the Park Report) BBNPA Corporate Plan 2018 Review and preparation of the next Rights of Way Improvement Plan for the Park Review and preparation of the next Local Development Plan Area Statements affecting the Park due by 2019 (mid-Wales, SE Wales, South-Central, South West Wales) National Park Officer Contributors: Bradley Welch (Senior Ecologist) Bridgit Symons (Planning Ecologist) Lora Davies (Education Administrator) Helen Roderick (Sustainable Development Officer) Paul Sinnadurai (Natural Resources Manager) Rebecca Price (Ecologist) Suzanna Jones (Interpretation Officer) Confirmation of bits in red/additional details needed from Access Officer, Wardens Manager, Comms Assistant (web & social media) BBNPA Key Work Actions contributing towards the goal: ‘Maintain & enhance Planned Action Staff initials and Area biodiversity’ 2018 - 2019 BBNPA Operational Area (April 2017 – March 2018) Planning (P) Natural Resource Management (NRM) Sustainable Development (SD) Public Engagement (PE) Support (Finance, Democratic services, IT, HR) CEO/Director Heritage Gunpowder Works Project – worked collaboratively with conservation partners Gunpowder Works Project – Ecology RP – NRM/PE to ensure built heritage objectives do not conflict with the biodiversity Volunteer group trained and ready sensitivities of the site. Worked in partnership with The Woodland Trust to to undertake biodiversity monitoring undertake baseline survey of Ancient Woodland Indicators and set up on site. monitoring plots with volunteers. Association of National Parks Society’s Annual Conference (April 2018) – Multiple operational hosted and organised by BBNPA, providing range of opportunities and to areas involved showcase different areas, activities and projects within the NP, including biodiversity-rich sites. Landscapes & BBNP Local Nature Partnership – co-ordinated meetings to discuss and agree BBNP Nature Recovery Action Plan - Biodiversity priorities for NRAP and achieve a wide spectrum of partner support. document finalisation and initiation BBNP Nature Recovery Action Plan – development of draft plan and support of programme of delivery, co- . Acting directly to for partnership, draft SMS Expression of Interest. Co-ordination of partnership ordination of partnership (utilising benefit landscape meetings. Securing copy of LBAP data previously hosted on BARS (BARS now WG monies as seed funding to & biodiversity (inc closed). support these goals). Integration activities and Wales Biodiversity Week 2017 – publication through Facebook posts and with Area Statement process and All partnerships on inclusion of education team work with schools. Wales Nature Recovery programme. BBNPA land – focal External biodiversity partnerships – continued attendance and support as Hydro Scheme – undertake sites) relevant to a number of partnerships include Wales Biodiversity Officers, botanical monitoring and provide neighbouring Authority NRAPs, Long Forest 2, BIS Support Group, BWT update for planning. Research partners, Conservation Committee, Llangorse Lake Advisory Group, Usk & Wye Bat Mynydd Du/Meithrin Mynydd – surveillance, Group, Powys LBAP, Wye Catchment Partnership. support NRW Special Sites Officer monitoring Biodiversity partners project development support – Long Forest Wales (part with updated Phase 1 Habitat Survey . Collaboration with of which includes Monmouthshire part of NP), Plantlife IPA Invasive Plant Autumn Red Grouse Counts – key land managing survey (project group member), Kew National Tree Seed Collection Project annual counts on Mynydd Isaf and partners………. (seed collection at Henallt), Carmarthenshire Bumblebee Project, Butterfly the Hatterrall Ridge. Conservation Surveys. Wales Biodiversity Partnership – input to all Wales Officer meetings, Nature Recovery Plan Task & Finish Groups. Management advice on non-NPA owned land – fielding ecological queries from Continued provision of ecological RP- NRM members of the public, landowners for land management, INNS, wildlife id advice, support for NP Ambassadors advice. programmes. Engagement & celebration of biodiversity – Promotion of Park’s biodiversity via Ambassadors and Geo-Ambassadors Programmes. Ecology support for Student Work Experience Week. Helped trial Volunteers Ambassador Training. Support for pilot Wildlife Ambassadors Training Programme. Management of BBNPA Estate, including: Llangasty Caeau Ty Mawr – deliver RP-NRM Planned conservation work completed on SSSIs. management works, finalise SSSI Llangasty Caeau Ty Mawr – support for Site Steering Group, review of Tenancy management agreement with NRW. and Rental agreements, legal updates, delivery of suite of habitat management actions in line with Site Management Plan and as part of NRW Partnership Ongoing management and Funding. Investigating possible Section 16 SSSI Management Agreement. Caeau monitoring works. Ty Mawr Condition Monitoring and water vole monitoring with NRW. Henallt Common – continued input into annual site management programme to safeguard SSSI key features. Pilot grey squirrel control on site (staff attended squirrel control training course). Mynydd Illtud – continued containment of Crassula helmsii, management of NPVC wildlife garden and pond. Red Grouse Counts, heather condition monitoring on BBNPA land – annual grouse counts on Hatterrall Ridge & Mynydd du, with volunteer support. Summary of grouse numbers and relationship to heather data presented to Wardens, DMT, CMT, Members?? Predator control - licencing implemented. Path repair maintenance/ongoing conservation works ……at various sites….major ones in 2017-18 included?...Central beacons, Neuadd path, Black Mountains, Blorenge, Offas Dyke?? Major Projects: Wales Peatlands Project SMS – assisting with implementation of 10 project Wales Peatlands Project SMS – PS - NRM outputs, most of which will affect and benefit peatland conservation in BBNP; continued implementation of BW - NRM particular assistance with Outputs 3 (peatland restoration sites), 4 (PES outputs candidate sites) and 7 (peat restoration accreditation scheme); representation Waun Fignen Felin – another year of on Steering Group; attendance at Peatland Code workshop. peat restoration Waun Fignen Felen AMP6 Project Implementation – first year of practical Mega-catchment – uncertain what works completed (bare peat protection, shallow gulley dams, Sphagnum our input will be; seems to have propagation) plus archaeological desk assessment completed. stalled Brecon Beacons Mega-catchment – DCWW workshops to develop concept, Research and research partnerships representation on Steering Group (JA); WaterSource conference. – decision to be made about the Research and research partnerships – new agreement signed with UoSW; two future viability of research multi-agency research workshops completed; several letters of support partnerships owing to volume of provided to CU, UoSW and Swansea for their research council/trust work required and future strategic applications; some successful, some not, leading to post-graduate research in priorities; will affect an outline the Park. commitment for a 2019 research Waterfall Country SLA with NRW – year 2 completed, at a net cost to BBNPA. conference 20,000 ha: access to BBNPA-owned