Spelthorne Biodiversity Action Plan 2008-2011
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Spelthorne Biodiversity Action Plan 2008-2011 04 June 2008 Courtesy of Sue Webber, Surrey Biodiversity Partnership Courtesy of Tim Wilkins, Plantlife Sponsored by Spelthorne Biodiversity Action Plan 1 Contents Executive Summary ..............................................................................4 Introduction ..........................................................................................5 1.1 What is biodiversity?....................................................................................................5 1.2 Why is biodiversity important? ..................................................................................5 1.3 What is a Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP)?..............................................................6 1.4 Why does Spelthorne need a BAP?...........................................................................6 1.5 Current Biodiversity ....................................................................................................6 1.6 Habitats in Spelthorne.................................................................................................7 1.7 Species for special action in Spelthorne ...................................................................8 1.8 What is the relationship between the BAP and other biodiversity initiatives? ...8 1.9 Monitoring and Reporting........................................................................................10 1.10 Further Information ..................................................................................................11 2 Habitat Action Plan: Floodplain Grazing Marsh ......................... 12 2.1 Habitat Definition......................................................................................................12 2.2 Current Distribution and Status...............................................................................12 2.3 Factors Affecting the Habitat ..................................................................................12 2.4 Current Action ...........................................................................................................12 2.5 Overarching Biodiversity Action Plans ..................................................................13 2.6 Spelthorne Biodiversity Action Plan Objectives ...................................................14 3 Habitat Action Plan: Standing Open Water and Reedbeds ......... 15 3.1 Habitat Definition......................................................................................................15 3.2 Current Distribution and Status...............................................................................15 3.3 Factors Affecting the Habitat ..................................................................................16 3.4 Current Action ...........................................................................................................17 3.5 Overarching Biodiversity Action Plans ..................................................................17 3.6 Spelthorne Biodiversity Action Plan Objectives ...................................................18 4 Habitat Action Plan: Unimproved Meadows ............................... 19 4.1 Habitat Definition......................................................................................................19 4.2 Current Distribution and Status...............................................................................19 4.3 Factors Affecting the Habitat ..................................................................................20 4.4 Current Action ...........................................................................................................20 4.5 Overarching Biodiversity Action Plans ..................................................................20 4.6 Spelthorne Biodiversity Action Plan Objectives ...................................................21 5 Habitat Action Plan: Historic Parkland .......................................23 5.1 Habitat Definition......................................................................................................23 5.2 Current Distribution and Status...............................................................................23 5.3 Factors Affecting the Habitat ..................................................................................24 5.4 Current Action ...........................................................................................................25 5.5 Overarching Biodiversity Action Plans ..................................................................25 5.6 Spelthorne Biodiversity Action Plan Objectives ...................................................26 Spelthorne Biodiversity Action Plan 2 6 Habitat Action Plan: Urban..........................................................28 6.1 Habitat Definition......................................................................................................28 6.2 Current Distribution and Status...............................................................................28 6.3 Factors Affecting the Habitat ..................................................................................29 6.4 Current Action ...........................................................................................................29 6.5 Overarching Biodiversity Action Plans ..................................................................29 6.6 Spelthorne Biodiversity Action Plan Objectives: ..................................................30 7 Species Action Plan: Brown Galingale (Cyperus fuscus).............33 7.1 Species Definition......................................................................................................33 7.2 Current Distribution and Status...............................................................................33 7.3 Factors Affecting the Species...................................................................................33 7.4 Spelthorne Biodiversity Plan Objectives ................................................................34 8 Species Action Plan: Stag Beetle (Lucanus cervus) .....................35 8.1 Species Definition......................................................................................................35 8.2 Current Distribution and Status...............................................................................35 8.3 Factors Affecting the Species...................................................................................35 8.4 Spelthorne Biodiversity Plan Objectives ................................................................36 9 Species Action Plan: Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos) .............37 9.1 Species Definition......................................................................................................37 9.2 Current Distribution and Status...............................................................................37 9.3 Factors Affecting the Species...................................................................................37 9.4 Spelthorne Biodiversity Plan Objectives ................................................................38 10 Appendices ...................................................................................39 10.1 Staines Moor Management Plan 2004-2014 Targets ............................................39 10.2 Shortwood Common Works List 2008-2012.........................................................44 10.3 Sites of Nature Conservation Importance (from the Spelthorne Borough Local Plan, 2001)................................................................................................................................45 11 Figures ..........................................................................................54 11.1 Sites of Nature Conservation Importance in Spelthorne.....................................54 11.2 Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Spelthorne ...................................................55 11.3 SPA and RAMSAR sites in Spelthorne ..................................................................56 11.4 An example of habitat loss in Spelthorne ..............................................................57 Spelthorne Biodiversity Action Plan 3 Executive Summary The Spelthorne Biodiversity Action Plan is a decisive statement of Spelthorne Borough Council’s commitment to conserve and enhance biodiversity. It contains actions to improve five major habitat types in Spelthorne, and special actions for three species of conservation concern in the borough. Central government is increasingly establishing biodiversity on the national agenda. Delivering the Spelthorne Biodiversity Action Plan will go a significant way towards fulfilling our statutory duty to conserve and enhance biodiversity under Section 40 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006. A new National Indicator on biodiversity was published in October 2007 (NI 197: Improved local biodiversity – proportion of local sites where positive conservation management has been or is being implemented). The Spelthorne Biodiversity Action Plan will help us to improve performance on this indicator. Spelthorne is blessed with several important nature conservation sites. Staines Moor is the largest area of floodplain grazing marsh in Surrey. This type of habitat is rich in plant and animal species, but it now covers only a small fraction of the area that it once did prior to agricultural intensification in the 20th century. Many of our reservoirs and sites of former gravel workings