Criteria for the Selection of Local Wildlife Sites in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire
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Criteria for the Selection of Local Wildlife Sites in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Version Date Authors Notes 4.0 January 2009 MHa, MCH, PB, MD, AMcV Edits and updates from wider consultation group 5.0 May 2009 MHa, MCH, PB, MD, AMcV, GDB, RM Additional edits and corrections 6.0 November 2009 Mha, GH, AF, GDB, RM Additional edits and corrections This document was prepared by Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Environmental Records Centre (BMERC) and Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre (TVERC) and commissioned by the Oxfordshire and Berkshire Local Authorities and by Buckinghamshire County Council Contents 1.0 Introduction..............................................................................................4 2.0 Selection Criteria for Local Wildlife Sites .....................................................6 3.0 Where does a Local Wildlife Site start and finish? Drawing the line............. 17 4.0 UKBAP Habitat descriptions ………………………………………………………………….19 4.1 Lowland Calcareous Grassland………………………………………………………… 20 4.2 Lowland Dry Acid Grassland................................................................ 23 4.3 Lowland Meadows.............................................................................. 26 4.4 Lowland heathland............................................................................. 29 4.5 Eutrophic Standing Water ................................................................... 32 4.6. Mesotrophic Lakes ............................................................................ 35 4.7 Ponds................................................................................................ 38 4.8 Lowland Fens..................................................................................... 40 4.9 Purple moor-grass and Rush Pasture................................................... 44 4.10 Coastal and Floodplain Grazing Marsh................................................ 46 4.11 Reedbeds ........................................................................................ 50 4.12 Rivers.............................................................................................. 51 4.13 Woodland ........................................................................................ 55 4.14 Wood pasture and parkland ............................................................. 62 4.15 Traditional Orchards......................................................................... 66 4.16 Open mosaic habitats on previously developed land ........................... 68 Other Associated Habitats and Features……………………………………………………….71 4.17 Hedgerows ..................................................................................... 71 4.18 Arable Field Margins ……………………………………………………………………..74 4.19 Veteran Trees ………………………………………………………………………………76 5.0 Species criteria for identifying Local Wildlife Sites...................................... 78 5.1. Vascular plants ................................................................................. 82 5.2. Bryophytes ....................................................................................... 93 5.3. Stoneworts ....................................................................................... 94 5.4. Lichens............................................................................................. 95 5.5. Fungi................................................................................................ 96 5.6. Mammals.......................................................................................... 97 5.7. Birds ................................................................................................ 98 5.8. Amphibians and reptiles .................................................................. 103 5.9. Fish................................................................................................ 105 - 2 - 5.10. Invertebrates: butterflies ............................................................... 106 5.11. Invertebrates: moths..................................................................... 108 5.12. Invertebrates: dragonflies and damselflies...................................... 111 5.13. Invertebrates: other groups ........................................................... 113 Acknowledgements ..................................................................................... 115 References ................................................................................................. 116 Appendix 1 UKBAP Habitat resources in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire............................................................................... 120 Appendix 2. Habitat identification species lists .............................................. 122 Appendix 3 Criteria for identifying Local Wildlife Sites based on species information: dragonflies/damselflies (Odonata) .............................................. 153 - 3 - 1.0 Introduction 1.1 What is a Local Wildlife Site? Local Wildlife Sites (LWS) are non-statutory sites of significant value for the conservation of wildlife. These sites represent local character and distinctiveness and have an important role to play in meeting local and national targets for biodiversity conservation. The purpose of their selection is to provide recognition of their value and to help conserve those features by affording a level of protection. The overall objective of a Local Wildlife Sites system was defined by DETR (2000) as: “The series of non-statutory Local Sites seeks to ensure, in the public interest, the conservation, maintenance and enhancement of species, habitats, geological and geomorphological features of substantive nature conservation value. Local Site systems should select all areas of substantive value including both the most important and the most distinctive species, habitats, geological and geomorphological features within a national, regional and local context. Sites within the series may also have an important role in contributing to the public enjoyment of nature conservation .”* As the quotation above indicates, the LWS network is an inclusive and comprehensive set of sites. LWS may support habitats and species of national significance or they may be of more local importance. They should take account of geographical variations in habitat types and biological features at a county level. This is in contrast to statutory nature conservation sites such as SSSIs (Sites of Special Scientific Interest) which are a representative suite of sites that exemplify the nation’s most important wildlife and geological features. LWS may therefore hold as much biodiversity or geodiversity interest as the national SSSIs – or may be of more local importance. The selection of LWS is based on evidence collected in the field and tested against a set of locally agreed criteria. DEFRA guidance on the identification, selection and management of Local Sites was published in February 2006**. The purpose of this guidance was to provide a transparent and consistent approach to the operation of Local Sites systems. It encouraged all Local Sites partnerships to reassess their position and this led to the joined-up review of the LWS Selection Criteria for Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire as set out in this document. Local Sites with a geological interest are often referred to as Regionally Important Geological/Geomorphological Sites (RIGS). These are covered by a separate set of criteria. *Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) Local Sites Review Group, April 2000. ** ‘Local Sites – Guidance on their Identification, Selection and Management’, Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (2006) - 4 - 1.2 Local Wildlife Sites and RIGS in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. 1.2.1 Local Wildlife Sites In common with many other counties in England, the LWS systems in Berkshire and Oxfordshire started in earnest in the early 1990s, whilst Buckinghamshire had started in the 1980s. The Wildlife Trust for the three Counties – Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) - was instrumental in providing the impetus and the manpower to get the LWS systems going, with the invaluable support of the County Ecologists, Nature Conservancy Council and Local Authority countryside / ecological staff, including those working in the County Local Environmental Records Centres. The Local Wildlife Site systems in the three counties have developed independently, but all have the following: • A rolling programme of field survey to keep site data up to date • A panel of ecologists and others who select and de-select sites • A set of written criteria to guide the selection of sites In 2006, a three county review of the Local Wildlife Site systems was initiated by Local Authorities in order to share the best practice from each county, incorporate new guidance, standardise the selection criteria for the three counties and to make the systems more transparent and accountable. The review has been carried out by a group of ecologists and others from each of the counties. The Local Wildlife Site review panel agreed that a key feature of any Local Wildlife Sites system is the criteria that are used to select and de-select sites. The development of a comprehensive and clear set of new criteria was commissioned by Local Authorities from the three counties and the work was carried out by Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Environmental Records Centre (BMERC) and the Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre (TVERC)