LITTLEWORTH COMMON SSSI 1 MANAGEMENT PLAN 2012­2022 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The author would like to thank the many people who contributed to the production of this management plan. Either through the provison of expert advice and information or from the many comments arising from the technical and public consultation exercises. South Bucks District Council Environmental Services Andy McVeigh, BCC Denham Julia Wise, BCC Buckinghamshire Helen Read, City of London UB9 4LH Andy Barnard, City of London www.southbucks.gov.uk Douglas Wallace, Natural England Cllr Bill Lidgate and members of the SBDC 01895 837200 Environment Policy Advisory Group Councillor Jennifer Woolveridge, SBDC Keith Shearman, SBDC Tim McKenzie, SBDC Prepared for South Bucks District Council by; Chris Marchant, SBDC Simon Gray, SBDC The residents of Littleworth Chris Gledhill BSc DMS MTS AIEMA Environmental Director Maps South Bucks District Council www.futuredirections.org.uk LD3 8YT Original Artwork [email protected] Kate Thelwell 01874 638 979 LD3 Photographs Chris Gledhill 2 CONTENTS Introduction 4 Site Description Ownership and designations 7 SSSI site status 7 Present Land Use 7 Physical Features Geology 8 Landscape 9 History and Archaeology 9 Access and Visitors 12 Habitats and Biology Heathland and Woodland 13 Ponds/Open Water 13 Rare Species 14 Protected and Notable Species 15 Species Records 16­17 Objectives and Methodology Our Vision 18 Aims, Objectives, Actions and Targets 18 What we would like to see our work achieving 19 Conservation 21 Ponds 22 Lowland Heathland 23 Native semi­natural woodland 25 People 27 Resource Management 28 Capital Projects 29 Figure 1 Location of Littleworth Common SSSI Part Two: Management Prescriptions 30 Appendices 35 3 INTRODUCTION Littleworth Common Site of Significant Scientific Interest (SSSI) was once part of a much larger area of Heathland landscape covering South Buckinghamshire. Until the 1950’s the common would have played an important role in the economic and social life of the community. The common was rough grazing land with a mixture of open grassland, scrub and gorse, woodland and heather dominated areas. Changes in land management practices resulted in the cessation of grazing leading to the inevitable encroachment of scrub and trees. Today it is a registered common. In the 1990’s, it was largely wooded although remnants of the important heathland habitat survived as a result of the maintence of way­leaves routes under the power lines. The common has three ponds; Wigmore, Limes and Quaves. Only Littleworth Common circa 1900 the latter retains water throughout the year. It has been th An insight into the history of the common has been recorded recorded that in the early 20 century Limes and Quaves in the Burhams historical book on Dropmore and Littleworth ponds were used in the summer time as boys and girls Commons. This book paints a very pastoral scene of an area swimming pools. Quaves pond is the known location of the of heathland with woodland, clear of undergrowth. Annually critically endangered Starfruit (Damasonium alisma) plant; a wood would be cut, some of it sold and the rest being burnt to red data book species and one of the principal reasons why make into charcoal. Gypsies were known to visit and camp on Littleworth Common was designated as a SSSI along with its the common and livestock were grazed. During the summer, national important heathland. Furze (Gorse) was burnt. 4 th As a result of the changes in land management during the 20 Sites of Special Scientific Interest are given protection under century and subsequent neglect of the common it could easily the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, as amended by the appear to those who did not know of its once important Countryside and Rights of Way (CROW) Act 2000 and the community benefits and environmental importance, that it was Natural Environment and Rural Communities (NERC) Act just another area of woodland. Despite this neglect the 2006. It is the responsibility of South Bucks District Council to importance of the site was recognised and in 1951 the area manage the site in accordance with the provisions of the was notified as a SSSI because of its ponds and associated Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended). Appropriate plant life; and lowland heathland habitat. This designation management is very important to conserve the special wildlife places a legal responsibility on the owner and/or manager of a and geological features of SSSIs. The activities described in SSSI to safeguard and manage it appropriately. this management plan relate specifically to the proposed Higher Level Stewardship Agreement which will be given The common is owned by Dropmore Estate Holdings, but its consent by Natural England. For any activities not described management is the responsibility of South Bucks District in this plan a written notice must be given to Natural England Council (SBDC) as the successors to an agreement entered before work begins on any of the operations listed in the into in 1952 by the former Eton District Rural Council. notification, or if someone else is to carry out these activities. None of the listed operations may go ahead without consent from Natural England With the work carried out by SBDC over the last 10 years, a recent survey by Natural England has described the SSSI as in an “unfavourable but in a recovering” condition. The condition assessment reads; “The restoration of the open heathland is progressing well. A significant part of the eastern compartment has now been cleared of trees. There is now an urgent need to control the growth of bracken so that this does not hinder the development of heather and grass. .” 5 The District Council has been working closely with Natural England and drawing on further advice from the Ecologist at The new management plan is required to; Buckinghamshire County Council and others to progress the common to a more favourable management regime. The � Conduct an Environmental Review and Plan of Council has produced two management plans and in 2000, Littleworth Common the Common was entered into the Countryside Stewardship � Prepare a 10 year management plan to follow on from Scheme (CSS). The main objectives of this scheme were; the current plan 1. The sensitive restoration and regeneration of the � Be of assistance with the preparation of the Higher Lowland Heath Level Stewardship application to provide grant support 2. The restoration and management of the ponds of the management aims. This is the successor 3. Manage access to encourage regeneration of rare scheme to the Countryside Stewardship Scheme. plants and provide public information on the benefits of � Engage the local community in the future management conservation management of the Heathland. of the common The recent restoration work carried out has started to improve the habitat management, principally in clearing areas of woodland on the eastern common and treating some of the bracken and birch regrowth. The areas around the ponds have also been cleared with help from Plantlife International. In 2004 the Starfruit was once again recorded on site. The CSS expired in October 2010 and a new agri­environment scheme has been introduced by Government. To ensure that the conservation work continues to restore Littleworth Common SSSI to a favourable condition a new application for funding has to be made and in the preparation of this plan the District Council has fully consulted with Natural England. 6 Ownership and Designations Littleworth Common is a SITE DESCRIPTION registered common (CL183) and is part of the Manorial estate of Dropmore. It no longer has any registered commoners rights and is managed by South Bucks District Council Littleworth Common SSSI lies in the parish of Dropmore in (SBDC) by virtue of being successors in title to an agreement South Buckinghamshire. Several minor roads dissect the entered into by the former Eton Rural District Council in 1952 common, creating four distinct areas. To the north lies the under the Commons Act 1899. In 1951 the common was town of Beaconsfield and to the south the major urban notified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) along conurbations of Slough and Maidenhead. The common with Burnham Beeches under the National Parks and Access occupies a central location in the complex of heaths and to the Countryside Act 1949. In 1986, the Common was re pasture woodlands that span from the River Thames at registered as a SSSI following the Wildlife and Countryside Cookham eastwards to the junctions of the M4/M40 with the Act 1981 as a separate site. The designated SSSI features London orbital motorway the M25. The common covers 16 are the heathland, woodland and Starfruit. As a registered hectares (ha) of which 15.5 ha is designated as the SSSI. It is common it has further been designated as Open Access land unfenced and criss­crossed with a series of Rights of Way under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CROW) and several other informal paths and tracks. The site is an area of formerly open heathland, which has developed SSSI Site status As a SSSI the site is legally protected. through natural succession into an Oak­Birch woodland. There are a number of operations which cannot be undertaken without the prior written consent of Natural In the last 10 years an area of about 3 hectares has been England. A list of these Potentially Damaging Operations is partly cleared on the eastern common allowing more provided in the appendix at the end of the management plan. favourable conditions for the restoration of the lowland Natural England must be consulted in relation to any heathland habitat. On the western fringe of the common there operations or activities that are not described in this are wet flushes as the ground slopes away.