The draft BAP was prepared by the Scarborough Biodiversity Steering Group and was consulted upon in December 2004. Following consideration of the responses received the BAP was revised by the BAP Steering Group and formally adopted by the Steering Group and Scarborough Borough Council in April 2005. Additional thanks to the following people who prepared Habitat and Species Action Plans: Graham Megson (North Yorkshire Count Council), Bob Missin, Paul Bullimore (Sea Life Centre), Scarborough Field Naturalists, Simon Pickles and James Mortimer of the North and East Yorkshire Ecological Data Centre and John Drewitt (North Yorkshire Bat Group). Scarborough's Biodiversity Action Plan - Contents Introduction What is Biodiversity? 4 Why is Biodiversity important? 4 The National and Regional Framework 4 So, what is a Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) and why does Scarborough need one? 5 The Scarborough BAP What area does the BAP cover? 8 Who prepared the BAP? 8 Criteria for the selection of Local Priority Habitats. 8 Criteria for the selection of Local Priority Species. 8 Taking Action and Monitoring Introduction 10 Information and Data 10 Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Scarborough 11 Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation 11 Other Strategies and Plans 12 Reporting and Monitoring 12 Review 13 General Action Plan 13 Getting Involved How Can I Help With This Biodiversity Thing? 16 Introduction to Scarborough’s Wildlife Diversity Scarborough’s Wildlife Diversity 18 The Habitat Action Plans The Selected Habitats and Species 22 Woodland 23 Lowland Wood Pasture, Parkland / Veteran Trees 26 Ancient and/or Species-rich Hedgerows 28 Unimproved Neutral Grassland 31 Calcareous Grassland 34 Acidic Grassland 37 Wetlands 39 Open Water 41 Coastal Wetlands 46 Coastal Cliff Mosaics 48 Rivers and Streams 51 Species in Buildings 54 Water Vole 56 Otter 58 Bats 60 Harbour Porpoise 62 Tree and House Sparrow 63 Reptiles 65 Great Crested Newt 66 White-clawed Crayfish 68 Golden-shelled Slug 70 Water Violet 71 Rare Flowers 73 Guidance Notes and Conservation Tips Problem Species 76 Guidance Note on Gardens 79 Guidance Note on Farmland 81 Guidance Note on Development 84 Appendices Appendix 1: Bibliography 88 Appendix 2: Map of BAP area 89 Appendix 3: Scarborough Biodiversity Action Plan Partnership (Membership) 90 Appendix 4: Relationship between BAP and SINC habitats 91 Appendix 5: Glossary of Terms 92 Appendix 6: Abbreviations 94 Appendix 7: Useful Contact Details 96 Appendix 8: Scientific Names of Species used in the Text 98 Appendix 9: Schedule of Responses to Public Consultation 102 Introduction to Scarborough’s BAP Contents What is Biodiversity? Why is Biodiversity Important? The National and Regional Framework. So, what is a Biodiversity Action Plan and why does Scarborough need one? Scarborough's Why is Biodiversity Important? Biodiversity is vital to life and, in its simplest terms, enables life to exist on the earth. The air we breathe, the food we eat, the water we drink, are Biodiversity Action Plan all linked together in a complex web, every plant and animal having its own small part to play. Even the places we know and the livelihoods that Summary people have are largely dependent on the rich diversity of life around them and together give that sense of place that makes Yorkshire If keeping Scarborough rich in wildlife is important to you, then you can different from Essex or Gristhorpe different from Hunmanby. find out how it is planned to care for our special habitats and the species associated with them, in the following pages. It is not just the rare and Scarborough Borough has a very rich and varied biodiversity and threatened wildlife that this plan seeks to protect, commoner wildlife is landscape, ranging from magnificent coastal zones to the similarly important too. Around our towns, villages and homes wildlife impressive upland moors. With this comes a wealth of habitats and contributes greatly to the quality of our lives. species, some of which are of national and international significance. This variety contributes to and enriches our everyday lives, perhaps without The BAP is based around 12 Habitat Acton Plans and 11 Species Action our noticing. It also contributes significantly, along with farming, fishing, Plans although others may be added when the BAP is reviewed. Each Tree at Throxenby Lane: tourism and industry, to our local identity, culture and economy. As such, action plan considers conservation issues and suggests conservation (Photograph by Steve Wilson) action is needed to conserve and enhance these assets to allow them to measures through a series of targets and quantifiable actions. A continue to enrich both our lives and those of future generations. partnership of organisations as well as Scarborough residents can work together to deliver these measures. The table listing the selected Change though is a natural and important part of the natural world and habitats and species is given on page 16. development is both inevitable and necessary. It is therefore imperative that such development pays respect to the biodiversity of the region and What is Biodiversity? seeks to maintain and enhance it for our future generations. This is what sustainability is all about. Biological Diversity, shortened to Biodiversity, means simply, the whole variety of life within the natural world which both surrounds and sustains This Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) seeks to conserve what we have us. whilst providing a framework for guiding change and is aimed at protecting and improving our natural world for the benefit of all forms of It does not just include rare species of animal and plant life but life. encompasses the entire spectrum of life, including: The National and Regional Framework. ! All animals, plants and organisms from the smallest microbe to Golden-shelled Slug: (Photograph the Blue Whale and from toadstools and lichens to the biggest Oak. by B.Cockerill) As a result of the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, many countries agreed to ! Habitats incorporating the wide variety of aquatic and land take action to arrest the loss of biodiversity on a world wide scale. The masses and the atmosphere. UK was included within this group of nations who pledged to take action ! The variation between and within populations of organisms. and as a result a nation-wide initiative to enhance biodiversity was first ! The interrelationships of species and communities operating published in 1995 by the Government. The UK BAP ¹ covers a wide jointly to produce habitats and ecosystems. ! range of species and habitats with its prime objectives ! !THIS ALSO INCLUDES US. Page 4 being to conserve and enhance the range of wildlife and their habitats has suffered from a decline in the variety and quality of species and within the UK. It specifically targets both species and habitats that have habitats, often as a result of human intervention and development. The seen a decline in quantity or quality in recent times. As the UK BAP aim of the LBAP is therefore to: targeted the entire country it could not be used to promote or put into action plans at a local level. The UK BAP therefore encouraged the ! Translate national guidance within the UK BAP to action at a local production of Local Biodiversity Action Plans (LBAPs) of which there are level; 163 across the country. To conserve biodiversity though, you need to ! Identify locally important habitats and species; know what you have. ! Develop local partnerships to help maintain and improve ! Raise local awareness of biodiversity and its importance; and At a regional level a biodiversity audit has been completed (Selman ²) ! Set up effective monitoring systems. which was the first comprehensive review of the most important habitats and species in the Yorkshire and The Humber Region. It pulled Other benefits of the LBAP will be to inform and influence planning together information from a wide range of sources and experts. A list of decisions, both to avoid harming wildlife and habitats and to encourage species and habitats were derived from work on national priorities and pro-actively seek the restoration of habitats through the use of produced by the UK Biodiversity Steering Group, which was set up to planning conditions. oversee the biodiversity conservation process on behalf of Government. It is, though, only a starting point. It is the first attempt at drawing The regional audit asks the questions "what relevance does the national together all the information that we have, assessing what needs the most biodiversity action process have for the region?" and also "what can our attention and where we can help the most. It is not based on all that is region best contribute to the national biodiversity action plans for the known because there is a large amount of information, held by local UK?". people, that is not easily accessible. It is hoped that this report will stimulate the interest of everyone in getting involved and to help review The answers the audit arrived at were that BAPS aid and inform the and refine the Action Plan so that it helps maintain what everyone values work of planners and policy and decision makers, focusing available most in their local environment. resources onto those species and habitats in the region which nationally are scarce and declining or for which the UK has an international obligation to protect. Further to the audit the Yorkshire and Humber Biodiversity Forum is currently working on the preparation of Regional Biodiversity Indicators (Headley ³ ). So, what is a Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) and why does Scarborough need one? Biodiversity Action Plans are important tools for assisting in the protection and enhancement of selected habitats and species that have been identified as being of significant importance. They can play a central role both in the conservation and enhancement Above: Sunrise Over Scarborough Bay.