Annual Review 2014/2015

www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk NidderdaleWelcome to Annual Nidderdale Review 2012

ANNUAL REVIEW 2014/2015

Your AONB Enjoy Wildlife & Habitats Get Involved Living & Working Heritage Upper Nidderdale

One of the AONB Family Nidderdale AONB Annual Review 2014/2015

Species rich wildflower meadows are an important part of the heritage of Nidderdale AONB as well as being a key habitat.

Hay Meadow Nidderdale AONB Annual Review 2014/2015

Contents

AONB Facts and Figures 2 Highlights from 2014/15 - at a glance 3 Foreword 4 Preface 5 Part 1 - Setting the Scene 6 The AONB Joint Advisory Committee and AONB Team 8 Part 2 - Performance: People, Policy & Partnerships 10 Performance: Conserving Natural Beauty 12 Financial Summary 14 Appendix: Statistics 16

01 Nidderdale AONB Annual Review 2014/2015

AONB Facts and Figures

• The AONB covers 603 km2 of land in the foothills of • The population of the AONB is 15,671. 68% is in the Pennines in North Yorkshire. employment, 12% is aged between 16 – 29 and 15% is retired. • Nidderdale AONB shares its western boundary with the Yorkshire Dales National Park. • 20% of the households in Pateley Bridge do not have access to private transport; there has been a 13% • 95% of the AONB falls within Harrogate District increase in traffic flow on ‘C’ roads in the AONB since with a smaller share in Richmondshire and Hambleton 2001. Districts. The AONB is wholly within the County of North Yorkshire. • 30% of towns and villages have access to a bus service providing 4 journeys per day • The AONB is administered by Harrogate Borough Council in conjunction with North Yorkshire. It is • There are 820 kms of public rights of way in the overseen by a Joint Advisory Committee (JAC) that AONB. in 2014/15 had 23 members from 14 organisations representing local authorities, parishes, landowning • An estimated 35% of the AONB is accessible to bodies, community groups, business interests and walkers in accordance with provisions contained in the government agencies. Countryside & Rights of Way Act 2000.

• There were 11 members of the AONB Team in 2014/15 (7 full time equivalents). The team is based in Pateley Bridge, the only town wholly within the AONB.

• 22,132 hectares (36%) of the AONB was moorland dominated by heather in 2010.

• 24,195.91 hectares of the AONB’s moorlands are of international importance, and designated as a Special Protection Area and Special Area of Conservation.

• The Fountains Abbey World Heritage Site is situated in the AONB.

• There are 14 Conservation Areas, 126 Scheduled Ancient Monuments and 545 Listed Buildings in the AONB.

• 1,106 people were employed on 503 farms covering 71% of the AONB in 2010.

• There were 191,057 sheep in the AONB in 2010.

• 7% of the AONB is woodland including 1,200 hectares of Ancient Woodland, 2,450 hectares is planted conifer woodland and 1,400 hectares is broadleaved.

02 Nidderdale AONBNidderdale Annual Annual Review Review 2014/2015 2012

Highlights from 2014/15 - at a glance

During the period from April 2014 to March 2015 we:

• Produced 30,000 copies of a Tour de France newsletter which was made available to thousands people who watched the Tour pass through Nidderdale on days one and two of the Grande Depart in Yorkshire

• Organised three workshops for tourism businesses jointly with the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority which were attended by more than 120 people from tourism businesses in the Dales

• Distributed 30,000 copies of ‘Visit Nidderdale AONB’ for tourists and day visitors with articles about where to go and what to see

• Attracted over 730 people to 33 events in the AONB’s 2014 events programme

• Increased the size of the AONB’s following on social media by 22%

• Helped Friends of the AONB win grants worth £4,000 to support the AONB’s programme of conservation work and £9,000 worth of donations and sponsorship through ‘Firm Friends’

• Negotiated a £100,000 grant from the York, North and Images: Top - Prosperous Lead Mine remains; Bottom left - East Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership for preparation Nidderdale Conservation Volunteers willow spiling on the River of combined business and environmental plans for farmers Laver at Laverton; Bottom right - Amanda Walters, WW1 Project in Upper Nidderdale in conjunction with the Yorkshire Officer, and Lucy Moore, First World War Curator for Leeds Dales and North York Moors National Park Authorities and Museums and Galleries, with Dan Jarvis MP at the Houses of the Howardian Hills AONB Parliament

• Opposed proposals for building more than 140 new houses on green field sites in the AONB • Negotiated 33 farmland conservation grants covering more than 2,541 hectares of the AONB and worth over • Staged 19 events to commemorate the Leeds Pals £1,793,996 for AONB farmers Regiments who were trained in the AONB before travelling to the Western Front in 1915 • Organised a programme of wildlife events for children

• Attended a breakfast reception at the Houses of • Enabled Nidderdale Conservation Volunteers to devote Parliament to showcase our Heritage Lottery funded 3,190 volunteer hours to conservation work in the AONB ‘Nidderdale AONB and the First World War’ project and the AONB dry stone walling volunteers to devote 1,240 hours to repairing dry stone wallls across the AONB. • Carried out essential repairs to prevent the remains of Prosperous Smelt Mill from collapse, built a sand martin • Produced a report on High Nature Value Farming in nesting wall and provided placements for six students on Upper Nidderdale the Foundation Programme for Heritage Skills through the Upper Nidderdale Landscape Partnership Scheme • Improved habitat for fish and other aquatic wildlife by supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund removing a weir on the River Laver in conjunction with the Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust

03 Nidderdale AONB Annual Review 2014/2015

Foreword

Flock of sheep and lambs above Scar House Reservoir © Sally Wilson

All 46 AONBs in England, Wales and Northern Defra’s Farm Advice Framework alongside private sector Ireland are distinguished by their ability to create consultants including ADAS, Promar and SAC. productive and effective partnerships with a wide range of community and third sector organisations, We also work in partnership with our AONB colleagues local authorities, rural businesses and Government in the North Pennines and the Forest of Bowland on bodies. This is an important attribute at a time of scarce development of the Northern Upland Chain Local resources - we need to make a little go a long way. Nature Partnership’s programme for improving Nidderdale AONB is no exception, and collaboration environmental outcomes in an area covering large continued to be a hallmark of our work during 2014/15. tracts of the of the Pennines that stretches from just north of Preston to just south of the Scottish Border, We strengthened our already close links with the and which includes the Yorkshire Dales as well as Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority by developing Northumberland National Parks. During 2014/15, the a prospectus for economic growth that we submitted to Local Nature Partnership published research carried out the York, North and East Yorkshire Local Enterprise with farming groups on the value of High Nature Value Partnership alongside the North York Moors National Farming to the northern uplands, and we contributed Park Authority and Howardian Hills AONB. Working to the Partnership’s work on gathering and collating together at a landscape scale makes good environmental environmental data that will form a basis for future sense and it fits the Local Enterprise Partnership’s strategy. responsibility for economic regeneration and growth across a wide area that encompasses all four protected We think this approach works because it results in a landscapes as well as the bits in between. We were stronger more unified voice for protected landscapes. awarded a share of a £100,000 grant to develop We will always act in partnership with others to improve combined business and environmental plans for farm efficiency and outcomes for the environment, and we businesses as the result of the prospectus, which was will continue to think globally, and about northern included in the Local Enterprise Partnership’s Strategic England especially. But we will definitely be acting Economic Plan. locally at the same time.

We are advocates of closer working between AONBs Councillor Nigel Simms and National Parks that was the first of several Chairman, Nidderdale AONB Joint Advisory recommendations contained in a report called Committee Maximising Revenues for Protected Landscapes published by Defra in March 2014, and we collaborated with the Yorkshire Dales, Lake District, Peak District and Northumberland National Parks on a joint bid to

04 Nidderdale AONBNidderdale Annual Annual Review Review 2014/2015 2012

Preface

The Joint Advisory Committee’s goal is to ensure that:

• Stewardship of natural beauty is a priority for everyone • Tranquility and opportunities for quiet enjoyment of nature are protected • Biodiversity is valued for its own sake • The legacy of the historic environment is celebrated • Local distinctiveness is maintained • The livelihoods of local communities are protected

The purpose of this Annual Review is to record progress made by the Joint Advisory Committee, the Committee’s partners including farmers, community groups, local authorities, government agencies and the AONB Officer Team.

It contains a summary of work carried out in accordance with priorities set out in the AONB Management Plan that covered the period to March 2015. Detailed targets that underpinned this work were identified in the annual Delivery Plan approved by the Cyclists on Pateley Bridge High Street JAC in March 2014. The Committee received a detailed report on progress towards meeting these targets in March 2015. The report is available to download from the AONB’s website.

Fishermen on Fewston Reservoir © Paul Harris 05 Nidderdale AONB Annual Review 2014/2015

Part 1 - Setting the Scene

AONB Designation The primary purpose of AONB designation is to Harrogate Borough Council is the accountable body for conserve and enhance natural beauty - its flora, fauna Nidderdale AONB. Defra provides approximately 60% and geological or physiographical features. of funding for the AONB’s programme of conservation work, with the balance coming from Harrogate Borough The Government’s policy for AONB’s states that ‘In and North Yorkshire County Councils. Other funding pursuing the primary purpose account should be comes from organisations like the Environment Agency taken of the needs of agriculture, forestry, other rural and the National Lottery. industries and of the economic and social needs of local communities. Particular regard should be paid to promoting sustainable forms of social and economic development that in themselves conserve and enhance the environment.’

Traditional barn overlooking Gouthwaite Reservoir © Janina Holubecki 06 Nidderdale AONB Annual Review 2014/2015

AONB Special Qualities Ecosystem Services Landscape character is a distinct, recognisable and Conservation of the AONB’s landscape is a priority in consistent pattern of elements in the landscape that its own right, but protected landscapes like AONBs and makes one landscape different from another, rather National Parks have a variety of wider purposes. The than better or worse. It gives rise to a ‘sense of place’ idea of ecosystem services originated in the Millennium that defines people’s understanding and appreciation Ecosystem Assessment that was launched by the of these elements in their surroundings. Protected United Nations in 2001 to assess the consequences of landscapes like AONBs are designated because they ecosystem change for human well-being. It identified possess special qualities that generations have come four categories of ecosystem services: to value, and which therefore warrant exceptional safeguards. • Provisioning services (e.g. water, food, fuel and genetic resources) The Special Qualities of the Nidderdale AONB include: • Regulating services (e.g. flood alleviation and carbon sequestration) • Contrasting scenery with dramatic views across • Cultural services (e.g. heritage and recreation) remote moorlands to distant horizons together with • Supporting services (e.g. soil formation and nutrient sheltered valleys and rolling farmland cycling) • Sandstone tors like those at Brimham together with steep crags that mark the edge of many river valleys in The AONB’s landscape is a major provider of the AONB ecosystem services to the communities that surround the designated area, and more widely across the • Internationally important wildlife habitats region. The supply of drinking water from the AONB’s characterized by birds such as red grouse, golden plover reservoirs, and of high quality food produced by and merlin farmers are two obvious examples, but it is easier to overlook the strategically important role of the AONB’s • A rich and diverse historic environment including moorlands that both hold back flood water and act as a World Heritage Site at Fountains Abbey, over a a huge carbon storage mechanism. The AONB also hundred sites contained in the Historic Environment has a wealth of cultural features, and opportunities for Record and more than five hundred listed buildings active outdoor recreation, that provide inspiration and contribute to the Government’s objectives for improving • Extensive woodland including commercial health and well-being. plantations and ancient broadleaved woods with a network of species-rich hedgerows on the eastern edge of the designated area

• Wetlands ranging from the eleven reservoirs with their associated dams, weirs and sluices to the three river catchments plus numerous lakes and water features associated with the numerous AONBs designed landscapes

• An extensive network of public rights of way incorporating access for people of all abilities and regional walking trails such as the Nidderdale Way and the ‘Ripon Rowel’

• Over 125 miles2 of open access land where walkers can explore the AONB on foot

07 Nidderdale AONB Annual Review 2014/2015

The AONB’s Joint Advisory Committee The AONB Team The Committee met three times during the year: In 2014/2015, the Team comprised:

Study tour, 17 July 2014 The 2014 event took place in Colsterdale and focussed Paul Burgess AONB Manager on the AONB’s Heritage Lottery Funded project that (5 days per week) is investigating the heritage significance of the former Iain Mann Landscape Partnership World War One Training Camp at Breary Banks. Scheme Manager Members were able to enjoy a tour of the site courtesy (5 days per week) of the Barker family who farm the land. Louise Brown Historic Nidderdale Project Officer, Upper Nidderdale Annual General Meeting, 18 September 2014 Landscape Partnership Harrogate Borough Councillor Nigel Simms was elected (3 days per week) as Chair and Chris Hawkesworth, one of two Parish Sally Wilson Historic Nidderdale Project Council representatives on the Committee, was elected Officer, Upper Nidderdale as Vice Chair. Tom Wheelwright of the Moorland Landscape Partnership Association, and County Councillor John Fort were (2 days per week) elected to join Councillors Simms and Hawkesworth on Tara Challoner Farming & Wildlife Project the Committee’s Executive alongside Clare Robinson Officer, Upper Nidderdale of Natural England. After the AGM, Members received Landscape Partnership presentations on the new Countryside Stewardship (5 days per week) Scheme, the AONB’s hay meadow project and an Mary Jones Administrator illustrated talk on Hen Harriers by Stephen Murphy of (2 days per week) Natural England. Sarah Kettlewell Development Team Leader (2 days per week) Spring Meeting, 26 March 2015 Leanne Fox Information Officer Members approved the final version of the 2014/19 (4 days per week) Management Plan and accompanying Business Kelly Harmar Biodiversity Officer Plan. The meeting also received a report on Natural (3 days per week) England’s new strategy, a description of the Swale, Ure Amanda Walters WW1 Project Officer and Upper Ouse Catchment Partnership and a review of (2 days per week) Yorkshire Water’s Asset Management Plan for the next Marian Wilby Land Management Team five years. Leader (5 days per week) Paul Mosley Volunteer Coordinator (2 days per week)

08 Nidderdale AONBNidderdale Annual Annual Review Review 2014/2015 2012

“The 2014 JAC study tour focussed on the AONB’s Heritage Lottery Funded project that is investigating the heritage significance of the former World War One training camp at Breary Banks.” Members of the JAC at the Leeds Pals war memorial in Colsterdale 09 Nidderdale AONB Annual Review 2014/2015

Part 2 - Performance: People, Policy & Partnerships

Planning staff and Members of the AONB’s Joint Advisory The local planning authorities consult the JAC about Committee played a leading role in helping to shape the large-scale residential or commercial development, next programme that will open for business during late waste disposal, minerals and telecommunications 2015 or early 2016. applications, and about major highway schemes. The JAC also requests details of development proposals that fall outside these categories, but which may have an National Association for AONBs impact on the AONB. Nidderdale AONB was represented at the July 2014 Conference of the National Association in Penrith and AONB staff work closely with staff at Harrogate and Nidderdale hosted Richmondshire District Councils, and with staff at the northern AONB North Yorkshire County Council, to ensure that network meeting in development requiring planning permission does May. not cause harm to the AONB’s special qualities. The JAC’s Executive approves all responses to planning consultations made on behalf of the Committee. 58 Dales and Vales Catchment Partnership responses to planning consultations were made during The Partnership was convened by the Yorkshire Dales 2014/15. The responses are available for public scrutiny Rivers Trust in response to Defra’s Catchment Based on the relevant planning authority’s planning portals, Approach launched in 2013. Its purpose is to coordinate and on the AONB’s website. and improve the effectiveness of actions designed to improve the quality of the river environment by a wide range of organisations including community groups Northern Upland Chain Local Nature and statutory bodies like the Environment Agency, Partnership Natural England and Yorkshire Water. The AONB is Nidderdale is one of the quartet of protected landscapes represented on the Partnership’s Board. at the core of the Local Nature Partnership alongside the Yorkshire Dales and Northumberland National Park Authorities and North Pennines AONB. The Friends of Nidderdale AONB Partnership Board, chaired by Professor David Hill, Friends is the charitable organisation that works Deputy Chair of Natural England, met four times to alongside staff in the AONB. In 2014 trustees review progress on the five collaboration initiatives established a new small grants scheme called the identified by delegates to the inaugural Partnership Countryside Fund to support local environmental Forum: projects. So far seven schemes have been supported.

• Great Upland Forest Work to increase the amount of external funding • Hay meadow restoration accessed by Friends has been successful with • Habitat mapping £13,500 awarded from a number of charitable trusts. • Biodiversity offsetting Membership numbers have also increased and the • High Nature Value Farming number of Firm Friends (corporate sponsors) have been maintained. Yorkshire Dales Leader Leader is a European Union programme that provides Wildlife Watch grants to support regeneration initiatives in rural areas Wildlife Watch is a once a month conservation club for suffering from social and economic disadvantage. The 5-11 year olds. The club is run by five volunteer leaders 2008-2013 Leader programme covering the Yorkshire and overseen by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. The Dales, including Nidderdale, came to a successful past year has seen an increase in numbers of children conclusion in March 2014 and work immediately began attending the club with an average of 14 children per on a new programme for the period to 2020. AONB session, although on occasion over 20. The costs of

10 Nidderdale AONB Annual Review 2014/2015

running the club are negligible due to the commitment we have from volunteers.

AONB Website Some minor changes were made to the home page of the website to enable us to flag up specific content from within the site. In addition a Facebook feed was added to the home page and some of the content was updated. A planning responses page was also added and this is updated on a monthly basis with our responses to planning applications in the AONB.

Newsletters, Publications and Events Nine email newsletters were compiled and circulated through the year including a heritage update in April 14, updates for the Joint Advisory Committee in June 14 and February 15, main AONB e-newsletters in June 14 and October 14, Friends newsletters in October 14 and March 15, and news from the Upper Nidderdale Landscape partnership in November 14 and February Curlew © Visit England/NYMPA/Colin Carter 15.

30,000 copies of the ‘Visit Nidderdale AONB’ visitor guide, which included a Tour de France pull out guide, were circulated to a wide range of shops, cafes, visitor attractions and tourist information points. The new 2014-2019 Management Plan was produced, along with a ‘What’s On’ leaflet with details of AONB events, a new downloadable walk route from Fountains Abbey to Markenfield Hall and two Wildlife Watch events flyers which were mailed out via the local schools.

The AONB attended five agricultural shows with a stand. 33 events took place as part of the AONB events programme and were attended by over 730 people.

Heather moorland above Pateley Bridge © Paul Harris 11 Nidderdale AONB Annual Review 2014/2015

Performance: Conserving Natural Beauty

River Laver Restoration Project scale archaeological surveys on two farm holdings, engaged The Project is led by the AONB and the Yorkshire Dales with 12 farm businesses to deliver whole farm plans, built an Rivers Trust. The aim is to remove physical barriers to artificial sand martin nesting wall at Gouthwaite Reservoir the migration of fish and carry out habitat improvements to replace natural habitat lost due to flood damage, on the Laver and Kex Beck. The Project removed a weir appointed a lead artist to deliver a ‘Hay Meadows under near Laverton that had been identified by the Environment the Microscope’ community arts project, run two outreach Agency as an obstruction to fish migration, and the AONB workshops in Leeds to identify perceptions of Upper helped farmers on land bordering the river with six projects Nidderdale by urban audiences and barriers to their visiting designed to improve the ecological health of the aquatic the area, run a series of public events including a trial environment. NiddFest literary festival event in July 2014, delivered two six-day dry stone walling courses to Community Payback offenders, provided 22 young-people heritage craft training River Nidd Catchment Partnership sessions in stone carving, print making and metal working, The AONB administers the River Nidd Catchment and since September delivered a full-time foundation course Partnership and employs the Catchment Partnership’s in heritage skills to five students. Farm Adviser on contract to work alongside the AONB’s Land Management Team Leader. The objective of the partnership, which comprises Natural England, Nidderdale Nidderdale Conservation Volunteers Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust and Yorkshire Water as well The Nidderdale Conservation Volunteers have had a as the AONB, is to reduce Diffuse Water Pollution from very busy year with highlights including: work to restore Agriculture in line with obligations in the European Union’s Fishpond Wood in Bewerley including pond work, path Water Framework Directive. work and rhododendron clearance; planting 1,600 trees on the steep hillside at Longside in Upper Nidderdale; During 2014/15, our Farm Advisers carried out 69 advisory ongoing work at key conservation sites across the AONB visits and submitted 19 capital grant applications on behalf including Hackfall, Bryans Wood at Dacre, Old Spring of farmer clients worth £167,376, however only £63,371 Wood at Summerbridge, Timble Ings and Ellington Banks; worth of works were carried out. training including hedge laying, willow spiling, biodiversity apps, social media, running inspriring events, grass Four events were held in 2014/15: and wildflower identification. The year also saw a great • Upland Grassland Improvement attended by 46 contribution from three Heritage Skills Students attending farmers tasks on a regular basis as part of the Upper Nidderdale • Soil Management attended by eight farmers Landscape Partnership work. • Soil Biology and Organic Matter Workshop attended by 25 farmers • Precision Farming attended by 12 farmers. Nidderdale Dry Stone Walling Group Key work by the AONB dry stone walling group focussed on gap repairs along the Nidderdale Way at Longside in Upper Nidderdale Landscape Partnership Upper Nidderdale, and building a new commemorative wall Scheme at the entrance to the Bewerley Park Outdoor Education The Scheme is led by Nidderdale AONB and brings Centre. together over 20 partners who share the joint aims of conserving and enhancing Upper Nidderdale’s wildlife habitats and historic environment; and enabling people to Built Environment Initiative find out about, enjoy and get involved in looking after this The Built Environment Initiative is funded by Harrogate important heritage landscape. Borough Council and is aimed at the conservation and repair of historic buildings and structures in the AONB. The Scheme started delivery in July 2014 and since In 2014/15, the bulk of the grant was allocated to the then has delivered one community open day linked to work being carried out under the auspices of the Upper conservation works at Fishpond Wood, started landscape- Nidderdale Landscape Partnership Scheme: £1,500 for

12 Nidderdale © Paul Harris Nidderdale AONB Annual Review 2014/2015

consolidation and interpretation at the ice house in Fishpond Wood, Bewerley; £5,000 was allocated to Wath Mill; £5,000 to the former Navvy Camp and the remains of Lodge Village and Scar House; and £30,000 to the consolidation of Prosperous Smelt Mill. £6,888 was allocated to repairs at Toft Gate Lime Kiln.

Greenhow Landscape & Biodiversity Enhancement Fund Hanson was awarded planning consent by North Yorkshire County Council in 2005 to extend the earth mound that screens the quarry workings from surrounding views. As a condition of the consent, Hanson was obliged to set up an environment fund to mitigate the impact of the extension on the surrounding landscape, which is part of the AONB. The Fund is administered by the AONB on behalf of Trustees drawn from the Nidderdale AONB Joint Advisory Committee, North Yorkshire County Council, Harrogate Nidderdale Conservation Volunteers Willow Spiling on Borough Council, and Hanson together with representatives the River Laver at Laverton of Thornthwaite, Thruscross and Bewerley Parish Councils.

During 2014/15, grants were awarded to dry stone wall repair projects, repairs to Toft Gate Lime Kiln and a hay meadow restoration project at Thruscross.

Nidderdale AONB & the First World War This Heritage Lottery Funded WW1 Centenary three year project has now reached mid-point and we are mid-way through our second year programme of public events. From 17 planned events this year we are offering walks, talks, public archaeology days and ‘Bring and Tell’ events at a variety of locations around the AONB to engage more communities from across the area with their First World War heritage. Over the last year of activities we have engaged more than 1,000 people in project events and 150 school children with the archaeological excavations at Breary Banks. 240 children from nine schools in Leeds and the AONB have been involved with our WW1 school activity days. 20 First World War volunteer researchers in Leeds and the AONB continue to investigate the impact of the War on the landscape and communities of the area, and the story of the Leeds Pals, working in partnership with Leeds Museums and Galleries. We are having two phases of archaeological investigation at Breary Banks this year, continuing the University of York’s on-going research project in Colsterdale with 30 First Year undergraduates which will reveal more about the First World War military training camp and later POW camp and its associated landscape in the area.

Ice House at Fishpond Wood 13 Nidderdale AONB Annual Review 2014/2015

Financial Summary 2014-2015

Expenditure £ Income £

Salaries (including NI, super, 243,299.87 Brought forward balance 40,129.90 Natural o.t, travel and training) (Heritage Lottery Fund WW1 Project) England Accommodation & office costs 46,463.61 Department for Environment, 169,236.00 Partnership budget for 12,871.55 Food and Rural Affairs promotion (PR) & events (DEFRA)

Partnership running costs 4,039.42 Harrogate Borough Council 86,588.16 Natural Farm conservation advice 1,084.44 North Yorkshire County England17,419.00 Council Sustainable Development Fund 0.00 Forestry Environment Agency 3,111.00 Bewerley barn 2,531.02 Commission SITA 7,967.15 Boundary signs 1,600.00 Harrogate Natural England Borough17,660.00 AONB Enhancement Grant 20,000.00 Council Scheme Heritage Lottery Fund 119,642.00

Heritage volunteering project 15.40 North Yorkshire Police Natural20,000.00 Authority England Catchment Sensitive Farming 48.47 Project Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust 11,059.00

Lowland Meadow Restoration 3,196.22 Yorventure 25,000.00

Wildlife Watch 47.72 Hansons AONB2,000.00

Landscape Partnership 87,253.54 Hackfall Trust 3,000.00 NYCC Landscape Management 44.69 Friends of Nidderdale AONB 1,464.00

River Laver 1,140.00 Landowners AONB9,220.00 World War One Project 16,137.32 Misc income/Events income 6,395.25

Services provided by 21,470.00 Harrogate Borough Council

Balance carried forward (WW1 -9,464.44 Project)

Balance carried forward (Landscape Partnership) -21,236.51

Total 509,190.51 TOTal 509,190.51

14 Nidderdale AONB Annual Review 2014/2015

“The Upper Nidderdale Landscape Partnership brings together over 20 partners who share the joint aims of conserving and enhancing Upper Nidderdale’s wildlife habitats and historic environment; and enabling people to find out about, enjoy and get involved in looking after this important heritage landscape.”

The view down Nidderdale from Middlesmoor Churchyard 15 Nidderdale AONB Annual Review 2014/2015

Appendix: Framework for monitoring environmental outcomes in protected landscapes

Woodland Area The statistics are suggested as a proxy measure in relation to climate regulation. They may also provide useful contextual information for State of the Park/AONB reports:

Figure 1. Area of different woodland types in Nidderdale AONB. NFI: National Forest Inventory. Data represents the situation as at 31st March 2013 and 31st March 2015 respectively. © Forestry Commission copyright 2015. © Natural England copyright 2015. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2015.

16 Nidderdale AONB Annual Review 2014/2015

Woodland Management The statistics are suggested as a proxy measure in relation to: • The Framework’s natural beauty indicator of ‘landscape elements in good condition’: • The statistics represent management undertaken in accordance with the obligations of various grant schemes. It brings greater confidence that active management is in place and therefore hopefully contributing to the good condition of woodland. • The Framework’s ecosystem services benefit of ‘providing wood’ (e.g. timber, wood fuel and other wood products)

Figure 2. The percentage of woodland within Nidderdale AONB that is managed, as supported by Forestry Commission initiatives or with a felling licence. Data represents the situation as at 31st March 2013 and 31st March 2015 respectively. The area of woodland in the AONB was 4,936 ha and 4,942 ha on these respective dates. © Forestry Commission copyright 2015. © Natural England copyright. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2015.

Ancient Woodland Statistics

Figure 3. The percentage of ancient woodland within Nidderdale AONB that is ancient and semi natural woodland (ASNW) or plantations on ancient woodland sites (PAWS). The area of ancient woodland totals approximately 1245.07 ha (as at 31st March 2015), covering 2.071% of the AONB. The area of ancient woodland has decreased by 0.307 ha (a 0.025% decrease) since 31st March 2013, with the area of ASNW and PAWS sites increasing and decreasing by 0.029% respectively. N.B. most ancient woodlands that are <2 ha were not included in this dataset. © Natural England copyright. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2015.

17 Nidderdale AONB Annual Review 2014/2015

Land Cover Map 2007 ‘Extensive areas of semi-natural vegetation’ is an indicator of natural beauty under the Designation Framework’s ‘Evaluation Framework for Natural Beauty’.

Figure 4. The extent of each broad habitat, as defined by the Land Cover Map 2007 (LCM2007), within Nidderdale AONB. Approximately 58% of the AONB is covered by semi-natural vegetation. Based upon LCM2007 © NERC (CEH) 2011. © Crown Copyright 2007, Ordnance Survey Licence number 100017572. © third party licensors.

Reference: ‘Morton, D., Rowland, C., Wood, C., Meek, L., Marston, C., Smith, G., Simpson, I.C. 2011. Final report for LCM2007 – the new UK land cover map. CS Technical Report No 11/07 NERC/Centre for Ecology & Hydrology 112pp. (CEH project number: C03259).

18 Nidderdale AONB Annual Review 2014/2015

Heritage Assets at Risk

Figure 5. The number of heritage assets in Nidderdale AONB that are ‘at risk’ of being lost as a result of neglect, decay or inappropriate development. Data represents the situation as at August 2012 and August 2014 respectively. © Historic England 2015. © Natural England copyright. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2015.

Figure 6. The number of heritage assets in Nidderdale AONB. Data reflects the situation as at April 2015. The number of each asset has remained the same since at least August 2012, except there was one less Grade II listed building in 2015. © Historic England 2015. © Natural England copyright. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2015.

19 Nidderdale AONB Annual Review 2014/2015

SSSI Condition

Figure 7. SSSI condition in Nidderdale AONB. Data represents the situation as at 31st March 2013 and 31st March 2015 respectively. The total area of SSSI habitat was 17,307 ha and 17,364 ha on these respective dates. © Natural England copyright. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2015.

Figure 8. The condition of SSSIs in Nidderdale, as categorised by their dominant habitat. N.B. Other habitats may be present in each SSSI. Data reflects the situation as at 31st March 2015. Numbers on bars represent the percentage change in the area of that habitat, in that condition, since 31st March 2013. No values are given if there was no change. Numbers after bars represent the area of that habitat within the AONB, in hectares, on 31st March 2015. © Natural England copyright. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2015.

20 Nidderdale AONB Annual Review 2014/2015

Geological SSSI Statistics Whilst the statistics can also be used in relation to the framework’s outcomes ‘Visible expression of geology in distinctive sense of place and other aspects of scenic quality’ and ‘Presence of striking or memorable geo- morphological features’, there will be cases where geological features are not visible or striking, e.g. caves.

Figure 9. The number of geological SSSI unit features in Nidderdale AONB. Data reflects the situation as at 31st March 2015. All features are in a favourable condition, and have been since at least 31st March 2013. Features included in the ‘Other’ category are: active geo-morphological, active quarry, coastal, cutting, disused quarry, finite buried, finite underground, inland outcrop, karst, mine dump, quaternary geology and geomorphology, river and stream section, and stratigraphy. © Natural England copyright. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2015.

Tranquillity Statistics

Figure 10. The percentage of Nidderdale AONB that has different levels of tranquillity, based on 44 different factors which add to or detract from people’s feeling of tranquillity. Each level of tranquillity is relative (based on tranquillity scores for within Nidderdale AONB only) and thus cannot be compared to other protected landscapes. The highest tranquillity score for any part of the AONB is 134.2 (national highest = 148.7) and the lowest is -35.5 (national lowest = -140.5), therefore some areas of the AONB have quite high tranquillity in national terms. Produced from National Tranquillity Mapping Data 2006 developed for the Campaign to Protect Rural England and Natural England by the University of Northumbria. OS Licence number 100018881.

21 Nidderdale AONB Annual Review 2014/2015

Public Rights of Way

Agri-environment Access

Figure 12. The length of permissive linear access provided under Countryside Stewardship Schemes (CCS) and Environmental Stewardship (ES) within Nidderdale AONB. N.B. there is no permissive open access land provided under CSS or ES agreements within the AONB. Data represents that situation as at April 2013. © Natural England copyright 2013.

22 Nidderdale AONB Annual Review 2014/2015

Publicly Accessible Land

Figure 14. Approximate area of accessible natural environment in Nidderdale AONB. Equates to 43% of the area of the AONB. Data reflects the situation as at 31st March 2013. © Natural England copyright 2013.

23 Nidderdale AONB Annual Review 2014/2015

Condition of Historic Environment Features Under HLS Schemes

Figure 15. The condition of historic environment features under Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) schemes across Nidderdale AONB. Data reflects the situation as at 1st January 2015. In brief, features with a condition category of ‘A’ are in a good condition, and those with a condition category of ‘B’ or ‘C’ are in an increasingly lower condition. For a full description of what condition categories A, B and C mean for each type of feature, see the Higher Level Stewardship Farm Environment Plan (FEP) Manual, Third Edition (Natural England, 2010). Numbers at the end of each bar represent the number of features of that feature type. © Natural England copyright 2015.

24 Nidderdale AONB Annual Review 2014/2015

Agri-environment Schemes ES data is the best nationally available information relating to the management of the wide range of landscape features and elements. Bringing these under management can, in theory, contribute to their good condition and to an area’s landscape character, which are both indicators of natural beauty.

Figure 16. Agri-environment schemes across Nidderdale AONB. A) Number of environmental stewardship (ES) schemes; B) Area of the AONB managed under each scheme type; C) Total annual cost of each scheme type. Data represents the situation as at 31st March 2013 and 31st March 2015 respectively. The percentage of land in the AONB under ES increased from 66% to 70% between these respective dates, as did the estimated Utilisable Agricultural Area (UAA: from 74% to 79%). N.B. The statistics are likely to under report due to the continuous activity of agreement amendments and renewals. © Natural England copyright. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2015.

25 Nidderdale AONB Annual Review 2014/2015

Uptake of ES Options

Figure 17. Area of land managed, created or restored under Environmental Stewardship (ES) agreements across Nidderdale AONB. Numbers above each bar represent the number and total cost of agreements covering each type of land. Data reflects the situation as at 31st March 2013. The statistics are likely to under report due to the continuous activity of agreement amendments and renewals. © Natural England copyright 2013.

Figure 18. Individual features managed and protected under Environmental Stewardship (ES) agreements across Nidderdale AONB. Numbers above each bar represent the number and total cost of agreements covering each type of feature. Data reflects the situation as at 31st March 2013. The statistics are likely to under report due to the continuous activity of agreement amendments and renewals. © Natural England copyright 2013.

24 Nidderdale AONB Annual Review 2014/2015

Water Framework Directive Ecological Status

Figure 19. Ecological status of water bodies within Nidderdale AONB. ‘High’ denotes largely undisturbed conditions. Other classes represent increasing deviation from this undisturbed (or reference) condition. Figures at the end of each row represent the number of those features that are present within the AONB, unless a unit of measurement is given after the figure. Contains Environment Agency information © Environment Agency and database right. © Natural England copyright 2013.

25 Get in Touch: Nidderdale AONB, The Old Workhouse King Street, Pateley Bridge, Harrogate, HG3 5LE T: 01423 712950 E: [email protected] www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk