Hampshire Downs

National Character Area 130

Hampshire Downs

The National Character Area (NCA) following the Hampshire Downs (130) is particularly rich in arable plants: 79 out of 121 rare and threatened plants have been recorded since 1987, giving a total Important Arable Plant Area (IAPA) score of 372. This is one of the highest scores in the country, and thus the Hampshire Downs NCA should be prioritised for conservation measures.

Seventeen of the 22 Section 41 (S41) arable plants listed under the NERC Act 2006 have been recorded in the Hampshire Downs. Of these, only seven plants have recent post-2000 recorded populations, and all of the plants appear to have declined in coverage. This is most apparent for pheasant’s-eye, ground- pine (which is at the western limit of its range in the UK), red hemp-nettle, annual knawel, spreading hedge-parsley and broad-fruited cornsalad. A 2013 survey of an estate near Basingstoke located a large population of annual knawel, which is only the second population to be identified since 2000 in the Hampshire Downs. In addition, a new population of shepherd’s-needle was found on the same estate in 2014, indicating that there is still plenty of potential to discover new populations of arable plants. The naturally occurring populations from the soil seed bank of cornflower have declined, but the plant is being used in many annual seed mixtures along with Austrian chamomile, corncockle and corn marigold which is boosting the number of locations with this species. Corn buttercup historically had a widespread distribution across the NCA, but no populations have been found since 2000. Further surveys of arable land may find more populations of Section 41 species, and locations with historical records should be a target along with adjacent arable land.

The coincidence of S41 species indicates that the richest location is adjacent to Longparish. Access to this site has been restricted since a solar array was constructed adjacent to the field. It is not known whether the threatened arable plants survive on this site, which ought to be a priority for conservation measures. An assessment of suitable agri-environment scheme options indicates that some measures are in place on the adjacent estate which also has S41 species, but they miss some of the other rare plants such as spreading hedge-parsley. Development pressure is also a concern, and the tetrad west of Basingstoke with three S41 species is under threat from expansion of the urban area. In addition, there are concerns about the application of suitable management practices at other locations with S41 species. Further feedback to farmers and landowners is needed to ensure that the disturbance requirements for these plants are in place, as this is contrary to management for other threatened habitats, such as grassland, and the land managers may not realise the extent of the disturbance required by these annual plants to ensure their survival.

The IAPA mapping indicates that in the Hampshire Downs there are 21 tetrads of European Importance, 83 of National Importance, and 85 of County Importance for arable plants. The distribution of these tetrads also follows the arable land that has been targeted for survey, and may not be the complete picture of the distribution of arable plants in the Hampshire Downs. Communities of arable plants and threatened species may be present in the southeast quarter of the NCA, which has not been as well-surveyed. In addition, there are suitable agri-environment measures present on these farms, and targeted surveys of these holdings would find out whether these measures are suitably located.

In summary, the IAPA tetrad map does provide a good baseline for targeting agri-environment scheme measures and voluntary conservation measures, particularly cultivated margins. However, it is not a complete picture, and it is likely that there are undiscovered populations of rare and threatened arable plants in this particularly rich NCA. There is a need for additional surveys on holdings with historical and current populations of arable plants and feedback to land managers and Natural England Advisers, where appropriate, suggesting changes in management to help sustain populations of threatened plants and potentially resurrect populations from buried seed. Holdings that have agri-environment options suitable for arable plants should be surveyed to find out whether the management is suitably targeted, particularly if the farms are entered into higher-level options.

Hampshire Downs Soils

For the purpose of this mapping, soil has been categorised using the broad soil category dominant in the tetrad. The mapping does not show the finer changes in soils throughout the fields, and this can misrepresent particular hotspots of very chalky soil which tend to be very locally dominant where it is close to the soil surface.

The most common soils in the Hampshire Downs NCA are within the clay category and is the dominate substrate for 323 tetrads. The clays tend to be overlaying chalk bedrock and are often very calcareous with outcrops of chalk at the surface where the soils are thin.

Chalky soils are the second most common substrate present in the Hampshire Downs. 192 tetrads are dominated by these soils.

Sandy soils are only present in two tetrads to the east of the Hampshire Downs.

One tetrad in the southwest of the area is dominated by soils other than the three types above; it is deep soils along a river corridor.

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± Kilometers 5

Pheasant’s-eye Adonis annua

There are a cluster of recent and mid- date pheasant’s-eye records from Wherwell (SU34W) to Basingstoke (SU55V). The chalk ridge in this area is known to be a hotspot for this plant. However, most of the records are historical, suggesting that there has been a recent decline. The most recent records are from Longparish (SU44G and SU44L) and Overton (SU44Y and SU54D).

Data maintained by the Contains Ordnance Vice-County Recorder and Survey data © Crown provided by the Botanical copyright and database Society of the British Isles right 2015. and Ireland and accessed ± from the BSBI Distribution Kilometers 5 Database 2014.

Contains Plantlife

Important Arable Plant

Area database data 2014.

Ground-pine Ajuga chamaepitys

There are three recently recorded populations of ground-pine in the Hampshire Downs. The western site is east of Wherwell (SU34W), and there are two sites close together near Freefolk Wood (SU44W and SU54B) and Roundham (SU54C).

The populations in the Hampshire Downs are the most northerly locations for this plant in the UK.

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Contains Plantlife

Important Arable Plant

Area database data 2014.

Thorow-wax Bupleurum rotundifolium

Thorow-wax is critically endangered and possibly extinct in England. The recent (2009 and 2013) records from Hinton Ampner Gardens (SU52Y) in 2009 and 2013 were a deliberate introduction. The mid- date record at Four Marks (SU63S) in 1991 was also in a garden. All of the other records are historical.

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Kilometers from the BSBI Distribution 5 Database 2014.

Cornflower Centaurea cyanus

The Hampshire Downs are a known hotspot for cornflower. There are many populations that naturally occur from buried seed when the land is cultivated or disturbed.

However, in more recent years cornflower has been included in amenity planting. This has made it difficult to differentiate which records are naturally occurring from the soil seed bank or introduced from sown mixtures. Much effort has been placed into determining the outcome of this distinction when the records have been collated by the vice-county recorder. There is the possibility that no known origin of the seed exists, particularly if it is a newly recorded population on farmland.

Kilometers from the BSBI Distribution 5 Database 2014.

Contains Plantlife Important Arable Plant Area database data 2014.

Upright Goosefoot Chenopodium urbicum

There is one record of upright goosefoot recorded near Thruxton (SU24S) in 2011. Several plants were recorded of this Critically Endangered species.

Kilometers from the BSBI Distribution 5 Database 2014.

Red-tipped Cudweed Filago lutescens

There is one historical record of red- tipped cudweed from Grateley (SU24Q). This is just to the west of the Hampshire Downs National Character Area.

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Contains Plantlife

Important Arable Plant

Area database data 2014.

Broadleaved Cudweed Filago pyramidata

There are historical records from 1974 of a broadleaved cudweed population south of Chilbolton (SU33Z).

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Red Hemp-nettle Galeopsis angustifolia

There are 11 recently recorded populations of red hemp-nettle from the Hampshire Downs.

Overwallop (SU23T) – recorded from 2008 and 2009.

Kentsboro (SU34A) – recorded in 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2014.

Abbots Ann (SU34G) – recorded in 2011 and more recently. Although the population occurs along a street in the village, the seed was introduced to a garden and this is not a farmed environment.

Stockbridge Down (SU33S) – recorded in 2000.

Magdalen Down, Winchester (SU52E) – recorded in 1998, 2011 and 2013.

Longparish (SU44L) – recorded in 2005.

Micheldever (SU54B) – recorded in 2002.

Micheldever Spoil Heaps and Roundwood (SU54C and SU54H) – recorded in 1961, 1987, 1991, 1996, 2000-2014.

Laverstoke (SU44Y) – recorded in 1994, 1995 and 2005.

Manydown (SU55V) – recorded in 1986, 2005, 2008 and 2009.

Ashley Warren (SU45X) – recorded in 2003

and 2008.

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right 2015. Society of the British Isles Ibthorpe (SU35R) – last recorded in 2001 and Ireland and accessed ± and originally from sown seed. The from the BSBI Distribution Kilometers population is now established. 5 Database 2014.

Contains Plantlife

Important Arable Plant

Area database data 2014.

Corn Cleavers Galium tricornutum

All of the corn cleavers records in the Hampshire Downs are historical.

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and Ireland and accessed ± from the BSBI Distribution Kilometers 5 Database 2014.

Wild Candytuft Iberis amara

All of the records of wild candytuft in the Hampshire Downs are historical.

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Darnel Lolium temulentum

All of the records of darnel in the Hampshire Downs are historical.

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and Ireland and accessed ± from the BSBI Distribution Kilometers 5 Database 2014.

Corn buttercup Ranunculus arvensis

There are no recent records of corn buttercup in the Hampshire Downs. However, there are some mid-date records:

Andover (SU34S) - recorded in the date range 1930-2005. It is likely that this is the same account as the 1961 record of corn buttercup, and does not fall into the mid date range.

Lower Froyle (SU74M) - recorded in the date range 1930-2005. It is likely that this is the same account as the 1951 record of corn buttercup, and does not fall into the mid date range.

Barton Stacy (SU43J) - although the plant was found on a farm in 1999, the record is located within a chicken run and there is a possibility that it originated from poultry feed.

Popley (SU65H) – recorded in 1991 in the corner of a corn field.

Domersfield Park (SU75Q) – recorded in 1964 and 1991.

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Contains Plantlife

Important Arable Plant

Area database data 2014.

Shepherd’s-needle Scandix pecten-veneris

There are many recently recorded populations of shepherd’s-needle in the Hampshire Downs:

 Overwallop (SU24V)  Middle Wallop (SU23X)  Abbots Ann (SU34G)  Kimpton (SU24Y)  Ludgershall (SU25Q)  Tidcombe (SU25Y)  Lower Bullington (SU44G and SU44L)  Roundwood (SU54C)  Malshanger (SU55K)  Manydown (SU55V)  Crondall (SU74Y)

The Malshanger population was first found in 2014 and it is likely that there are other locations with undiscovered shepherd’s-needle.

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Contains Plantlife

Important Arable Plant

Area database data 2014.

Annual Knawel Scleranthus annuus

There are two recent records of annual knawel in the Hampshire Downs.

26 plants were found along a field margin adjacent to a footpath in East Woodhay (SU45E).

A population of thousands of plants was discovered at Malshanger in 2013 and 2014 (SU55K).

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Important Arable Plant

Area database data 2014.

Small-flowered Catchfly Silene gallica

All of the records of small-flowered catchfly in the Hampshire Downs are historical.

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Spreading Hedge-parsley Torilis arvensis

There are four recent records of spreading hedge-parsley in the Hampshire Downs.

Scattered plants were found on bare disturbed chalk at Andover Business Park (SU34H).

A large population was present at Longparish (SU44G and SU44L), and was last recorded in 2011. This may be a series of populations spread over several fields.

A population was found at Kingsclere (SU55D) in 2007.

A population was found at Crondall (SU74Y) in 2007, 2008 and 2009.

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and Ireland and accessed ± from the BSBI Distribution Kilometers 5 Database 2014.

Contains Plantlife

Important Arable Plant

Area database data 2014.

Broad-fruited cornsalad Valerianella rimosa

There is only one recently recorded population of broad-fruited cornsalad in the Hampshire Downs near Bramdown Copse (SU54I). This population has been regularly monitored since the mid 1990s.

There are several populations that have not been recorded since the mid date range, lying to the southwest of Andover and Winchester.

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Contains Plantlife

Important Arable Plant

Area database data 2014.

Coincidence of Section 41 Species per Tetrad

Species listed under Section 41 (S41) of the NERC Act 2006 are a priority for conservation. Twenty-two plants that occur in arable habitat are on this list. However, the arable environment is not particularly well surveyed. Prior to 2000 and the Fields of Vision conference, the decline of arable plants was not well known, unlike grassland or heathland, and fewer surveys were undertaken. Restricted access to arable fields has also limited the extent of surveys. This means that there is limited knowledge of the location of arable plants and newly discovered populations are still being found, such as the annual knawel and shepherd’s-needle located at Malshanger in 2013 and 2014. Only records post-1987 have been included in this analysis.

There is one tetrad (SU44L) with four S41 plants near Longparish and is adjacent to a tetrad with three S41 plants (SU34W). Neither of these tetrads has been surveyed in recent years since a solar array was constructed on the farm and access to the site was limited. Finding out the status of these plant populations is an immediate priority. There are also three other tetrads with three S41 plants. The western tetrad, near Wherwell (SU34W), is well surveyed and has records of ground-pine, as does the tetrad centred on the Micheldever Spoil Heaps SSSI “the chalkies” (SU54C), which also has red hemp-nettle. The tetrad to the west of Basingstoke (SU55V) has red hemp-nettle and is located within the development

plan for Basingstoke on the Manydown Estate. Apart from the Spoil Heaps, there Contains Ordnance Data maintained by the are concerns about the management and Survey data © Crown Vice-County Recorder and survival of the S41 arable plants at all of copyright and database provided by the Botanical the other sites mentioned. These right 2015. Society of the British Isles particularly rich locations for arable and Ireland and accessed ± plants should be a target for suitable from the BSBI Distribution Kilometers management. 5 Database 2014.

Contains Plantlife

Important Arable Plant

Area database data 2014.

130 Hampshire Downs IAPA Status

Twenty-one of the 519 tetrads in the Hampshire Downs are considered to be of European Importance for arable plants, 83 are considered to be of National Importance, and 85 are considered to be of County Importance. These are concentrated on agricultural holdings that have been relatively well surveyed, particularly on the chalk rich soils, rather than the heavier calcareous clay soils. Only records post-1987 have been included in this analysis. In total, 79 IAPA species have been recorded in the Hampshire Downs NCA giving an IAPA score of 372.

Ground-pine is at the western edge of its range in the NCA Pheasant’s-eye, red hemp-nettle, corn buttercup, annual knawel and shepherd’s-needle were all once widespread across the Hampshire Downs. Either the locations with these populations have not been visited recently, or there has been an actual decline in the number of populations of these plants.

Arable land is still a dominant land use in the Hampshire Downs, but agricultural intensification from the 1960s onwards, in particular the use of herbicides, has reduced suitable habitat for arable plants. In addition, a new threat in the form of solar arrays and wind turbines may affect their survival. For example, at Longparish, a field next to a pheasant’s-eye and spreading hedge-parsley populations was converted to solar energy production.

Access to the site has been restricted and it is not known whether the plants are Contains Ordnance Data maintained by the IAPA Status still present. Survey data © Crown Vice-County Recorder and

copyright and database provided by the Botanical Arable plants are also associated with right 2015. Society of the British Isles other disturbed and nutrient poor and Ireland and accessed ± habitats. Records from urban areas and from the BSBI Distribution Kilometers sown mixtures have been excluded from 5 Database 2014. this analysis where possible to

concentrate on the rural countryside and Contains Plantlife agricultural environment. The Micheldever Important Arable Plant Spoil Heaps SSSI with red hemp-nettle and Area database data 2014. cut-leaved germander has been included.

Environmental Stewardship

Analytical assessment of agri-environment management has found that cultivated margins and plots provide the most suitable habitat for arable plants. In Environmental Stewardship these are delivered though the ELS option ‘EF11 uncropped cultivated margins for arable plants’, and the HLS option ‘HF20 cultivated fallow plots or margins for arable plants (rotational or non- rotational)’. Within the Hampshire Downs NCA, these options have been well targeted with 73% of the margins present within tetrads that are of County, National or European Importance for arable plants. However, there are tetrads with high IAPA scores that have been missed, such as west of Andover and west of Basingstoke.

IAPA Status Option No. Plots / of Tetrad Margins European HF20 (NR) 13 HF20 (R) 7 EF11 5 National HF20 (NR) 11 HF20 (R) 10 EF11 14 County HF20 (NR) 14 HF20 (R) 6 EF11 12 No status HF20 (NR) 7 HF20 (R) 13 EF11 14 Total HF20 (NR) 45 HF20 (R) 36 EF11 45 Total 126

Some options are located in areas with Contains Ordnance Data maintained by the fewer records of IAPA plants. This may be Survey data © Crown Vice-County Recorder and due to low numbers of IAPA plants being copyright and database provided by the Botanical present, or due to lack of surveys and right 2015. Society of the British Isles recording. For example, the HLS options and Ireland and accessed ± near Four Marks and Lower and Upper from the BSBI Distribution Kilometers Wield. The farms entered into the 5 Database 2014. cultivated margins options (and other Contains Plantlife suitable options) should be surveyed for arable plants to find out if there are any Important Arable Plant Area database data 2014. rare or threatened plants benefitting from the conservation measures and if they are located in the right areas of each field.