NATURE CONSERVATION REFERENCE GUIDE FOR BASILDON DISTRICT A Review of Wildlife Sites ESSEX ECOLOGY SERVICES LTD. IMPORTANT NOTES Nomenclature The term "Site of Importance for Nature Conservation" (SINC) used in previous reports is here replaced by the currently generally accepted term of “Wildlife Site”. Rationale It is hoped that this identification of important Wildlife Sites is not seen as a hindrance to the livelihood of those landowners affected, or an attempt to blindly influence the management of such sites. It is an attempt to describe the wildlife resource we have in the county as a whole, which has been preserved thus far as a result of the management by landowners and together we hope to be able to help landowners retain and enhance this biodiversity for the future. Public Access Identification as a Wildlife Site within this report does not confer any right of public access to the site, above and beyond any Public Rights of Way that may exist. The vast majority of the Sites are in private ownership and this should be respected at all times. Land Ownership It has always been the intention of the Essex Wildlife Trust to contact all landowners of Wildlife Sites, advising them of this identification and promoting nature conservation management of the site. To that end, the Essex Wildlife Trust has just appointed a Wildlife Sites Officer. While this lengthy undertaking is in progress it is requested that the Essex Wildlife Trust is contacted prior to any formal approach regarding any Site identified within this report. Boundaries Whilst every attempt has been made to ensure accurate mapping of the site boundaries, the accompanying maps should be considered as being illustrative only. The Essex Wildlife Trust should be consulted over the precise boundary of all sites, should any dispute occur or precise determination be required. Planning The information within this report should not be used as a bypass to the normal planning consultation process. It is inevitable that, with the passage of time, some Wildlife Sites will be lost or damaged to the extent that they are no longer considered as such. Similarly, new Sites may be identified and periodically added to the list for the borough. For these reasons, the Essex Wildlife Trust still wishes to be consulted on all planning proposals, regardless of whether or not they apparently affect a Site detailed within this report. This report will allow a greater understanding of the wildlife resources of the district/borough and will make the consultation process much faster and more cost-effective. October 2005 EECOS/bdc/cws INDEX 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 General Introduction 1 1.2 Review Process 1 1.3 Limitations of the Survey 2 2. SURVEY METHODOLOGY 2.1 General Techniques and Sources of Information 3 2.2 Detailed Methodology 3 2.3 Habitat Code Definitions 4 3. DEVELOPMENT OF WILDLIFE SITE POLICIES AND SELECTION CRITERIA 3.1 Framework for Local Nature Conservation Initiatives 10 3.2 Background to the Development of Non-statutory Site Selection in Essex 14 3.3 Issues Relating to SSSIs 15 3.4 Biodiversity Action Plans 16 3.5 Other Habitats 18 4. SITE SELECTION CRITERIA 4.1 Introduction 22 4.2 Use of Numerical Thresholds 23 4.3 Development of Revised Selection Criteria for Essex 24 4.4 Selection Criteria 29 October 2005 EECOS/bdc/cws 5. HABITAT SURVEY RESULTS 5.1 Introduction 43 5.2 Land-use Statistics 43 5.3 General Discussion 46 5.4 Identification of Wildlife Sites 47 5.5 Discussion of Wildlife Sites 49 5.6 BAP Resources Within Basildon District 53 5.7 Wildlife Corridors 57 References Map1 Wildlife Site Location Plan Map 2 Possible Major Landscape Corridors Appendix 1 Landuse/Habitat Classification Codes Appendix 2 Species Indicative of Ancient Woodland in Essex Appendix 3 Species Indicative Of Old, Unimproved Grassland And Marsh In Essex Appendix 4 Indicative Chalk Grassland Plants Appendix 5 Invertebrate Species Quality and Site Assessment Appendix 6 Wildlife Sites Register Appendix 7 Summary Table of Wildlife Sites Appendix 8 Citations for SSSIs in Basildon District October 2005 EECOS/bdc/cws BASILDON DISTRICT A RE-ASSESSMENT OF IMPORTANT WILDLIFE SITES 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 General Introduction This report has been produced by Essex Ecology Services Ltd. (EECOS), the survey and advisory company of the Essex Wildlife Trust, on behalf of Basildon District Council. It comprises the results of a general wildlife survey of the District, to evaluate the existing network of important wildlife sites as part of the ongoing Local Plan review process. A previous survey report, produced in 1993, incorporated a basic land use survey with an exercise to identify the most important wildlife habitats present within the district. These important wildlife habitats were identified as “Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation” [SINC], with the results summarised in “Nature conservation – A Reference Guide”. This present report covers a review of the advancements within the SINC system since this initial study. It also includes an update of the statutory obligations of local authorities, current nature conservation initiatives and an appraisal of the Site selection process. This is then followed by a discussion of the 2004 re-survey of the District and the identification of the current network of important Wildlife Sites. 1.2 Review Process The basis for this re-assessment has been a complete Phase 1 Habitat Survey of the District. The detailed methodology of this survey is given in Chapter 2. Included within the general survey was especial consideration of the actual and potential “wildlife corridors” within the district as well as those landscape features which were felt to be a particular block to the free movement of species and individuals across the countryside. The applicable species and habitats now afforded attention via county or national Biodiversity Action Plans were also especially sought. Following on from the collection of revised site data via this field survey, a draft suite of Wildlife Sites was compiled and presented to the Basildon Countryside Forum, which comprises representatives from: 1. Planning/Countryside officers from Basildon District Council 2. English Nature 3. Essex Wildlife Trust/Basildon Natural History Society 4. The Essex Field Club 5. Essex Amphibian and Reptile Group The revised site selection criteria (see Chapter 4, below) were developed in association with a parallel survey being undertaken within Chelmsford Borough, with an input from officers of this adjacent Local Authority. It is, however, intended that these criteria should be applicable throughout the county. A re-assessment of those Wildlife Sites within Castle Point used a “proto-type” version of these criteria in 2002. In developing these revised criteria it is apparent that, for some groups such as invertebrates, the state of our knowledge concerning their distribution and ecological requirements is still quite limited, so that whilst criteria are now being put in place to select sites on the grounds of their invertebrate interest, the actual ability to do so is still at an early stage. However, development of the various Biodiversity initiatives across the county and the production of a October 2005 1 EECOS/bdc/cws draft Essex Red Data List should help in focussing on the needs of these populations and identifying their key population localities. These data can then feed into subsequent Wildlife Site reviews, improving the effectiveness of their nature conservation role. 1.3 Limitations of the Survey By its very nature, a Phase 1 Habitat Survey is a very “broad-brush” approach to collecting wildlife data. Generally, it does not allow for any site to be visited more than once nor can it be guaranteed that it is visited at the optimum time for the wildlife actually present. This is especially true for habitat mosaics, where a woodland component might be best surveyed in late April or early May, whilst a grassland component would be at its best in July or later. For a number of sites, this can be compensated for by one of two means: 1. Relying on the previous habitat survey data, which might have been gathered at a different time of year. Where possible, previous survey data were used to suggest the optimum time for a re-visit; 2. Using the knowledge of local naturalists who may have observed the site over many seasons, to broaden one’s knowledge of the site. The collection of data inevitably relies heavily upon accessing land and viewing sites from public rights of way, highways and areas of public open space. Where sites of potential interest were not accessible by such means, attempts were made to identify and contact the relevant landowner for permission to visit the site. In many cases the landowner could not be traced and in some instances the landowner then declined to give the necessary permission to enter onto the site. Tracing and contacting landowners is an extremely time-consuming process, so that inevitably there comes a time when the matter has to be dropped and one’s judgement of the site has to rely on other factors. Where land uses could not be ascertained during the field survey, reference was made to aerial photographs of the district, taken in 2000. Some information on otherwise inaccessible sites (for whatever reason) has been gained from published papers, local naturalists or archive material. This review of sites and the adoption of revised selection criteria introduces a stronger element of site adoption on the grounds of invertebrate, amphibian, mammalian and bird populations. For many of these groups our knowledge of their distribution and ecological requirements is limited, so that whilst criteria are now in place to help protect populations of nationally endangered or locally significant species, it may yet not be possible to identify sites accordingly.