BI DIVERS TY 1 Acknowledgments 1 This Biodiversity Action Plan is the product of the hard work In addition to those organisations and individuals mentioned and dedication of a great many people over a period of nearly above, the following have also contributed to the production of three years. It is truly a ‘team effort’. this action plan in various ways: The Steering Committee comprises representatives of the Organisations following organisations: Country Landowners Association, Agricultural Development and Advisory Service, Allerdale Countryside Agency, Cumbria County Council, Cumbria Local Borough Council, Ambleside Field Society, Barrow Borough Development Agencies Forum, Cumbria Wildlife Trust, Eden Council, British Association for Shooting and Conservation, District Council, English Nature, Environment Agency, Farming British Trust for Conservation Volunteers, Butterfly Conservation, and Wildlife Advisory Group, Forestry Commission, Friends of Carlisle Bereavement Service, Carlisle City Council, Centre for the Lake District, Glaxo Wellcome, Lake District National Park Ecology and Hydrology, Copeland Borough Council, Countryside Authority, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, National Alliance, Countryside Management Service (Arnside/Silverdale Farmers’ Union, National Trust, North West Water Ltd and Royal AONB), Cumberland Rivers Foundation, Cumbria Bird Club, Society for the Protection of Birds. Special thanks are due to the Cumbria Broadleaves, Cumbria Farm Link, Cumbria Sea Fisheries Chairmen of the Steering Committee: Guy Richardson, David Committee, Dean Parish Council, Dumfries and Galloway Cole and John Hetherington. Council, East Cumbria Countryside Project, Eden Rivers Trust, Friends of the Earth, Furness and South Cumbria Fisheries Two Working Groups presided over the development of the Consultative, Government Office for the North West, Highways Plan through its various stages, one addressing scientific/technical Agency, Knox Wood Wildlife Rescue Centre, Lancashire County issues and a second considering public awareness and Council, Lancashire Wildlife Trust, Marine Conservation Society, involvement issues.Thanks in this respect are due to: Anne Moorland Association, Morecambe Bay Partnership, National Blackburn, Caroline Casson, Lynne Collins, Alistair Crowle, Jolyon Federation of Women's Institutes, Newton Rigg Campus Dodgson, Erica Donnison, Stephanie Eastham, Rachel Farrell, (University of Central Lancashire), Northumberland Wildlife Steve Garner, Steve Hewitt, John Hooson, David Martin, Annie Trust, North Western and North Wales Sea Fisheries Masson, Rachel Osborn, Frances Richardson, Andrea Sharp, Ian Committee, Northumberland County Council, RAF Spadeadam, Slater, Phil Taylor, and Isabel Thorne. In particular, thanks are due Ramblers Association, Real World in South Lakeland, Scottish to Judy Palmer and Paul Glading, who ably chaired the two Borders Council, Scottish Wildlife Trust, Solway Firth Partnership, Working Groups and provided much guidance and support to Solway Rural Initiative, South and West Cumberland Fisheries the Project Officer. Association,Tullie House Museum,Voluntary Action Cumbria, ACKNOWLEDGMENTS World Owl Trust and Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority. A large team of people was involved in the drafting of individual species and habitat action plans. Special thanks are due to the Individuals plan drafters and the chairs of the 13 'Focus Groups' that Ian Armstrong, Pauline Atkins, Roy Atkins, Kathleen Atkinson, Hal developed the first phase of plans: David Atty, Colin Barr, Judith Bagot, Frances Bell, Robert Benson, Geoff Billington, Mike Carrier, Bennett, Sarah Bentley, David Bilton, David Clarke, Barry Colville, Rod Corner, Steve Doyle, Colyn Earnshaw, Brian and Gill Fuller, Alistair Crowle, Gareth Daglish, Ivan Day, Erica Donnison, Mike Hall, Margaret Eastlick, Helga Frankland,Terry Gledhill, Betty Cameron Durie, Sue Evans, Steve Garner, Geoffrey Halliday, Green, Norman Hammond, Patrick Hanson, Dave Hughes, Helen David Harpley, Steve Hewitt, John Hooson, Jean Johnston, Paul Jones, Bill Kydd, Kevin Lancaster, Pat Livermore, Jake Manson, John Kirkland, Penny Knowles, Chris Lumb,Tony Marshall, John and Mounsey, Geoff Naylor, Liz and Roger Neale, Geoff Norman, Shirley Martin, Jacqui Ogden, Rob Petley-Jones, Keith Raistrick, John R. Parker, Mike Porter, Derek Ratcliffe, Jeremy Roberts, Les Karen Rouen, Karen Sampson, Ian Slater, Julian Smith, Ian Soane, Robertson, Neil Robinson, John Satchell, Dave Shackleton, Jean Allan Stewart, Phil Taylor, Ian Wallace and Simon Webb. Scott, Eleanor Shield, and John Webster. Matthew Parsons, Project Officer for the Cumbria Biodiversity Funding and related support Partnership, co-ordinated the production of the action plan. The production of this BAP would not have been possible Parts of the text were edited and drafted by two contractors: without the generous support of Cumbria Waste Management, Rigby Jerram and Andrea Sharp. through the Landfill Tax Credits Scheme, managed by the Cumbria Waste Management Environment Trust. In addition, Christine Isherwood drew the line illustrations. Stephen Hewitt many hundreds of hours of time were provided without charge THE CUMBRIA BIODIVERSITY ACTION PLAN ACTION THE CUMBRIA BIODIVERSITY THE CUMBRIA BIODIVERSITY ACTION PLANACTION THE CUMBRIA BIODIVERSITY SUMMARY and Tullie House Museum produced the distribution maps, using from organisations including, in particular, Cumbria Wildlife Trust, the Recorder and DMAP programmes. Data used for the maps English Nature and Cumbria County Council. were kindly supplied by: David Atty, David Bilton, David Clarke, Barry Colville, Cumberland Bat Group, Cumbria Bird Club, the Specific funding for the production of this document was Cumbria natterjack recorders, Cumbria Wildlife Trust Mammal generously given by: Cumbria County Council, Cumbria Waste Group and Herptile Group, Ivan Day, Geoffrey Halliday, High Management Environment Trust, English Nature, Environment Brown Fritillary Action Group, Marsh Fritillary Action Group, the Agency, Forestry Commission, Government Office for the North National Trust, NPI Red Alert North West, Derek Ratcliffe, Ian West, Kimberley Clark, Lake District National Park Authority, Wallace,Westmorland and Furness Bat Group. South Lakeland District Council. BI DIVERS TY 2 Foreword I am delighted to commend Cumbria’s ‘Biodiversity Few other counties can boast the number or range Action Plan’ (BAP) to you.The Plan, which is the of habitats and species found throughout Cumbria. outcome of three years hard work, was the subject In the pages that follow you will find a first set of of extensive consultation in 2000. Many useful plans covering 39 habitats and species, with four comments were received, and appropriate changes Action Plans for Common Themes. One of these made. My thanks go to all who have contributed to describes how we can manage this ‘variety of life’ the Plan in any way. right at the heart of our cities and towns. If we work together we can turn the tide of the steady FOREWORD SUMMARY In our County we have a rich ‘variety of life’ to decline in the diversity of species and the extent of celebrate and conserve.The Cumbria Biodiversity valued habitats caused by human activity in our Action Plan is one of many already produced County. throughout the United Kingdom. It nests within a national and regional effort to ensure we manage This Action Plan has been prepared to implement our natural heritage more effectively for the benefit national biodiversity targets at a local level, but with of present and future generations, as well as for its a focus on local priorities. It seeks to make people own sake. in Cumbria more aware of the issues and build wide commitment to taking the necessary actions. The ‘Biodiversity approach’ means moving beyond It links to a range of other plans and programmes, the idea of setting aside special areas designated for showing how these can better achieve effective conservation. It means valuing and caring for nature management and care of nature’s variety. wherever it is found. THE CUMBRIA BIODIVERSITY ACTION PLAN ACTION THE CUMBRIA BIODIVERSITY BI DIVERS TY 3 This Action Plan has engaged the commitment and The work of producing a further set of species and enthusiasm of many people working together in habitat plans goes on. At the same time, we need partnership.The same approach will be needed to work together to ensure the individual Phase I now to turn the proposals set out here into reality. Plans contained in this volume are implemented. It is not just the statutory conservation agencies, We hope the implementation phase will continue wildlife campaigners or local and central with the full support of all the partners who have government that must continue to be involved. It is helped get us this far. But, most of all, we want to all of us, in city, town, village and countryside. see the Plans prepared so far acted upon locally, in Farmers and landowners, as well as business and every part of Cumbria.We hope that the BAP will industry, have key roles in ensuring habitats are not be the catalyst to provide a renewed enthusiasm FOREWORD lost. It is usually possible to manage change and and commitment to the ‘variety of life’ found in development in ways that support nature - it just Cumbria.We hope it means future generations can takes a little imagination and care! continue to enjoy nature in the heart of each community and in all parts of our countryside. What this Action Plan shows is that through