Bromesberrow Estate Natural Capital Study
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Report prepared by: Supported by: www.rural-focus.co.uk Executive Summary This report has been prepared for Dr Gilbert It uses the new UK Habitat Classification to Greenall as a first step in preparing the quantify different types of natural capital and Bromesberrow Estate for the UK’s post-Brexit it relates the condition of these natural agricultural policy. capital assets to the provision of the public Its production has been supported by the goods which the Government wishes to Malvern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural support and incentivise through its proposed Beauty (AONB) Sustainable Development ELM scheme. Fund. The Estate’s natural capital assets Planning for future farm and environmental The Estate contains a wide variety of natural support capital assets within its 495 ha (1,220 acres), The new Environmental Land Management including: (ELM) scheme is due to replace the existing ñ 88.1 ha of woodland, of which 47.8 ha is Basic Payment Scheme and the Ancient Woodland Environmental and Countryside Stewardship ñ 82.1 ha of parkland, consisting of semi- Schemes from 2024 onwards. improved permanent pasture grazed by This will operate on the basis of ‘Public White Park cattle and including many Payments for Public Goods’ through Land native and ornamental specimen trees. Management Plans drawn up by the farmer. ñ 18.9 ha of agriculturally unimproved Defra has stated that the public goods that lowland dry acid grassland, of which the will be covered by ELM are: “clean and 12.1 ha on Chase End Hill is part of the plentiful water; clean air; protection from and Malvern Hills SSSI. mitigation of environmental hazards; ñ 5.4 ha of traditional orchard containing mitigation of and adaptation to climate change; thriving plants and wildlife; and apple and cherry varieties over beauty, heritage and engagement”. agriculturally unimproved (and probably flower-rich) permanent pasture The Government has adopted the concept of natural capital as a way of understanding the ñ 423 parkland and field trees and a way that the natural environment provides further 153 hedgerow trees, including a goods and services to society. number of veteran trees in Inner Park. As a result, this report examines how the ñ 21.6 km of hedgerow and associated concept of natural capital can be applied to margins of rough grassland the Bromesberrow Estate, to form that basis ñ 9.2 km of watercourses and 2.1 ha of for a future ELM Land Management Plan, ponds and lakes recognising the many public goods that the ñ 14.5 km of public rights of way and 29.9 Estate provides. ha of open access land How the Bromesberrow Estate provides ñ One Scheduled Monument, six Listed public goods Buildings and 54 historic environment This study shows how the Estate’s parkland sites or records. and pasture, woodland, hedgerows, streams and ponds, arable land, buildings and rights of public access (its ‘natural capital’) provide high levels of public goods that benefit local communities and society at large. i Provision of public goods being the relatively small areas of newly These natural capital assets provide a range planted woodland and conifer woodland of public goods which benefit society at which are regarded as being in good large. Examples of the public goods derived condition. from the Estate are: ñ All of the lowland dry acid grassland is ñ Thriving wildlife in the designated areas judged to be in excellent condition of Ancient and Semi-Natural Woodland (although it is noted that scrub and parts of the Malvern Hills SSSI, as encroachment on the slopes of Chase well as in the undesignated areas of End Hill are a threat to this). unimproved and semi-improved ñ Most of the parkland and other areas of permanent grassland, veteran trees, semi-improved permanent pasture are hedgerows and waterbodies. judged to be in good condition, with the ñ Natural Beauty in the form of Outer Park being in excellent condition. characteristic landscape features (e.g. ñ The lower levels of public goods woodland, parkland, orchards, provided by agriculturally improved hedgerows and flower-rich grassland) permanent grassland means that most which contribute to the special qualities of these areas have been judged to be in of the Malvern Hills AONB OK condition. ñ Cultural heritage at the scale of ñ Poaching by cattle overwintered on part individual sites and buildings and at a of the tenanted land has resulted in landscape scale in relation to field some of this area being classified as in patterns and remains of historic land use poor condition. The high level of over- such as ridge and furrow cultivation. grazing and inadequately managed ñ Provision of clean and plentiful water winter feeding of cattle pose a threat to and flood mitigation from the filtering the rest of this area. and slow release of rainfall through the ñ All the hedgerows are judged to be in woodland and grassland soils excellent or good condition, with the ñ Climate regulation in the form of the higher classification used for the taller capture and storage of atmospheric and larger hedgerow. carbon in the timber and soils of the ñ The large area of arable land on the woodland and hedgerows, and the soils Estate (207 ha) is judged to be in OK or under permanent grassland. poor condition because of the impact of continuous arable cultivation and crop Condition of natural capital and flows of inputs on the condition of the soil – and public goods the low levels of associated public goods such as clean water, flood mitigation and The map on the following page shows how climate regulation. well all the natural capital assets on the Estate are meeting their potential to provide ñ The assessment of poor condition has public goods, using a classification of been given to the steeper arable fields Excellent, Good, OK and Poor condition. on which gullying and erosion were observed. ñ Most of the woodland is judged to be in excellent condition, with the exceptions ii The condition of natural capital assets on the Bromesberrow Estate iii Opportunities to enhance natural capital ñ Where it is a priority to create a and the provision of public goods wildflower meadow as a visitor It remains to be seen what incentives will be attraction, soil stripping can be used provided through the ELM scheme both to create the ideal conditions before reward existing provision of public goods and establishing new meadow mixes. to encourage new practices that enhance D. Woodland management them. However, a number of opportunities ñ Continuous cover forestry practices will emerge from this study that could be taken ensure the woodlands are as resilient as forward. possible to the impacts of climate A. The future of arable cropping on the Estate change, maintain habitat diversity and The Estate’s arable land is contributing least help to protect soils. to public goods, principally because of the ñ Encouraging structural diversity within impact that it has on soil condition compared the woodlands, particularly in a well- to soils under grassland and woodland. develop shrub layer, at woodland edges Taken together with the low profitability of and along wide tracks and glades will much of this land, there are significant maximise biodiversity. landscape-scale opportunities for change. ñ When the silvicultural cycle favours it, These include: replacing the few pure stands of conifer ñ Conversion of the steep fields on the on the Estate with mixed or pure eastern flanks of Chase End Hill to broadleaved species, particularly on permanent low input pasture / parkland. Ancient Woodland sites, will enhance ñ On other areas of arable land, establish natural beauty and biodiversity. new woodland areas, as belts or E. The Historic Environment interlinking blocks. Future developments should take account of ñ Where arable cropping continues, the Estate’ rich archaeological heritage and subdivide fields with new wide not damage sensitive sites. Further advice hedgerows and rough grass margins. should be sought before significant changes to land use are made. B. Hedgerow management Hedgerow management practices are already F. Public access and leisure good. Opportunities include: Analysis by this study shows that some ñ Allowing hedges to grow out laterally 415,000 people live within a half hour drive into the adjacent field margins. of the Estate and 4.3 million live within an hour’s drive. ñ Adopting a long-term hedgerow tree There are opportunities to broaden the replacement programme to plan for the recreational opportunities and services decline and loss of existing trees. provided by the Estate, attracting staying C. Grassland management visitors who would contribute more to the The gradual process of colonisation of the local economy and to the Estate’s income. low input parkland and pasture by The Estate’s natural capital could have a key wildflowers can be accelerated by: role to play, providing a high quality ñ Cutting hay in late June or July and environment that enhances people’s health grazing the aftermath with livestock. and wellbeing and offering opportunities for ñ Harrowing grassland in the autumn to outdoor leisure activities. open up the sward, revealing patches of soil, before spreading recently made hay from local flower-rich fields. iv The Bromesberrow Estate’s Natural Capital How this natural capital provides public goods; and how enhancing it could inform management decisions and Government support Contents 1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 2 2. Policy context and approach ................................................................................................. 2 Future support for farming and land management......................................................................... 2 The concepts: Public goods and natural capital .............................................................................. 3 3. Public goods and how they are provided by the Bromesberrow Estate ................................... 4 Natural capital and how it can be used to enhance public goods ..................................................