Clackmannanshire Biodiversity Action Plan 2012-2017 1 Foreword
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Clackmannanshire Biodiversity Action Plan 2012-2017 1 Foreword Clackmannanshire is without doubt a beautiful county. The Biodiversity Action Plan has been produced with Situated with the Ochil Hills above & the River Forth at thought and with dedication to Clackmannanshire; its border, it encompasses both town and country life. largely by volunteers. It is important to the County because it will be a source of information and Clackmannanshire is fortunate to have retained a wealth guidance through the coming years. Hopefully it will of natural habitats and species, though some have been be a constant reminder and keep us all on track so lost and change is ever present. In recent times the that when we come to write the next plan we will be County has seen industries come and go, settlements celebrating our remarkable achievements in protecting extend their boundaries, tourism and recreation flourish, local biodiversity and moving forward to consolidate and and economic opportunities taking many forms. build upon a rich natural heritage. The forests, woodlands and glens, the Ochils, Gartmorn Captain Charles Gray wrote these lines approximately Dam, the Rivers Devon and Black Devon, the country 200 years ago to encourage his friend, a teacher in lanes between the fields and the distant views of the Dollar, to look around him and record local poetry and hills all provide a backdrop to our everyday life and song: contribute to our health and wellbeing whether or not we are aware of it. The prospect of the countryside that surrounds us being lost is inconceivable. We expect to “ Thy river, clear winding flows softly along, pass this legacy on to our children and grandchildren. Like the music of verse, or the notes of a song; So our concern for biodiversity probably runs deeper There the trout in his pastime glides swift as a dart, than we appreciate. We are fortunate; because Clackmannanshire is a small county, we have been able And oft cheats the angler, though crafty his art; to achieve a great deal since the first Biodiversity Action There the tenants of nature at freedom may rove, Plan was produced. The County is taking exemplary action in all sorts of different ways to protect and No gun, net, or line lurks in sweet Devon grove.” enhance the environment; new and innovative ways to manage flooding, new woodland planting, creation of new wetlands, restoration of our rivers, care for our You too may wander along the same Devon grove and fisheries, forest schools to teach our children nature’s listen to the water flow, take a look around you, reflect ways, and walking festivals to encourage people to relax on the beauty of this environment upon which we and enjoy every aspect of the County. depend and take some inspiration. The Clackmannanshire Biodiversity Partnership With your support we can continue to protect and care plays an important role in protecting and enhancing for the biodiversity of Clackmannanshire and without our biodiversity. The expertise within the County is doubt we will all benefit now and into the future. tremendous and when coupled with the energy and enthusiasm of a whole array of organisations and community groups amazing results can be achieved. Elaine Cameron CEnv MIEEM Chair, Clackmannanshire Biodiversity Partnership 2 1. Foreword ......................................1 10. Freshwater & Wetland . 44 2. Contents. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2 Rivers and Streams . 44 Reedbeds..........................................45 3. Introduction . 3 Ponds . .46 What is Biodiversity? .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .3 Freshwater and Wetland Species .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..47 Why does it Matter?................................3 Current Initiatives and Opportunities .. .. .. .. .. ..49 Why is it Important to Protect Biodiversity? . 5 11. Woodland . .51 4. Taking Action For Biodiversity . 6 Broadleaved Woodland . .52 Biodiversity on a Global Scale . 6 Woodland Pasture and Parkland . .53 Biodiversity in Europe . 6 Woodland Species. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..55 Statutory Duties ....................................7 Current Initiatives and Opportunities: . .56 National & International Policies & Strategies .. .8 12. Marine & Coastal . 58 Clackmannanshire Policies and Strategies .. .. .. .9 Intertidal Mudflats . .59 Clackmannanshire Biodiversity Action Plan. .. .. 10 Saltmarsh. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..59 Strategic Environmental Assessment .. .. .. .. .. .. .11 Saline Lagoons. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..59 Monitoring and Review . 11 Marine and Coastal Species .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .60 5. Environment and Development . .13 Current Initiatives and Opportunities: . 61 Geological Development .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 13 13. Farmland, Lowland & Urban . 63 Hydrology. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 14 Open Mosaic Habitat on Previously Historical Development . 14 Developed Land . .64 Biodiversity Today . 15 Hedgerows . .65 6. Vision, Objectives And Outcomes. .. .. .. ..17 Urban Green Spaces. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..66 Vision . 17 Farmland, Lowland and Urban Species .. .. .. .. ..67 Objectives .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 17 Current Initiatives and Opportunities .. .. .. .. .. ..69 Outcomes .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 18 Actions for Habitats and Species................70 7. Taking Action on Overarching Themes.. 20 Acknowledgements . 73 Climate Change . 20 Fragmentation of Habitats and Species:. .. .. .. .. 21 APPENDIX A - Supporting Strategic Biodiversity Action: . .23 Designated sites within Clackmannanshire....75 Inner Forth Futurescape & Landscape Initiative 24 The Ochils Landscape Partnership . .. .. .. .. .. .. ..25 APPENDIX B - Central Scotland Green Network. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..26 Selection results and criteria for selection of Biological Data Recording and Management . .27 priority habitats for inclusion in CBAP..........78 Control of Invasive Species . .28 People: Education, Awareness Raising, APPENDIX C - Participation and Volunteering . .29 SEA Environmental Report Funding, Delivery and Support . .29 (Non-technical summary). .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..81 Actions for Cross-cutting Themes . 30 APPENDIX D - 8. Taking Action for Habitat & Species .. .. .34 Glossary and abbreviations. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 84 Introduction: Selection of Habitats and Species . .34 APPENDIX E - Species lists 9. Upland . 37 (Priority species in Clackmannanshire) . 88 Blanket Bog .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..37 Upland Grassland and Heathland .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..38 APPENDIX F - Upland Species .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .40 Useful contacts . .102 Current Initiatives and Opportunities .. .. .. .. .. ..42 Cover photo: ‘The Travellers’ (photo competition entry 2011) 3 Introduction Welcome to the Clackmannanshire Biodiversity Action What is Biodiversity? Plan 2012-2017. We hope that this document will have many different uses and a wide variety of readers. Biodiversity is an abbreviated term for ‘biological In the first instance it is a statement of what the diversity’. It is used to describe the rich variety of life Biodiversity Partnership, with support from a number of on earth, every living thing from the smallest bug to the locally-based NGOs, community groups and individual largest mammal. It includes: recorders intend to achieve over the next five years. F the variety of different species living in an area, It is, however, also very important to us that the Plan e.g. the slugs, snails, spiders, birds, frogs and can be used as a resource for other purposes. We hope butterflies living in your garden; that it will be: F the variation between individuals in a species or population, or between populations; and F of interest to local people who want to know more about the habitats and species in their area; F ecosystems (or natural living systems) which are biological communities of interacting plants and F of use to teachers as a resource for the classroom; animals, including humans, together with the F of use to the Council in delivering its Biodiversity physical characteristics of their environment such Duty, for example as a resource when preparing as the rocks, soil, water and climate, which are the Local Development Plan, determining planning all interlinked. Ecosystems rarely have definite applications, making decisions about land boundaries but tend to grade from one to another. management and carrying out service planning for the Countryside Ranger Service; Why does it Matter? F of use to developers as a source of technical information about what we have in our area that The rich variety of life is essential for sustaining the they need to be aware of; and ecosystems that provide us with food, fuel, health, F a guide to what we can all contribute towards wealth, and other vital services. The term used to enhancing our local widlife. describe the benefits that we receive, many times unknowingly, from the environment we live in is ‘ecosystem services’. Dumyat Hill overlooking Menstrie 4 All life on earth, including our multi-billion pound economy, is linked to ecosystem services in numerous ways but it is difficult to place an economic value on them and they largely go unnoticed. For example healthy ecosystems provide free ‘services’ to human communities, such as: F water filtration/fresh water, groundwater