Biodiversity Strategy The Loddon catchment Biodiversity Strategy: The Loddon catchment 2003 Protecting Wildlife for the Future Cover photograph: Foxlease and Ancells Meadow SSSI Acknowledgements Courtesy of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust This strategy has been produced by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust with funding from Dormouse by Phil McLean the Environment Agency. Support and advice was Adder by Phil McLean provided by the Loddon catchment Biodiversity Silver Studded Blue by David Purslow Strategy Steering Group, comprising the following Lapwing by Dennis Garratt organisations: ! Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust ! Environment Agency ! Wokingham Unitary Authority ! Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust ! Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership ! Surrey Wildlife Trust Data for the strategy was provided by: ! Hampshire County Council ! Hampshire Biodiversity Information Centre ! Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust ! Environment Agency ! Surrey Wildlife Trust ! Wokingham Unitary Authority ! Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership ! Hampshire Ornithological Society ! Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust This data has been analysed for the purposes of this project but remains the copyright of the data providers. Maps within the strategy have been produced by Naomi Ewald and remain the copyright of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust and the Environment Agency. Written by: Naomi Ewald, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust Published by: Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, Beechcroft House, Vicarage Lane, Curdridge, Hampshire, SO32 2DP. Company limited by guarantee and registered in England, no. 676313. Registered charity no. 201081. Maps have been reproduced from Ordnance Survey material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office © Crown copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Environment Agency, 100026380, (2003). No part of this document may be reproduced without permission. Copyright: Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust , Environment Agency, 2003. Biodiversity Strategy: The Loddon catchment 2003 Biodiversity Strategy: The Loddon catchment 2003 CONTENTS SUMMARY 3 SECTION 1 AUDIT OF THE LODDON CATCHMENT 5 1.1 Introduction 5 1.2 Biodiversity in the catchment 6 1.3 Review of habitats 6 1.3.1 Deciduous woodland and hedgerows 6 1.3.2 Pasture woodland and parkland 7 1.3.3 Arable and improved grassland 7 1.3.4 Unimproved neutral grassland 7 1.3.5 Lowland wet grassland 8 1.3.6 Fen, marsh, swamp and reedbed 8 1.3.7 Lowland heath, bog and acid grassland 8 1.3.8 Standing open water 9 1.3.9 Chalk rivers 9 1.3.10 Canals 9 1.4 Review of designated sites 11 1.5 Review of significant species 13 1.5.1 Otter 13 1.5.2 Water vole 14 1.5.3 Great crested newt 14 1.5.4 Bats 15 1.5.5 Populations of wild birds 15 1.5.6 Other species 16 1.5.7 Invasive alien species 16 SECTION 2 THREATS TO THE CATCHMENT’S BIODIVERSITY 21 2.1 Habitat loss 21 2.2 Habitat fragmentation 21 2.3 Habitat degradation 22 2.4 Lack of information 22 2.5 Lack of co-ordination 22 SECTION 3 TARGETS FOR CONSERVATION 23 SECTION 4 STRATEGIC AREAS 25 4.1 Loddon and Lyde headwaters 29 4.2 River Whitewater 33 4.3 Basingstoke Canal 37 4.4 Dinton Pastures 41 4.5 Blackwater Valley 45 4.6 Berkshire and Surrey Heaths 49 4.7 Hampshire Heaths 53 4.8 Hackwood Park 57 4.9 Swallowfield Park 61 Biodiversity Strategy: The Loddon catchment 2003 Biodiversity Strategy: The Loddon catchment 2003 page 1 References 65 Glossary 73 Summary Index 75 “The Loddon Strategy aims to APPENDICES protect and enhance the Appendix A Geology of the Loddon catchment 66 biodiversity of the Loddon catchment and implement the Appendix B Existing policy and legislative drivers and links to other initiatives in the Loddon catchment 67 relevant actions in the UK, Appendix C Calculations for catchment habitat targets 69 Regional and Local Biodiversity Appendix D Designated Sites in the Loddon catchment 72 Action Plans”. FIGURES AND TABLES Figure 1.1 Location of the Loddon catchment 4 Keeled Skimmer by Phil McLean Figure 1.2 Designated sites in the Loddon catchment 10 Table 1 Designated sites in the Loddon catchment 11 To achieve this aim an audit has been made of the catchment including information on habitats, species, Table 1.5.6 Biodiversity Action Plan Species in the Loddon catchment 17 designated sites and areas under positive land management. Analysis of the data has identified key core areas for biodiversity, important buffer zones and ecological corridors. Table 1.5.7 Invasive alien species in the Loddon catchment 17 To ensure that there is conservation benefit on the ground these have been translated into action plans for Key to Figure 1.3 18 key areas identifying targets, actions and organisations that will be able to deliver the work. Figure 1.3 Location of sites mentioned in Section 1 19 The 1994 UK Biodiversity Action Plan provides the policy framework for the Loddon Strategy. The national Table 3.1 Habitat targets for the Loddon catchment 23 lists of priority habitats and species were considered together with the targets developed by the South East England Biodiversity Forum. This strategy is one of the first to implement the targets of the forum and will Table 3.2 Targets for designated areas in the Loddon catchment 23 report back to regional level in 2005. Figure 4 Strategic areas for action 24 Table 4 Generic actions for the Loddon catchment 26 Abbreviations and key for action tables 28 Objectives of the Loddon Strategy Figure 4.1 Loddon and Lyde Headwaters strategic area 31 Table 4.1 Actions for Loddon and Lyde Headwaters 32 ! Ensuring that key areas for biodiversity are adequately protected Figure 4.2 River Whitewater strategic area 35 ! Creating stronger linkages between and around habitats to reduce fragmentation Table 4.2 Actions for River Whitewater 36 ! Influencing land use and planning to achieve sustainable development Figure 4.3 Basingstoke Canal strategic area 39 Table 4.3 Actions for Basingstoke Canal 40 ! Providing conservation advice to landowners to enhance/restore habitats Figure 4.4 Dinton Pastures strategic area 43 ! Working with communities on public land to enhance and restore habitats Table 4.4 Actions for Dinton Pastures 44 Figure 4.5 Blackwater Valley strategic area 47 ! Conducting surveys on species and habitats where there is a lack of information to ensure that Table 4.5 Actions for Blackwater Valley 48 management decisions are based on the best available knowledge Figure 4.6 Berkshire and Surrey Heaths strategic area 51 ! Monitoring species and habitats to ensure that management is maintaining them in favourable Table 4.6 Actions for Berkshire and Surrey Heaths 52 condition Figure 4.7 Hampshire Heaths strategic area 55 ! Raising awareness of the ecological value of the Loddon catchment with key sectors of the Table 4.7 Actions for Hampshire Heaths 56 community Figure 4.8 Hackwood Park strategic area 59 ! Buying or leasing land to maintain and restore habitats where appropriate Table 4.8 Actions for Hackwood Park 60 Figure 4.9 Swallowfield Park strategic area 63 Table 4.9 Actions for Swallowfield Park 64 page 2 Biodiversity Strategy: The Loddon catchment 2003 Biodiversity Strategy: The Loddon catchment 2003 page 3 Section 1: Audit of the Loddon catchment 1.1: Introduction The Loddon catchment is located in the South East England Biodiversity Region (RSPB and Wildlife Trusts, 1998), straddling the borders of Hampshire, Surrey and Berkshire (Figure 1.1). In the past this has resulted in a lack of co-ordination with regard to conservation policies and initiatives. This strategy aims to overcome administrative boundaries to work on a landscape scale, i.e. the river catchment, using existing policies and legislative drivers to ensure that work is implemented on the ground. The Loddon itself flows from the east of Basingstoke, north into Berkshire until its confluence with the River Silver washed fritillary © Hants & IOW Wildlife Trust Thames. There are three main tributaries, the River Whitewater, River Hart and River Blackwater. The majority of the catchment is rural, although there are several large towns including Basingstoke and Reading on the River Loddon. In contrast the River Blackwater is bounded by settlement and heavily modified by anthropogenic influences, although the numerous gravel workings in this area have created a valuable resource for wintering wildfowl and breeding waders. The defining feature of the Loddon catchment is the varied geology through which the rivers flow (Appendix A). The rivers arise from chalk aquifers at the junction of the Upper Chalk and less permeable London Basins and Clays. They flow north through areas which have a very different chemistry, including the acid sands and gravels of the Barton and Bracklesham Beds in the east of the catchment. It is this chemical transition which has meant that the Basingstoke Canal can support one of the widest range of macrophytic plants in Britain. The geology and wide floodplains have also resulted in a matrix of different habitat types, supporting a diverse range of species. Many strategies and projects have already been produced to look at the various issues affecting the catchment (Appendix B). This strategy seeks to take these initiatives and build on the work already underway considering all aspects at a detailed level. Implementation will be monitored by the Loddon catchment Biodiversity Steering Group. Ancells Farm © Hants & IOW Wildlife Trust page 4 Biodiversity Strategy: The Loddon catchment 2003 Biodiversity Strategy: The Loddon catchment 2003 page 5 1.2: Biodiversity in the Catchment 1.3.2: Pasture woodland and parkland The UK Biodiversity Action Plan identifies 18 key habitats and 489 priority species of conservation concern.