Biodiversity Action Plan
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Newcastle & North Tyneside Biodiversity Action Plan I. Acknowledgements Written by Derek Hilton-Brown & Jackie Hunter Partners & Supporting Organisations Partner/Delivery Organisation BC Butterfly Conservation BCT Bat Conservation Trust Acknowledgements BTO British Trust for Ornithology Defra Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs EA Environment Agency ERIC Environmental Records Information Centre – North East FC Forestry Commission GMBC Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council LWSP Local Wildlife Sites Partnership NMG Northumberland Mammal Group NBG Northumberland Bat Group NCC Newcastle City Council NE Natural England NERAG North-East Reptile & Amphibian Group New Uni Newcastle University NMG Northumbria Mammal Group NHSN Natural History Society of Northumbria NTBC Northumberland and Tyneside Bird Club NTC North Tyneside Council NWL Northumbrian Water Ltd NWT Northumberland Wildlife Trust RSNE Red Squirrels Northern England RSPB Royal Society for the Protection of Birds STC South Tyneside Council TRT Tyne Rivers Trust Photographic Credits Derek Hilton-Brown Rachel Flannery Kevin O’Hara RSPB North East Wildlife Tina Wiffen Ruth Hadden Red Squirrels Northern England 1 Newcastle & North Tyneside Biodiversity Action Plan Contents PAGE I. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 1 II. INTRODUCTION 3 Contents Contents III. HABITAT ACTION PLANS 4 Introduction 1. Buildings and Structures 4 2. Estuary & Coastal 7 3. Brownfield Land 13 4. Transport Corridors 16 5. Open Water & Wetland 19 6. Rivers and Watercourses 24 7. Managed Urban Greenspace 28 8. Native Woodland 32 9. Lowland Grassland 36 10. Scrub, Shrub & Hedgerow 39 IV. SPECIES ACTION PLANS 43 11. Farmland Birds 43 12. Bats 48 13. Amphibians 52 14. Dingy Skipper 56 15. Otter 59 16. Urban Birds 62 17. Water Vole 67 18. Red Squirrel 70 19. Hedgehog 73 20. Slow Worm 75 21. Bumblebees 77 22. Brown Hare 80 2 Newcastle & North Tyneside Biodiversity Action Plan Both BAPS have a joint steering group II. Introduction partnership and in 2008 it was agreed by the Newcastle & North Tyneside BAP Steering Group to merge the two BAPs Biodiversity is the rich variety of life on into a more strategic joint Action Plan earth. This encompasses all plants, covering both local authority areas. The animals and their habitats, even steering group comprises of individuals micro-organisms such as bacteria. It is from the main organisations contributing Contents not just about rare or endangered towards the delivery of targets and Introduction actions in the BAP. The Partnership species, it also includes wildlife that is Introduction familiar to all of us in the places where oversees the ongoing development and we live and work. Therefore biodiversity implementation of the BAP. Priority is all life on the planet, from the smallest habitats and species have been chosen of sea creatures to the birds we see in by the steering group to reflect the our parks and gardens. current concerns of wildlife organisations and the community. The UK government produced ‘Biodiversity: the UK Action Plan’ in 1994 This new Action Plan is a ten year vision with the aim of conserving and for the protection and enhancement of enhancing biological diversity in the UK. biodiversity in Newcastle & North To achieve these aims it was Tyneside. The aim of the BAP is to recommended by the UK Biodiversity ensure that we manage our natural Steering Group, that Local Biodiversity environment more effectively to protect Action Plans (LBAPs) were produced to these natural resources and to leave a translate national wildlife targets into legacy that will benefit present and future local action. generations. The Newcastle Biodiversity Action Plan Everyone can play a role in helping to (BAP) was published in 2001 and the deliver this plan. By taking action at the North Tyneside Plan was published in local level, either by forming a local 2005. These documents took the community group, planting trees or objectives and targets of the ‘UK simply putting up a bird box in your Biodiversity Action Plan’ and translated garden, you can contribute to local, and amplified them into a local context. regional and national targets and make a real difference to biodiversity in Newcastle & North Tyneside. 3 Newcastle & North Tyneside Biodiversity Action Plan III. Habitat Action Plans 1. BUILDINGS & STRUCTURES General Description This action plan covers all buildings, their walls, roofs and associated features, and other artificial structures. These include; 1. Buildings & Structures residential and domestic properties 1.Buildings & Structures 1. Buildings & Structures (houses, residential care homes), commercial facilities (offices & shops), education and recreation establishments (schools, colleges, sports centres), religious buildings (e.g. churches and by vegetation and/or growing mosques), industrial units (factories, medium.Green roofs enhance warehouses), transport structures (metro biodiversity and reduce the effects of stations, bridges, retaining walls, tunnels, climate change. In addition, using plants subways, lighting columns), electricity to green walls also benefits biodiversity, and telecommunication installations it provides a transit route for wildlife (pylons, substations, telephone masts), between habitat at ground level and that sewage treatment facilities, sea established on a green roof. defences, statues and ancient monuments. The plan also covers Current Status derelict and disused buildings and structures as well as agricultural In Newcastle and North Tyneside there buildings in farmland areas. are a range of buildings and artificial structures which vary considerably in Buildings are extremely variable age, size and structure which can according to their age, the material they determine their value as roosting and are made from and their use. They nesting habitats for wildlife. provide important replacement habitat for a range of wildlife, particularly for A number of buildings and structures breeding and shelter. In fact many occur within recognised Local Wildlife buildings provide roosting sites for bats Sites and contribute to the nature con- and nesting sites for birds. Some animal servation interest of these areas by species will spend most of their lifecycle providing roosting and breeding within such structures, while others will opportunities for wildlife, particularly only spend part of it there. Nevertheless, birds. Examples include buildings in the predominance of buildings and cemeteries which provide bat roosts and artificial structures within such an urban old houses which provide nesting environment, and their importance for opportunities for birds. However, many of wildlife, means that they make an the buildings with wildlife interest occur important contribution to the biodiversity outside of these designated nature resource. conservation sites, including significant buildings and structures along the River A ‘green roof’ (or ‘living roof’) is a roof Tyne at North Shields and the Tyne with the majority of its surface covered Bridge and Tower in Newcastle. 4 Newcastle & North Tyneside Biodiversity Action Plan Bats are frequent throughout both New- castle and North Tyneside, with pipistrelle being the most widespread species frequenting a wide range of both old and new buildings. Barn owl is another species linked to farm buildings particularly in rural areas but also found in some urban areas. Other species which breed exclusively on buildings during the summer months include swallow, swift, house martin and 1. Buildings & Structures 1.Buildings & Structures house sparrow. Buildings and artificial 1. Buildings & Structures structures adjacent to the River Tyne and the coast also support breeding populations of kittiwake, including at their Insensitive renovation, improvement only known inland location in Newcastle or demolition works can destroy and Gateshead and provide nesting valuable nest and roost features ledges for fulmar. associated with old buildings and other structures, such as bridges. For Issues of Concern example, demolition of derelict buildings will clearly adversely affect Lack of knowledge of the presence of any species using the structure, whilst protected species (including all the removal or alteration of external species of birds during the breeding features (e.g. removal of timber season) in buildings and structures facades, chemical treatment of tim- and an ignorance of the requirements ber, etc.) can reduce roosting and of the Wildlife and Countryside Act nesting opportunities for important 1981 (as amended) can lead to species. disturbance of important roosts and nest sites and the loss of species. The design and materials used for many modern buildings, such as Lack of understanding of the houses and light industrial units, biodiversity value of buildings. provide very few nesting or roosting opportunities for wildlife in comparison with older buildings and structures. Contamination, such as toxic metals or petroleum from previous industrial use. Colonisation by non-native or pest species which drive out priority species. Concern over noise and mess may lead to nesting birds or bats being excluded from buildings. 5 Newcastle & North Tyneside Biodiversity Action Plan TARGET BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES TARGETS DATE PARTNERS Produce best practice guidelines for planners, developers & 2012 NTC, NCC internal council departments regarding biodiversity value of buildings & structures. Secure or create nesting habitat for kittiwakes along the 2016 NTC, NCC, River Tyne to enable existing colonies to expand