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Site Improvement Plan Thames Basin Improvement Programme for England's Natura 2000 Sites (IPENS) Planning for the Future Site Improvement Plan Thames Basin Site Improvement Plans (SIPs) have been developed for each Natura 2000 site in England as part of the Improvement Programme for England's Natura 2000 sites (IPENS). Natura 2000 sites is the combined term for sites designated as Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) and Special Protected Areas (SPA). This work has been financially supported by LIFE, a financial instrument of the European Community. The plan provides a high level overview of the issues (both current and predicted) affecting the condition of the Natura 2000 features on the site(s) and outlines the priority measures required to improve the condition of the features. It does not cover issues where remedial actions are already in place or ongoing management activities which are required for maintenance. The SIP consists of three parts: a Summary table, which sets out the priority Issues and Measures; a detailed Actions table, which sets out who needs to do what, when and how much it is estimated to cost; and a set of tables containing contextual information and links. Once this current programme ends, it is anticipated that Natural England and others, working with landowners and managers, will all play a role in delivering the priority measures to improve the condition of the features on these sites. The SIPs are based on Natural England's current evidence and knowledge. The SIPs are not legal documents, they are live documents that will be updated to reflect changes in our evidence/knowledge and as actions get underway. The information in the SIPs will be used to update England's contribution to the UK's Prioritised Action Framework (PAF). The SIPs are not formal consultation documents, but if you have any comments about the SIP or would like more information please email us at [email protected], or contact Natural England's Responsible Officer for the site via our enquiry service 0300 060 3900, or [email protected] This Site Improvement Plan covers the following Natura 2000 site(s) UK9012141 Thames Basin Heaths SPA UK0012793 Thursley, Ash, Pirbright & Chobham SAC UK9012131 Thursley, Hankley & Frensham Commons SPA 1/20 Site description This is an extensive complex of lowland heathland, acid grassland, mire and commercial conifer plantations in south east England. The complex is made up by 14 component SSSIs and includes the Thames Basin Heaths SPA, Thursley, Ash, Pirbright and Chobham SAC and Thursley, Hankley and Frensham Commons SPA. The qualifying features present are Dartford warbler, woodlark, nightjar, depressions on peat, dry heath and wet heath. Plan Summary This table shows the prioritised issues for the site(s), the features they affect, the proposed measures to address the issues and the delivery bodies whose involvement is required to deliver the measures. The list of delivery bodies will include those who have agreed to the actions as well as those where discussions over their role in delivering the actions is on-going. Priority & Issue Pressure Feature(s) affected Measure Delivery Bodies or Threat 1 Public Pressure/ A224(B) European nightjar, A246(B) Woodlark, A302(B) Agree and implement an Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Access/Disturbance Threat Dartford Warbler over-arching access Trust, Crown Estate (Rural), management strategy Forest Enterprise, Forestry Commission, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, Local Authorities, National Trust, Natural England, RSPB, Surrey County Council, Surrey Heath Borough Council, Surrey Wildlife Trust, Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust (ARCT), Horsell Common Preservation Society, Local partnership 2 Undergrazing Pressure A224(B) European nightjar, A246(B) Woodlark, A302(B) Agree and implement an National Trust, Natural England, Dartford Warbler, H4010 Wet heathland with cross-leaved over-arching habitat RSPB, Defence Infrastructure heath, H4030 European dry heaths, H7150 Depressions on management strategy Organisation (DIO) peat substrates 3 Forestry and woodland Pressure A224(B) European nightjar, A246(B) Woodlark, A302(B) Review and agree forestry Forest Enterprise, Natural management Dartford Warbler, H4010 Wet heathland with cross-leaved plans/policies to ensure England, Defence Infrastructure heath, H4030 European dry heaths compatability with objectives Organisation (DIO), Crown Estate 2/20 4 Hydrological changes Threat H4010 Wet heathland with cross-leaved heath, H7150 Hydrological investigations Natural England, Surrey Wildlife Depressions on peat substrates Trust, Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) 5 Inappropriate scrub Pressure A224(B) European nightjar, A246(B) Woodlark, A302(B) Agree habitat management Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife control Dartford Warbler, H4010 Wet heathland with cross-leaved stategies for all sites Trust, Bracknell Forest Borough heath, H4030 European dry heaths Council, Crown Estate (Rural), Forestry Commission, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, Natural England, RSPB, Surrey County Council, Surrey Heath Borough Council, Surrey Wildlife Trust, Windsor and Maidenhead Royal Borough Council, Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust (ARCT) 6 Invasive species Pressure/ H4010 Wet heathland with cross-leaved heath, H4030 Agree and implement Hampshire and Isle of Wight Threat European dry heaths invasive control stategies at Wildlife Trust, Natural England, all relevant sites Surrey Wildlife Trust, Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) 7 Wildfire/ arson Pressure A224(B) European nightjar, A246(B) Woodlark, A302(B) Agree and implement fire risk Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Dartford Warbler, H4010 Wet heathland with cross-leaved reduction stategies at all sites Trust, Forestry Commission, heath, H4030 European dry heaths, H7150 Depressions on Hampshire and Isle of Wight peat substrates Wildlife Trust, Hampshire County Council, Local Authorities, Natural England, Surrey County Council, Surrey Wildlife Trust, Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service, Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service , Surrey Fire and Rescue Service , Wildfire, Horsell Common Preservation Society, South East England Wildfire Group 3/20 8 Air Pollution: impact of Pressure/ A224(B) European nightjar, A246(B) Woodlark, A302(B) Agree and implement Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife atmospheric nitrogen Threat Dartford Warbler, H4010 Wet heathland with cross-leaved Nitrogen Trust, Hampshire and Isle of deposition heath, H4030 European dry heaths, H7150 Depressions on management/mitigation Wight Wildlife Trust, Hampshire peat substrates strategies at all sites County Council, Natural England, Surrey Heath Borough Council, Surrey Wildlife Trust, Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) 9 Feature location/ extent/ Threat A224(B) European nightjar, A246(B) Woodlark, A302(B) Develop and implement Hampshire and Isle of Wight condition unknown Dartford Warbler improved bird monitoring Wildlife Trust, Natural England, strategy RSPB, Surrey Wildlife Trust, Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), Surrey Bird Club 10 Military Threat A224(B) European nightjar, A246(B) Woodlark, A302(B) Agree and implement Hampshire and Isle of Wight Dartford Warbler, H4010 Wet heathland with cross-leaved integrated management Wildlife Trust, Natural England, heath, H4030 European dry heaths, H7150 Depressions on plans for military sites Surrey Wildlife Trust, Defence peat substrates Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust (ARCT) 11 Habitat fragmentation Pressure A224(B) European nightjar, A246(B) Woodlark, A302(B) Commission study to identify Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Dartford Warbler, H4010 Wet heathland with cross-leaved habitat management priorities Trust, Bracknell Forest Borough heath, H4030 European dry heaths, H7150 Depressions on to reduce fragmentation Council, Crown Estate (Rural), peat substrates Forestry Commission, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, Natural England, RSPB, Surrey Heath Borough Council, Surrey Wildlife Trust, Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust (ARCT) 4/20 Issues and Actions This table outlines the prioritised issues that are currently impacting or threatening the condition of the features, and the outstanding actions required to address them. It also shows, where possible, the estimated cost of the action and the delivery bodies whose involvement will be required to implement the action. Lead delivery bodies will be responsible for coordinating the implementation of the action, but not necessarily funding it. Delivery partners will need to support the lead delivery body in implementing the action. In the process of developing the SIPs Natural England has approached the delivery bodies to seek agreement on the actions and their roles in delivering them, although in some cases these discussions have not yet been concluded. Other interested parties, including landowners and managers, will be involved as the detailed actions are agreed and delivered. Funding options are indicated as potential (but not necessarily agreed or secured) sources to fund the actions. 1 Public Access/Disturbance Parts of Thames Basin Heaths (and Thursley, Hankley & Frensham Commons SPA) are subject to high levels of recreational use and dog walkers make up a large proportion of visitors. This is likely to be affecting the distribution and overall numbers of ground-nesting Annex 1 birds (and breeding success). An 'avoidance strategy'
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