Landscape Management & Priority Sites 2019-2024 Landscape Management & Priority Sites 2019-2024 Management Zones Site designations Condition assessments allow the The landscape character areas identified SAC – Special Area of Conservation monitoring of site condition over time, in Section 1.5 form a convenient (International importance) as well as providing information for the Condition Indicators that measure the framework for considering specific SSSI – Site of Special Scientific overall health of the component features parts of the AONB in more detail. Interest (National importance) that make up the AONB’s Special Qualities. The Landscape Management sub- SINC – Site of Importance for Nature sections deal with the issues in each Conservation (Regional importance) particular landscape character area. The Management Agreements LGS – Local Geological Site specific Priority Sites have been included ELS – Entry Level Stewardship (Regional importance) because each of them makes a particularly HLS – Higher Level Stewardship SM – Scheduled Monument important contribution to the conservation (National importance) MT – Mid Tier Environmental Stewardship and enhancement of the AONB’s Special HT – Higher Tier Environmental Stewardship Qualities. As such they are key sites for RPG – Registered Park and Reference numbers in this part of the management or restoration (as applicable). Garden (National importance) Plan refer to sites located on the large The management priorities and suggested map, which can be found on the AONB actions are not however intended to be Condition/Risk website. It should be noted that nearly prescriptive or exclusive. They should be An assessment of the Condition all these sites are on private land and Management Plan 2019-2024 viewed as strategic recommendations or Risk category of each site is access is only available via existing intended to guide the activities of farmers, given, where this is known: Public Rights of Way or by express landowners and the various agencies that SSSI – Natural England information permission of the landowner. have an influence upon the management of SINC – Assessment criteria the Howardian Hills. It is hoped that they will to be developed help local communities, organisations and individuals to work together to improve their LGS – Assessment criteria own environment within an agreed framework. to be developed In combination with the Objectives, they SM & RPG – Historic England information will also be used to determine priorities for Other Historic Environment Priority Sites Howardian Hills AONB Howardian local funding and to decide where additional – Assessment criteria to be developed financial incentives might be needed. 2 PLATEAU (Zone 1) • Encourage appropriate planting include calcareous ash woodland, and woodland design to integrate calcareous & neutral grasslands, Landscape Management the more prominent buildings and flushes, a sphagnum mire, veteran Retain and reinforce the ‘isolated almost structures into the landscape. Scots pines and coniferised potential upland’ character, resist unsympathetic • Encourage maintenance and, oak/birch woodland. Significant development and explore opportunities where appropriate, the rebuilding removal of rhododendron 2009- to diversify and soften the impact of traditional drystone walls where 2011. Veteran pine trees in Far Slack of ‘hard-edged’ woodlands: these form a characteristic feature. catalogued 2014. 3-year bracken • As opportunities arise, encourage control on calcareous grassland area completed 2017. Ensure retention and diversification and re-design of Natural Environment Priority Sites conifer plantations, to increase variety appropriate management of existing Encourage the creation of broadleaved and reflect local characteristics and semi-natural habitats and encourage riparian woodland corridors and topographical features. Give priority restoration of appropriate areas to restoration of heathland habitats to open space, natural regeneration or heathland and broadleaved woodland. within existing conifer plantations. broadleaved planting along woodland • Grimston Moor (1.1) – SINC. FC-owned edges and roadsides; also natural Historic Environment Priority Sites regeneration or broadleaved planting site. Extensive areas of heathland vegetation under pine plantations. Many prehistoric burial mounds, most of adjacent to existing fragments of semi- which are Scheduled Monuments, lie in this natural broadleaved woodland. Significant removal of rhododendron 2017. Encourage management as Zone. Evidence also of an extensive system • Encourage sensitive felling operations in more open heathland habitat mosaic. of hollow-ways, potentially associated terms of scale and phasing, especially with travel/transport or livestock grazing. • High Lions Wood (1.2) – SINC. A mature in visually prominent locations. Opportunities to encourage greater public secondary birch woodland with an • Discourage large-scale extensions appreciation of the historic landscape. acidic heath flora. Ensure retention to existing woods. as native broadleaved woodland. • Neolithic long barrow, Black Hill (2.1) – • Retain fragments of former SM. Low/Not at Risk. Monitor condition. • Yearsley Moor Woodlands (1.5) – SINC. heathland vegetation and encourage FC-leasehold site. An extensive site with • Round barrows, Yearsley (2.2) – SM. regeneration and extension wherever a patchwork of both semi-natural and Vulnerable & Low/Not at Risk. New water possible during future woodland heavily modified habitats, arising from supply installed 2017 to move cattle management operations. afforested open heathland/designed drinker off barrow. Install hardstanding landscape (Gilling Castle). Habitats to enable removal of cattle feeder to reduce erosion. Monitor condition. www.howardianhills.org.uk 3 • Round barrows, Black Moor (2.3) – • Cropmarks of Iron Age/Roman field • Grimston Moor (3.4) – A private road SM. At Risk. 3-year bracken control systems and enclosures, Grimston accessing FC-owned woodland. Monitor started 2018. Complete bracken Howl (2.8) – Seek to improve condition entrance gate arrangement/signage to control and progress establishment within an agricultural regime. Detailed maintain appropriate public accessibility. of a benign vegetation cover. survey of woodland fringes required • Round barrows, Grimston Moor to identify whether cropmarks NORTHERN PLATEAU FRINGE survive as upstanding features. (2.4) – SM. FC-owned site. At Risk, (Zone 2A) Vulnerable & Low/Not at Risk. Scrub • Hollow-ways, Grimston Moor & Black growth and brash removed 2016. 3-year Moor (2.9) – Part FC-owned site. Landscape Management bracken control mostly completed by Community survey work completed 2012 This Zone is of high geomorphological 2018. Complete bracken control and (Lime & Ice Project). Maintain visibility and value, as it includes the edge of the progress establishment of a benign avoid damage during forestry operations. Coxwold-Gilling Gap – a double- vegetation cover. Monitor condition. faulted rift valley formation that was • Round barrows, Coney Hills (2.5) – Recreation Priority Sites also a glacial meltwater channel SM. At Risk & Vulnerable. Reduce • Yearsley Moor (3.1) – FC-leasehold for the former Lake Pickering. impact of arable ploughing to improve site. A popular car parking area for Seek opportunities to diversify and condition within an agricultural regime. walkers. Parking area expanded and soften the impact of woodlands and Control tree and scrub growth. Reduce re-surfaced 2012. Information board restore key elements of the former impact of burrowing animals. installed 2013 (Lime & Ice Project). historic parkland character: • Field system, Swathgill (2.6) – Monitor usage and condition. • As opportunities arise, encourage Management Plan 2019-2024 Encourage sympathetic management • Grimston Grange (3.2) – A County diversification and re-design of of prehistoric field system and barrow Council chippings dump to the north- conifer plantations, to increase variety and seek to improve condition west of Grimston Grange crossroads. and reflect local characteristics and within an agricultural regime. A useful facility for horse riders as topographical features. Give priority • Limekiln, Blackdale Plantation (2.7) it provides room to park trailers. to open space, natural regeneration or – FC-owned site. Keep structure Monitor usage and condition. broadleaved planting along woodland clear of vegetation and protect • High Lions Lodge (3.3) – An area edges and roadsides; also natural from forestry operations. of Common Land formerly used as regeneration or broadleaved planting tipping area for soil and rubble. Explore adjacent to existing fragments of semi- opportunities for restoration to more natural broadleaved woodland. Howardian Hills AONB Howardian appropriate use/appearance. 4 • Encourage sympathetic felling • Yearsley Moor Woodlands (1.5) – SINC. Encourage preparation of site operations in terms of scale and phasing, FC-leasehold site. An extensive site with management plan to maximise especially where visually prominent. a patchwork of both semi-natural and conservation interest and define future • Encourage preparation/implementation heavily modified habitats, arising from management priorities. Ensure retention of long-term landscape management afforested open heathland/designed as native broadleaved woodland plans for the historic grounds of landscape (Gilling Castle). Habitats and complex of associated wetland Newburgh Priory and Gilling Castle. include calcareous