National Character 135. Dorset Heaths Area profile: Supporting documents www.naturalengland.org.uk 1 National Character 135. Dorset Heaths Area profile: Supporting documents Introduction National Character Areas map As part of Natural England’s responsibilities as set out in the Natural Environment White Paper,1 Biodiversity 20202 and the European Landscape Convention,3 we are revising profiles for England’s 159 National Character Areas North (NCAs). These are areas that share similar landscape characteristics, and which East follow natural lines in the landscape rather than administrative boundaries, making them a good decision-making framework for the natural environment. Yorkshire & The North Humber NCA profiles are guidance documents which can help communities to inform West their decision-making about the places that they live in and care for. The information they contain will support the planning of conservation initiatives at a East landscape scale, inform the delivery of Nature Improvement Areas and encourage Midlands broader partnership working through Local Nature Partnerships. The profiles will West also help to inform choices about how land is managed and can change. Midlands East of Each profile includes a description of the natural and cultural features England that shape our landscapes, how the landscape has changed over time, the current key drivers for ongoing change, and a broad analysis of each London area’s characteristics and ecosystem services. Statements of Environmental South East Opportunity (SEOs) are suggested, which draw on this integrated information. South West The SEOs offer guidance on the critical issues, which could help to achieve sustainable growth and a more secure environmental future. NCA profiles are working documents which draw on current evidence and knowledge. We will aim to refresh and update them periodically as new 1 The Natural Choice: Securing the Value of Nature, Defra information becomes available to us. (2011; URL: www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/cm80/8082/8082.pdf) 2 Biodiversity 2020: A Strategy for England’s Wildlife and Ecosystem Services, Defra We would like to hear how useful the NCA profiles are to you. You can contact the (2011; URL: www.defra.gov.uk/publications/files/pb13583-biodiversity-strategy-2020-111111.pdf) 3 European Landscape Convention, Council of Europe NCA team by [email protected]. (2000; URL: http://conventions.coe.int/Treaty/en/Treaties/Html/176.htm) 2 National Character 135. Dorset Heaths Area profile: Supporting documents Summary Dorset Heaths National Character Area contains part of the larger Dorset Area of The two harbours support large populations of wetland birds, and the larger Outstanding Natural Beauty as well as a major conurbation – the second largest harbour of Poole is designated as both an SPA and Ramsar site. Both little in south- west England – consisting of the contiguous settlements of Poole, egret and Mediterranean gull effectively launched their colonisation of the Bournemouth and Christchurch. Historically the area was dominated by extensive UK from this location. blocks of heathland (the Egdon Heath of Thomas Hardy’s novels) separated by river valleys and also by the two natural harbours of Poole and Christchurch. Tourism is a major industry, with visitors making good use of easy transport links to London. Visitors range from traditional ‘bucket and spade’ beach This landscape, which pollen evidence suggests was established by the holidays to high-end marine tourism exploiting the sheltered waters of Poole Bronze Age, saw rapid evolution in the last three centuries. The conurbation Harbour and Poole Bay just outside the harbour entrance. grew out of very small settlements. Improved technologies allowed first agriculture then conifer forestry to become significant land uses, more recently joined by open cast mineral working and military training. Today the area contains some of the best lowland heath left in England, much of it managed as nature reserves by a variety of organisations and designated as a Special Protection Area (SPA), Special Area of Conservation and Ramsar site. Specialised species include Dartford warbler, nightjar, woodlark, sand lizard, smooth snake, ladybird spider, Purbeck mason wasp, southern damselfly, marsh gentian and Dorset heath. The larger tracts, along with the often adjacent conifer plantations, can still provide a real sense of wilderness and tranquillity, despite the close proximity of a major conurbation. In recent decades substantial work has been undertaken to both improve the condition of the habitat on these sites and to extend some of them back onto former heathland sites that had temporarily seen other uses. This work continues with the objective of physically connecting some of the bigger heathland blocks. Click map to enlarge; click again to reduce Click map to enlarge; click again to reduce 3 National Character 135. Dorset Heaths Area profile: Supporting documents Statements of Environmental Opportunities: ■ SEO 1: Protect the internationally important heathlands to make the resource more resilient to recreational pressure, succession to scrub or woodland and the likely impacts of climate change. Enhance the integrity of the landscape and the effectiveness of biodiversity conservation measures by extending sites and re-establishing physical links where possible between once separate blocks of heathland and work to embed the current and future relevance of this resource into the local economy. ■ SEO 2: Protect and enhance Poole Harbour and its catchment, taking timely action to reduce eutrophication and mitigate (or compensate for) the likely effects of sea level rise, thereby securing the future of local tourism and fishing businesses as well as the important wildlife of the harbour. ■ SEO 3: Enhance opportunities for recreation in natural greenspace by securing a network of new and revitalised suitable alternative natural greenspace (SANGS) centred on the Christchurch–Bournemouth–Poole conurbation that provides a rich and varied countryside experience capable of supporting local health programmes and attracting and retaining local business while also deflecting some recreational pressure from the most sensitive environmental assets. ■ SEO 4: Promote creative and effective solutions to environmental constraints so that enterprise can pursue sustainable development solutions to enhance local prosperity. The challenge of managing special habitats can create unusual business opportunities. 4 National Character 135. Dorset Heaths Area profile: Supporting documents Description NCA before crossing and dividing the Poole Basin and eventually reaching the sea at Christchurch and Poole harbours. Much of the headwater and tributary Physical and functional links to other National flow derives from the chalk aquifer lying to the north and continuing at depth Character Areas under much of the heathland. The water quality, particularly of the Frome and Piddle, has a direct impact on the quality of habitats within Poole Harbour. Lying centrally in the south of England and reaching the sea at and between Views across the area from the Purbeck Ridge – particularly near Ulwell, from Poole and Christchurch harbours, this area is framed by the heathland of the Creech Barrow and from Whiteway Hill are spectacular. The landscape of New Forest National Character Area (NCA) to the east, and to the south, west the western heaths and the downs beyond is fully revealed. The rising Chalk and north by the calcareous hills and downs of the South Purbeck NCA and geology largely surrounds and forms the backdrop to this NCA while also the Dorset Downs and Cranborne Chase NCA. obstructing views to the Jurassic Coast. Seaward views can be gained, notably to the Isle of Wight from most of the open coast. The Dorset Heaths occur in a geological formation usually called the Poole Basin, a western part of the larger Hampshire Basin from which it is separated Across the valley of the River Avon, visible from St Catherine’s Hill, is another by the River Avon. Chalk forms the edge and bottom of the basin; Palaeogene extensive area of heath in the New Forest. (Tertiary) sands and clays lie within it and provide the substrate on which the various habitats in the Dorset heathlands have developed. A rich mosaic of semi-natural habitats and a coastal location make this an important landfall for species moving north from continental Europe, both The most extensive deposit of these Palaeogene sands and clays are those on routine migration and as species distributions shift. of the Poole Formation. Around the edge of this area, between the heaths and the Chalk, is a belt, where Reading Beds and London Clays come to The main road and rail links run north-east–south-west from Southampton to the surface. Here soils are still acid but are richer; heathland was never so the conurbation and then turn west (as the A35) towards Dorchester. The South dominant here. Overlying the sands of the Poole Formation are deposits of West Coast Path National Trail terminates at the southern end of the Sandbanks plateau and valley gravels. ferry at the mouth of Poole Harbour, after running along Studland Beach. The four principal rivers – the Avon, Stour, Piddle and Frome – flow first through Distinct areas the richer and more intensively used agricultural areas of the Dorset Downs and Cranborne Chase NCA and the Salisbury Plain and West Wiltshire Downs ■ Poole–Bournemouth–Christchurch conurbation. 5 National Character