South Agenda 21 Annual General Meeting

Report to the South Wiltshire Agenda 21 Annual General Meeting on a review of progress made by the Area Greenspace Partnership and the South Wiltshire Agenda 21 Biodiversity Group

April 2014 Where are we? stage objective who when

1 Set up partnership All partners Feb 2012

2 Phase 1 Habitat Surveys (under way) Current volunteer Spring to Map greenspace assets (underway groups; Autumn 2014 with selection of mapping Neighbourhood products and agreement on the groups; All SAGP use of an agreed typology) Partners

3 Audit greenspace assets Ditto 2012/14

4 Evaluate functionality, quality & Any partner or 2014 potential of greenspace interest group

5 Identify/review options for All partners ? change/improvement/ protection The Biodiversity Partnership (1) A Vision for England ß By 2050 our land and seas will be rich in wildlife, our biodiversity will be valued, conserved, restored, managed sustainably and be more resilient and able to adapt to change, providing essential services and delivering benefits for everyone. 2020 Mission ß Our mission is to halt overall biodiversity loss, support healthy well- functioning ecosystems and establish coherent ecological networks, with more and better places for nature for the benefit of wildlife and people. Outcome 1 – Habitats and ecosystems on land (including freshwater environments) ß By 2020 we will have put in place measures so that biodiversity is maintained and enhanced, further degradation has been halted and where possible, restoration is underway, helping deliver more resilient and coherent ecological networks, healthy and well-functioning ecosystems, which deliver multiple benefits for wildlife and people, including: The Biodiversity Partnership (2) ß 1A. Better wildlife habitats with 90% of priority habitats in favourable or recovering condition and at least 50% of SSSIs in favourable condition, while maintaining at least 95% in favourable or recovering condition; ß 1B. More, bigger and less fragmented areas for wildlife, with no net loss of priority habitat and an increase in the overall extent of priority habitats by at least 200,000 ha; ß 1C. By 2020, at least 17% of land and inland water, especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem services, conserved through effective, integrated and joined up approaches to safeguard biodiversity and ecosystem services including through management of our existing systems of protected areas and the establishment of nature improvement areas; ß 1D. Restoring at least 15% of degraded ecosystems as a contribution to climate change mitigation and adaptation. ß Reference: Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, Biodiversity 2020: The strategy for England’s wildlife and ecosystems. What are ecosystems?

ß They are ecological systems with living and non-living elements and particular characteristics.

ß The main habitats in Wiltshire and Swindon overlap and mirror with the main ecosystem types – farmland, semi-natural grassland, woodland, rivers (freshwater) and urban areas.

ß All of nature’s services contribute to people’s wellbeing and this can be valued in economic, health and social terms.

ß Further assessment and analysis is needed to quantify the value of nature’s services in Wiltshire and Swindon.

ß Wildlife – Underpinning all ecosystems and playing a role in many services, eg earthworms recycling soil, bees pollinating crops, or people watching wildlife. ß Reference (1) State of the Environment Wiltshire and Swindon 2013 Biodiversity 2020: Linkages Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)

Vision and Mission

Wiltshire Wildlife Trust (GIS)

Local Nature Partnership Salisbury City Council

Local Nature Partnership South Wiltshire Agenda 21 Working Groups (2)

Nature Improvement South Wiltshire Agenda 21 Areas (Sal Plain) Biodiversity Group

Wiltshire and Swindon Biological Phase 1 Habitat Surveys Records Centre (GIS) Biodiversity 2020: Linkages Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)

Vision and Mission

Wiltshire Wildlife Trust Wiltshire Council (GIS)

Local Nature Partnership Salisbury City Council

Local Nature Partnership South Wiltshire Agenda 21 Working Groups (2)

Nature Improvement South Wiltshire Agenda 21 Areas (Sal Plain) Biodiversity Group

Wiltshire and Swindon Biological Salisbury Area Greenspace Records Centre (GIS) Partnership (Assets) The Vision for the Partnership

Working together:

ß To provide an overview and strong local voice for greenspace and biodiversity in order to raise awareness of its value and importance. ß To create a more resilient environment for people, habitats and wildlife in the Salisbury area.

ß To influence policy, as well as the planning and management of the greenspace network/green infrastructure (GI) and biodiversity for the longer term. What is greenspace/green infrastructure? Downland Cemeteries/ Playing fields Urban Churchyards Parks Allotments

Street trees River corridors

Woodlands/Forest Cycle ways & Footpaths

WaterUrban meadows woodlands Village greens Urban woodlands Why is GI so important?

∑ It is multifunctional and plays a vital part in providing the natural resources we need to survive:

biodiversity, and many and varied habitats clean air and water helps to mitigate climate change fertile soils flood protection food fuel Why is GI so important?

∑ It enhances our quality of life:

provides inspiring places places that are rich in wildlife places to play and excercise places to relax and enjoy places to experience the natural world Why is GI so important?

∑ It helps create attractive and distinctive places in which to live:

adds value to property provides educational resources attracts businesses to invest in an area brings local communities together SALISBURY AREA GREENSPACE PARTNERSHIP Current progress in assets mapping tasks Current target area for the Partnership

Wilton Laverstock and Ford Salisbury City Partners Local Specialist Groups South Wilts Agenda 21 Local Authority South Wilts Agenda 21 Biodiversity Group Wiltshire Council – officers concerned with public Salisbury Natural History Society open space, public rights of way, green River Bourne Community Farm infrastructure strategy, spatial planning, CPRE South Wiltshire Group landscape, ecology, countryside Salisbury Civic Society Salisbury Vision COGS (Cycling Opportunities Group Parish Councils Salisbury) Salisbury City Council Bemerton Activity Trails Laverstock & Ford Parish Council Salisbury Beekeepers Community/ Wilton Town Council Wiltshire Bat Group Five Rivers Association Bat Group Volunteers Wiltshire Botanical Group Salisbury City Community Area Partnership Wilton Community Land Trust Friends of Watermeadows Dean & Chapter, Salisbury Cathedral Friends of Harnham Slope Environmental Friends of Churchill Gardens Agencies Sarum Academy Natural England Salisbury Wildlife Group Link2Nature (Wiltshire & Swindon TCV – The Conservation Volunteers Local Nature Partnership) Wiltshire NHS Forestry Commission Walking for Health Environment Agency Wessex Community Action RSPB Wiltshire Wildlife Trust English Heritage Examples of local issues

ß Poor connectivity between existing green spaces ß Management regimes that bring few benefits for wildlife

ß Problems of overuse and misuse especially on the urban fringes

ß A lack of knowledge about local green spaces ß Lack of resources and vision for the overall planning and management of greenspace assets Local issue – Fragmented Ownerships

Durnford Woodford Country Park at South Hampton Park II Newton

Avon Valley Local Nature Reserve Laverstock & Ford River Bourne Quidhampton Community Wilton Farm Salisbury Clarendon Park

Netherhampton

Harnham Slope Woodland Britford Map Showing Community Areas, Floodzone 3, Floodzone 2 and Strategic Sites Map showing Community Areas, Sites of Special Scientific Interest, County Wildlife Sites, Strategic Sites and Waterways Local issue – Development Pressures

Durnford Woodford South Longhedge Newton

Fugglestone Red Laverstock & Ford Salisbury Wilton Hill Hampton Park II Quidhampton Wilton Clarendon Park The Maltings

Netherhampton Southampton Road Gateway

Britford Land at Longhedge, Salisbury A Draft Plan for the Country Park at Hampton Park II Local issue – Complicated administrative groupings

Amesbury Area Board

Southern Area Board Salisbury Area Board South West Area Board

1 Local Authority, 4 Community Areas Local issue – Complicated administrative groupings

Durnford South Woodford Newton

Laverstock & Ford

Quidhampton Wilton Salisbury Clarendon Park

Netherhampton

Britford

+ 10 Parishes Greenspace asset mapping

Greenspace – what and where it is, the existing links, the gaps and the potential for making improvements

Typology:

1. Readily accessible community greenspace 2. Restricted/controlled access greenspace 3. Natural/semi-natural greenspace 4. Productive greenspace 5. Strategic greenspace Sample Map 6. Linear features Detailed greenspace mapping typology Phase 1 Habitat Parish Surveys Mapping

Improved grassland

Small swamp area Neutral grassland

Broadleaved, mixed & yew woodland

River Bourne Community Farm

Detailed habitat information is Residents of Laverstock & Ford Parish recorded in additional Target Notes training for their hedgerow surveys Phase 1 Habitat Survey Sites for 2014

Durnford Woodford SouthNE to E to NW Newtonof Old Sarum London Road Cemetery and Crematorium SW to W of Old Sarum Hudson’s Field Laverstock & Ford Devizes Road Cemetery

Quidhampton Wilton Salisbury Victoria Park Clarendon Park Churchill Gardens Netherhampton

Queen Elizabeth Gardens Britford Resources for Partners ß The greenspace asset mapping will provide a tool for the planning, management and enhancement of local GI including improvements to access and connectivity for use by Wiltshire Councils Planning Department.

ß It will be possible to see the bigger picture across several parishes/communities and allow for joined up lateral thinking.

ß The Phase 1 Habitat Surveys will help to provide detailed mapping of land use and habitats across the Salisbury Area to the Wiltshire and Swindon Biological Records Centre GIS. (1)

ß It is also enabling volunteers to get involved but there is a lot more scope to engage the local community, especially schools & young people

Reference: (1) State of the Environment Wiltshire and Swindon 2013. Resources for Partners

In the longer term resources could include: ß It will support the neighbourhood planning process.

ß A regular greenspace forum to ensure local aspirations are represented to the local authority, business & developers

ß A range of exemplar local habitats managed for their wildlife & amenity value eg grassland, woodland, wetland

ß Other community resources to support schools, local people & visitors, including a ranger service & a dedicated greenspace fund to secure the future of local green infrastructure

Website: http://salisburygreenspace.wordpress.com