Epsom & Walton Downs & Epsom Golf Club Habitat Management Plan 2015-2020 1 Part One – Epsom and Walton Downs ......................................................................................................... 6 1.0 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 6 1.1 2015-2020 Management Plan .................................................................................................... 6 1.2 Background to previous plan...................................................................................................... 6 1.3 Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................... 7 1.4 Report Layout ............................................................................................................................. 7 1.5 Desk Top Research ..................................................................................................................... 7 2 Executive Summary .......................................................................................................................... 8 2.1 Management Review.................................................................................................................. 8 2.2 Chalk Grassland Rarity ................................................................................................................ 8 2.3 Rare Plants .................................................................................................................................. 9 2.4 Unusual Birds .............................................................................................................................. 9 2.5 Declining Butterflies ................................................................................................................. 11 2.6 Rare Invertebrates .................................................................................................................... 11 2.7 Reasons for Decline .................................................................................................................. 11 2.8 Enormous Potential .................................................................................................................. 11 2.9 Grassland condition assessment .............................................................................................. 11 3 Site Description ............................................................................................................................... 15 3.1 Location .................................................................................................................................... 15 3.2 Altitude ..................................................................................................................................... 15 3.3 Land Tenure .............................................................................................................................. 15 3.4 Rights of Way/Access ............................................................................................................... 15 3.5 Geology ..................................................................................................................................... 15 4 Botanical Survey ............................................................................................................................. 16 4.1 Methodology ............................................................................................................................ 16 4.1.1 collection of field data ...................................................................................................... 16 2 4.1.2 National Vegetation Classification (NVC) 2008 ................................................................. 16 4.2 Results 2014 ............................................................................................................................. 16 4.2.1 National Vegetation Classification (NVC) .......................................................................... 21 5 Terrestrial Invertebrate Survey ...................................................................................................... 24 5.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 24 5.2 Methodology ............................................................................................................................ 27 5.3 Taxonomic coverage ................................................................................................................. 27 5.4 Constraints................................................................................................................................ 27 5.5 Status categories for uncommon species ................................................................................ 28 5.6 Results ...................................................................................................................................... 29 5.6.1 Summary Table ................................................................................................................. 29 5.7 Entomological assessment 2007 .............................................................................................. 33 5.8 Species list ................................................................................................................................ 34 6 Site Evaluation ................................................................................................................................ 35 6.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 35 6.2 Size ............................................................................................................................................ 35 6.3 Diversity .................................................................................................................................... 35 6.4 Naturalness ............................................................................................................................... 35 6.5 Rarity ........................................................................................................................................ 36 6.6 Fragility ..................................................................................................................................... 37 6.7 Typicalness ............................................................................................................................... 37 6.8 Recorded History ...................................................................................................................... 37 6.9 Ecological History ..................................................................................................................... 38 6.10 Position in an Ecological Unit................................................................................................ 38 6.11 Potential Value...................................................................................................................... 40 6.12 Intrinsic Appeal ..................................................................................................................... 41 7 Factors Affecting Management ...................................................................................................... 41 3 8 Management Recommendations ................................................................................................... 43 8.1 Grassland Management ........................................................................................................... 43 8.1.1 Soil Scrapes ....................................................................................................................... 43 8.1.2 Mowing ............................................................................................................................. 43 8.1.3 Invasive Grasses ................................................................................................................ 43 8.1.4 Grazing .............................................................................................................................. 43 8.1.5 Scrub Clearance ................................................................................................................. 43 8.1.6 Juniper Management ........................................................................................................ 43 8.2 Woodland Management .......................................................................................................... 43 8.2.1 Langley Vale Copse & southern section of The Warren Woodland ................................. 43 8.2.2 Rest of Warren Woodland ................................................................................................ 43 8.3 Hedgerow Management .......................................................................................................... 43 8.4 Open Water .............................................................................................................................. 44 8.5 Monitoring ................................................................................................................................ 44 9 Appendix 1 – Vascular Plant Species List .......................................................................................