MANOR PARK COUNTRY PARK MANAGEMENT PLAN 2018-2023 NOVEMBER 2018 UPDATE– TIM BELL - RANGER SERVICES MANAGER- NORTH AND WEST KENT RANGER TEAM Kent County Council Manor Park Managemrnt Plan 2018-2023 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................ 4 1.1 BACKGROUND INFORMATION ...................................................................................... 4 1.2 VISION FOR THE PARK ................................................................................................. 4 1.3 CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT .................................................................................. 5 1.4 HERITAGE MANAGEMENT ........................................................................................... 6 1.5 VISITOR MANAGEMENT ................................................................................................ 7 1.6 EDUCATION ................................................................................................................. 9 1.7 SITE MAINTENANCE ..................................................................................................... 9 1.8 HEALTH AND SAFETY................................................................................................. 10 1.9 COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT ...................................................................................... 11 1.10 FINANCIAL OVERVIEW ............................................................................................ 11 2 BACKGROUND INFORMATION ................................................................................ 13 2.1 Location and site description ............................................................................ 13 2.1.1 Contact details ................................................................................................ 13 2.1.2 Directions to site ............................................................................................. 13 2.1.3 Map coverage ................................................................................................. 14 2.1.4 Photographic Coverage ................................................................................. 14 2.2 MANAGEMENT OF THE SITE ....................................................................................... 14 2.3 VISITOR INFRASTRUCTURE ....................................................................................... 16 2.4 WIDER POLICIES AND STRATEGIES AFFECTING THE SITE ........................................ 16 2.4.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 16 2.4.2 Statutory designations ................................................................................... 16 2.4.3 Non-statutory Designations or significant details ....................................... 16 2.4.4 Green Flag ....................................................................................................... 16 2.4.5 Biodiversity Action Plans ............................................................................... 16 2.4.6 Archaeology .................................................................................................... 17 2.4.7 Kent County Council Internal policies .......................................................... 17 3 VISION FOR THE SITE ................................................................................................ 18 3.1 GENERAL AIMS .......................................................................................................... 18 3.2 CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES ............................................................ 18 3.3 VISITOR SERVICES OBJECTIVES ................................................................................ 19 4 CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT ............................................................................ 20 4.1 PHYSICAL .................................................................................................................. 20 Hydrology ......................................................................................................... 20 4.2 HABITATS AND VEGETATION COMMUNITIES .............................................................. 21 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 21 Manor Park Country Park .............................................................................. 21 Woodland, Scrub and Important Trees ....................................................... 22 Grassland ........................................................................................................ 25 Vegetation of the Artificial Lake and Associated Watercourses .............. 27 4.3 FLORA ....................................................................................................................... 29 Vascular plants ............................................................................................... 29 Bryophytes and Lichens ................................................................................ 29 Fungi ................................................................................................................. 30 Veteran trees ................................................................................................... 30 4.4 FAUNA ....................................................................................................................... 30 Mammals ........................................................................................................... 30 Bats ................................................................................................................... 30 Other Mammals ................................................................................................. 31 Herpetofauna .................................................................................................... 31 Birds .................................................................................................................. 31 Invertebrates ..................................................................................................... 32 Lepidoptera ....................................................................................................... 33 Odonata ............................................................................................................. 33 4.5 PAST LAND USE ......................................................................................................... 33 4.6 LANDSCAPE ............................................................................................................... 33 4.7 CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT HISTORY .................................................................. 34 4.8 MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES ...................................................................................... 35 4.9 CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT AND PRESCRIPTIONS .............................................. 35 4.10 CONSERVATION FEATURES ................................................................................... 36 4.11 FEATURE 1 – GRASSLAND .................................................................................... 36 Kent County Council Manor Park Managemrnt Plan 2018-2023 4.12 FEATURE 2- WOODLANDS .................................................................................... 40 4.13 THE ARTIFICIAL LAKE ............................................................................................. 44 4.14 FEATURE 4 - AMENITY AND RECREATIONAL AREAS ............................................ 47 4.15 ADDITIONAL NOTES ON HEDGEROWS AND SCRUB ................................................ 50 5 HERITAGE MANAGEMENT ........................................................................................ 51 6 VISITOR MANAGEMENT ............................................................................................ 53 6.1 GENERAL INFORMATION............................................................................................ 53 6.2 BUILDING ................................................................................................................... 53 6.3 CAR PARK ................................................................................................................. 53 6.4 SITE FURNITURE AND SIGNAGE ................................................................................. 53 6.5 FOOTPATHS AND INTERNAL NETWORK ..................................................................... 54 6.6 MARKETING ............................................................................................................... 54 6.7 VISITORS ................................................................................................................... 55 7 HEALTH AND SAFETY ................................................................................................ 57 7.1 HEALTH, SAFETY AND SECURITY .............................................................................. 57 General ............................................................................................................ 57 Standard practices ......................................................................................... 58 Risk Assessments and Staff Training .......................................................... 59 Fire Plan ........................................................................................................... 60 Tree Inspections ............................................................................................