MANAGEMENT PLAN 2015-2020 TROSLEY COUNTRY PARK Trosley Country Park Management Plan 2015- 2020 Updated: November 2018 by Tim Bell- N and WK Ranger Services Manager 851561 – TROSLEY COUNTRY PARK 1 MANAGEMENT PLAN 2015-2020 TROSLEY COUNTRY PARK 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................ 5 1.1 BACKGROUND INFORMATION ............................................................................................... 5 1.2 VISION FOR THE SITE ............................................................................................................ 5 1.3 CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT ............................................................................................ 6 1.4 HERITAGE MANAGEMENT ..................................................................................................... 7 1.5 VISITOR MANAGEMENT ......................................................................................................... 7 1.6 EDUCATION ........................................................................................................................... 8 1.7 SITE MAINTENANCE .............................................................................................................. 8 1.8 HEALTH AND SAFETY ............................................................................................................ 8 1.9 COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT .................................................................................................. 9 1.10 FINANCIAL OVERVIEW......................................................................................................... 10 2 BACKGROUND INFORMATION ............................................................................................ 12 2.1 LOCATION ............................................................................................................................ 12 2.1.1 Contact Details ......................................................................................... 13 2.1.2 Directions to Site ...................................................................................... 13 2.1.3 Map Coverage .......................................................................................... 13 2.1.4 Photographic Coverage .......................................................................... 13 2.2 MANAGEMENT OF THE SITE ................................................................................................ 14 2.3 VISITORS TO THE SITE ........................................................................................................ 15 2.4 WIDER POLICIES AND STRATEGIES AFFECTING THE SITE ............................................... 15 2.4.1 Introduction ............................................................................................... 15 2.4.2 Statutory Designations ............................................................................ 15 Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) ................................................... 15 2.4.3 Grants ......................................................................................................... 16 2.4.4 Green Flag and South and South-east in Bloom awards .................. 16 2.4.5 Biodiversity Action Plans ........................................................................ 16 2.4.6 Kent County Council Internal Policy ..................................................... 17 3 VISION FOR THE SITE ............................................................................................................ 18 3.1 GENERAL AIMS.................................................................................................................... 18 3.2 CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES .................................................................... 18 3.3 VISITOR SERVICES OBJECTIVES ........................................................................................ 18 4 CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT ........................................................................................ 19 4.1 PHYSICAL ............................................................................................................................ 19 4.2 HABITATS AND VEGETATION COMMUNITIES ...................................................................... 19 4.2.1 Woodland and scrub ............................................................................... 19 4.2.2 Tree diseases- Phytophera and Chalara ...................................................... 20 4.2.3 Grassland .................................................................................................... 21 4.3 FLORA .................................................................................................................................. 22 4.3.1 Vascular plants ........................................................................................ 22 4.3.2 Fungi .......................................................................................................... 22 4.4 FAUNA .................................................................................................................................. 22 4.4.1 Mammals .................................................................................................. 22 4.4.2 Reptiles ..................................................................................................... 23 4.4.3 Birds ........................................................................................................... 23 4.4.4 Invertebrates ............................................................................................ 23 4.4.5 Lepidoptera ................................................................................................ 23 4.5 PAST LAND-USE .................................................................................................................. 23 4.5.1 Prehistory ................................................................................................... 23 4.5.2 Trosley Towers and Vigo (1471-1887) ...................................................... 24 4.5.3 Trosley during the Second World War ...................................................... 25 851561 – TROSLEY COUNTRY PARK 2 MANAGEMENT PLAN 2015-2020 TROSLEY COUNTRY PARK 4.6 CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT HISTORY .......................................................................... 25 4.7 MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES ............................................................................................... 26 4.8 CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PRESCRIPTIONS AND OPERATIONS ............................... 26 4.9 FEATURES ................................................................................................................................ 29 4.9.1 Woodland ................................................................................................... 29 4.9.2 Chalk grassland ....................................................................................... 36 4.9.3 Site management and public amenity ......................................................... 39 5 HERITAGE MANAGEMENT .................................................................................................. 42 5.1 GENERAL INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 42 5.2 ARCHAEOLOGICAL DETAILS ............................................................................................... 42 5.2.1 Earthworks ................................................................................................ 42 5.2.2 Quarrying .................................................................................................. 42 5.2.3 Routes ....................................................................................................... 42 5.2.4 Other features .......................................................................................... 43 5.3 ARCHAEOLOGICAL FEATURES MANAGEMENT .................................................................... 43 6 VISITOR MANAGEMENT ....................................................................................................... 45 6.1 GENERAL ............................................................................................................................. 45 6.2 BUILDINGS ........................................................................................................................... 45 6.3 CAR PARK ........................................................................................................................... 45 6.4 SITE FURNITURE AND SIGNAGE ......................................................................................... 46 6.5 FOOTPATHS AND INTERNAL PATH NETWORK ................................................................... 46 6.6 MARKETING ......................................................................................................................... 47 6.7 VISITORS ............................................................................................................................. 48 7 HEALTH AND SAFETY ............................................................................................................ 50 7.1 HEALTH, SAFETY AND SECURITY ....................................................................................... 50 7.1.1 General...................................................................................................... 50 7.1.2 Standard practices .................................................................................