Craven Biodiversity Action Plan Photos courtesy of: G. Megson M. Millington H. Fenten The Environment Agency W. Benson P. Lyth M. Hunter J. Altringham Published May 2008 Principal author: Graham Megson Designed and produced by County Print, North Yorkshire County Council, County Hall, Northallerton, DL7 8AD Craven Biodiversity Action Plan (outside of the Yorkshire Dales National Park) Contents Table 1. Relationship between Species of Conservation Concern and Habitat Action 1. Introduction Plans 1.1 Caring for Craven’s wildlife 1.2 Craven Sustainable Community Strategy Table 2. Relationship between locally valued 2007-13 species (but not Species of Conservation 1.3 What is biodiversity? Concern) and Habitat Action Plans 1.4 Why is biodiversity important? 1.5 The need to conserve biodiversity 5.6 Species Action Plans 1.6 The national framework 5.7 The Habitat Action Plans, Habitat 1.7 The UK Biodiversity Action Plan Statements and Species Action Plans 1.8 Local Biodiversity Action Plans 1.9 Regional biodiversity 6. The next steps 6.1 Biodiversity Action Plan co-ordination and 2. How the BAP fits in with other implementation schemes 6.2 Generic targets and actions 2.1 Planning context 6.3 Baseline information 2.2 Sustainable Development Strategy 6.4 Survey and Monitoring 2.3 English Nature Natural Areas 6.5 Reporting 6.6 Review 3. Protected sites 6.7 Advice 3.1 Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas 7. Key Wildlife Actions 3.2 Sites of Special Scientific Interest 7.0 Introduction 3.3 Sites of Importance for Nature 7.1 Agri-environment Schemes Conservation 7.2 Site protection and management 7.3 Planning control and other statutory 4. Creating the BAP consultations 4.1 The Craven Biodiversity Action Plan 7.4 Advice and support Process 7.5 Invasive non-native species 4.2 Criteria for the selection of habitats 7.6 Publicity and environmental education 4.3 Criteria for the selection of species 7.7 Good practice 5. Results Table 3. Good practice 5.1 UK Biodiversity Action Plan priority habitats occurring in the BAP area 7.8 Business involvement 5.2 Habitats of Conservation Concern 5.3 Habitat Statements 8. Contacts 5.4 UK Biodiversity Action Plan priority species occurring in the BAP area The Habitat Action Plans 5.5 Species of Conservation Concern The Habitat Statements The Species Action Plans Appendix 1 Craven Biodiversity Action Plan steering group Appendix 2 Map of Craven Biodiversity Action Plan area Appendix 3 The relationship between Craven BAP habitats, UK BAP priority habitats and SINC habitat definitions using the National Vegetation Classification Appendix 4 Glossary of terms Appendix 5 List of acronyms Appendix 6 Useful addresses Appendix 7 Scientific and common names of species mentioned in the Biodiversity Action Plan Appendix 8 Bibliography. Appendix 9 Information on Special Areas of Conservation (SAC), Special Protection Areas (SPA), Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC) in the Craven BAP area Part 2: Craven BAP Action Programme Introduction 7 Craven Biodiversity Action Plan 1. Introduction meadows, and over 2 million skylarks have been lost in less than a lifetime. We need to halt 1.1 Caring for Craven’s wildlife these declines, and put back where we can If keeping Craven rich in wildlife is important to what has been lost - not just in protected areas you, then you can find out how it is planned to or nature reserves, but in the wider countryside care for our special habitats and species in the too. In the longer term this will help to deal with following pages. It is not just the rare and the adverse affects of climate change. Neither threatened wildlife that this plan seeks to the scale of the task nor the urgency for action protect, commoner wildlife is important too. should be underestimated. Around our towns, villages and homes wildlife contributes to the quality of our lives. In line with Government advice, protecting biodiversity is covered in the Community 1.2. Craven Community Strategy 2003-13 Strategy and producing the Craven Biodiversity The Government believes that the community Action Plan (outside of the National Park) is the has a key role in setting its own agenda and this starting point to fulfilling one of the aspirations has led to the establishment of Local Strategic of the community. Partnerships (LSPs), which produce Community Strategies to promote the economic, social and 1.3. What is biodiversity? environmental well being of the community. The term ‘biodiversity’ was coined at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992. It comes from biological The Craven Sustainable Community Strategy diversity and means the whole variety of life has five priorities for action, one of which is within the natural world which both surrounds ‘Creating a Sustainable Future – One Planet and sustains us. This also includes us. It is not Living. Under this priority the LSP wants to just rare species of animal and plant life but create a cleaner, greener Craven, where covers the entire spectrum of life. Biodiversity economic growth goes hand-in-hand with includes not only all species of plants and reducing impact on the environment. A new animals, but also their genetic variation, and the group is currently being set up to co-ordinate complex ecosystems of which they are all part. the delivery of aims within this priority. These aims include conserving and enhancing the 1.4 Why is biodiversity important? district’s environment. Biodiversity is vital to life and, in its simplest terms, enables life to exist on the earth. It Quality of life is important to us all, and includes provides the air we breathe, the food we eat, access to a decent home, work, education and the materials we use and the medicines we health. It also means a healthy environment – take. These are all linked together in a complex clean air, clean water and a rich and diverse web with every plant and animal having its own natural world. small part to play. In the UK the destruction of the countryside and 1.5 The need to conserve biodiversity the loss of wildlife has been such that a rich and The world is losing biodiversity at an increasing healthy natural environment is no longer rate, mainly as a result of human activity. The guaranteed. For example, 98% of wildflower UK alone lost 100 species in the 20th century, 8 Craven Biodiversity Action Plan with many more species and habitats in danger. fragments and corridors of habitat, with the On a world scale, the rate of loss is now involvement of the public. Corridors and habitat recognised to be a cause for serious concern, ‘stepping stones’ should be encouraged requiring international action. Loss of throughout the landscape. biodiversity impacts upon Mankind in a number of ways: 1.6 The national framework As a result of the Rio Earth Summit, many • Ecosystems – natural systems provide our countries agreed to take action to arrest the basic life-support structures. These provide loss of biodiversity on a worldwide scale. The our soil, food and oxygen. UK Government pledged to take action, and as • The natural world provides pollution a result the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UK control, e.g. forests to fix carbon; and flood BAP) was published (UK BAP1). control, e.g. lakes and marshes to absorb floodwater. 1.7 The UK Biodiversity Action Plan • Products – almost all of our food, fuel, The UK BAP is the UK’s initiative to maintain medicines, cosmetics and construction and enhance biodiversity. Through this plan, the materials are a product of biodiversity. Government committed itself to a process • Quality of life – the natural world offers designed to conserve and enhance: enjoyment, health, spiritual enrichment, learning, cultural diversity and artistic • the range and numbers of wildlife species inspiration. and the quality and extent of wildlife • Economic development – thousands of habitats; jobs rely on our natural environment, • species and habitats that are internationally including agriculture and eco-tourism. For important or characteristic of local areas; example, angling is the largest participation • species and habitats that have declined sport in the UK. Craven’s water bodies and significantly over recent decades. water courses support fisheries for game and coarse fish. National estimates suggest Various Central Government and non- that the annual economic activity government organisations have taken associated with angling is up to £2.75 responsibility to be the lead partners for each billion whilst around 20,000 full or part-time UK BAP priority habitat and species. Each jobs depend upon the sport. action plan identifies key partners. At the local • Knowledge - the pursuit of scientific level, concerned organisations/individuals are discoveries. welcome to consult the lead agencies over BAP matters. As climate change is felt more and more, our plants and animals will be put under great 1.8 Local Biodiversity Action Plans pressure. Linear habitats such as road verges, However, the Government recognised that railway embankments, river and stream biodiversity conservation would have to be corridors, ditches and hedgerows will become delivered on a local basis, so a suite of county lifelines by which species that find themselves in and district plans, referred to as Local BAPs the wrong place through climate change, might (LBAPs) has been produced. The Craven BAP be able to shift their ranges and colonise new is one such plan and closely links to areas. Isolated sites, like many of our nature neighbouring LBAPs. These plans are being reserves, may become unsuitable for the plants developed to help foster action for UK priority and animals that they were designated to species and habitats at a local level, but also to conserve.