A Biodiversity Audit ofof the Tame and Trent River Valleys inin Staffordshire (including(including the Central Rivers Initiative and thethe Tame Valley Wetlands Project areas) 20062006-2006---7777 Nick Mott June 2007 Staffordshire Wildlife Trust Wolseley Bridge, Stafford Contents 1. Introduction 3 2. Background 4 3. Results of the Biodiversity Audit 4 4. Non-site specific recommendations 54 5. Recommendations for Key Sites 56 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- References 132 Acknowledgements 132 Publication data 132 2 A Biodiversity Audit of the Tame & Trent River Valleys in Staffordshire (including the Central Rivers Initiative and Tame Valley Wetlands Project areas) 2006-7 Location map for the study area. 1. INTRODUCTION This report details the findings of a biodiversity survey of the Tame and Trent river valleys from the Warwickshire border at Middleton Hall Quarry on the River Tame to the Derbyshire border at the confluence of the Rivers Dove and Trent near Newton Solney. The study was carried out between January 2006 and March 2007. The biodiversity surveys and audit were commissioned by the Environment Agency for the Central Rivers Initiative area, and the Green Arc Partnership (with additional funding from Natural England) for the Tame Valley Wetlands Project area in Staffordshire. Permission was given by both sponsors to combine the findings into a single report. 3 A Biodiversity Audit of the Tame & Trent River Valleys in Staffordshire (including the Central Rivers Initiative and Tame Valley Wetlands Project areas) 2006-7 The scope of the project work was as follows: A Phase I habitat survey for the entire study area (apart from active quarries). Undertake targeted species’ surveys to update information and to ‘fill in the gaps’. Complete a re-survey of Sites of Biological Importance (SBIs) in Tamworth Borough. Collate and digitise all the species and habitat data. Identify where existing mineral restoration proposals exist and the end use of site. Identify areas with existing management agreements. Contact river valley landowners and discuss and promote the delivery of biodiversity enhancements. Deliver a ‘Landowners’ Day’ at a suitable location within the project area. Deliver three family learning / community events. Design and undertake wetland rehabilitation works at a key site. Use this rehabilitated wetland site to promote Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) and the work of the project. Recommendations for future biodiversity work within the project area are included in Sections 3.3 (Species), 4 (Non-site specific) and 5 (Sites). 2. BACKGROUND For many years Staffordshire has been the UK’s largest producer of land-won sand and gravel. The vast majority of these sand and gravel quarries are concentrated within the Tame and Trent river valleys where the mineral resource is at its most abundant. Today’s landscape is dominated by a string of quarries at various stages of extraction and “restoration”. The Central Rivers Initiative (CRI) was set up as a partnership in November 1997. A strategy was produced on behalf of the partners in April 1999 (Entec http://www2.staffordshire.gov.uk/centralrivers/default.htm). A project officer was employed to promote the implementation of this strategy between 2001 and 2004, but perhaps the most impressive aspect of the CRI is the partnership that was established. The mineral companies, in particular, were well represented by Hanson, Lafarge and Aggregate Industries. Part of the CRI area also falls within the National Forest boundary. The Tame Valley Wetlands Project (TVWP) was initiated in 2005 to form a partnership of organisations to promote an integrated approach to the management of the Tame River Catchment. The project has also helped to achieve improved communication between organisations working across the county boundaries of Birmingham, Warwickshire and Staffordshire. 3. RESULTS OF THE BIODIVERSITY AUDIT 3.1 Aims The CRI Strategy (Entec, 1999) identified a series of aims for the multi-functional use of the Tame and Trent river valleys. The emphasis of this report is to use the updated ecological data gathered in 2006 and early 2007 to list a series of site-specific and non site-specific recommendations aimed at promoting measures to enhance biodiversity and deliver targets in the Staffordshire Biodiversity Action Plan (SBAP, revised edition, 2001) in the project area. 4 A Biodiversity Audit of the Tame & Trent River Valleys in Staffordshire (including the Central Rivers Initiative and Tame Valley Wetlands Project areas) 2006-7 3.2 Phase I Habitat Survey 3.2.1 Assessment of the Habitat Survey Results A Phase I Habitat Survey was completed for the entire project area with the exception of active quarries. This information has been provided to the sponsors separately as a GIS Mapinfo layer. The information is useful in a number of ways. Most importantly, it helps inform recommendations for (i) quarry restorations, (ii) providing habitat corridors for the movement of species and (iii) targeting agri- environment schemes and National Forest tender schemes. Semi-natural habitats in the project area are fragmented. Some connectivity is provided by the Tame and Trent river corridors, their tributaries and the canal network (Trent & Mersey, Coventry and the Birmingham & Fazeley canals). Large-scale gravel pit restoration provides the main opportunities to create ‘meaningful’ areas of semi-natural habitats in line with the targets in the UK and Staffordshire BAPs. Additional connectivity has been created in recent times by the National Forest Company (NFC) via its tender scheme. Entry Level Schemes (ELS) and Higher Level Schemes (HLS) Summary of Phase 1 Habitat Survey results Central Rivers Tame Valley Habitat type (Ha) (Ha) Broadleaved woodland 13.3 73.5 Broadleaved semi-natural woodland 1.4 24 Broadleaved plantation 94.6 9.3 Coniferous plantation 0.5 0.7 Mixed plantation 1.8 8.4 Scrub 8.3 12.4 Parkland 7.5 10.3 Semi-improved grassland 71.7 46.2 Improved grassland 264.3 379.8 Marshy grassland 1.39 6 Poor semi-improved grassland 254.1 281.1 Tall herb 33.9 20.2 Wetland margins 5.6 2.7 Standing open water 74.2 57 Running open water 183.1 114.2 Arable 336.8 2248.1 Amenity grassland 111.7 31.3 Buildings 47.4 6.4 Bare ground 2.2 30.7 Quarry 300.3 On balance, the Central Rivers Initiative (CRI) area retains a more diverse mix of semi-natural habitats than the Tame Valley Wetlands Project (TVWP). CRI also has a greater proportion of wetland habitat. Overall, however, the area is currently dominated by arable, improved grassland, poor semi-improved grassland and amenity grassland. The TVWP area is clearly dominated by arable, improved grassland, poor semi-improved grassland and amenity grassland. Semi-natural habitats are poorly represented. 5 A Biodiversity Audit of the Tame & Trent River Valleys in Staffordshire (including the Central Rivers Initiative and Tame Valley Wetlands Project areas) 2006-7 Central Rivers Area - habitats outside listed nature conservation sites Broadleaved woodland Broadleaved semi-natural woodland Broadleaved plantation Coniferous plantation Mixed plantation Scrub Parkland Semi-improved grassland Marshy grassland Arable and improved grassland Tall herb Wetland margins Standing open water Running open water Buildings Bare ground 6 A Biodiversity Audit of the Tame & Trent River Valleys in Staffordshire (including the Central Rivers Initiative and Tame Valley Wetlands Project areas) 2006-7 Tame Valley Area - habitats outside listed nature conservation sites Broadleaved woodland Broadleaved semi-natural woodland Broadleaved plantation Coniferous plantation Mixed plantation Scrub Parkland Semi-improved grassland Marshy grassland Arable and improved grassland Tall herb Wetland margins Standing open water Running open water Buildings Bare ground Quarry 3.2.2 Ponds The study identified a severe lack of farm, village and “wildlife” ponds. The majority have been lost to quarrying, agricultural intensification and natural succession to scrub. The majority of the recently excavated larger ponds that have been created have been developed as stillwater fisheries. These pools are generally poor habitats for many wetland species (especially amphibians and dragonflies). Gravel pit ‘restoration’ offers the opportunity to create non-fishery pools, ephemeral pools (i.e. those that dry out naturally every 1-5 years) and ox-bows. 7 A Biodiversity Audit of the Tame & Trent River Valleys in Staffordshire (including the Central Rivers Initiative and Tame Valley Wetlands Project areas) 2006-7 Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) is another key way to create new ponds, wildlife ditches, swales and other wetlands as a positive measure to offset the impact of new developments on wildlife, flood risk and the landscape. Targeted agri-environment schemes (Entry Level Scheme, Higher Level Scheme, National Forest tender schemes) also offer scope to protect and sensitively manage existing ponds, dig new ponds at suitable locations and provide vital links for key species like grass snake, great-crested newt and red-eyed damselfly. A number of wildlife ponds were destroyed in the 1990s as part of housing development on an area of “brownfield site” land at the former Stretton Cement Works adjacent to the Trent & Mersey Canal (SK 260264). A more enlightened approach is being promoted now through Local Development Frameworks to promote SuDS and to assess individual sites (brownfield or greenfield) on merit. As part of the 2006 project,