Conservation of the Historic Environment in England's Uplands Contract Report BD 1706 Date: March 2011 Submitted to: Prepared by: Natural England ADAS in association with Oxford Renslade House Archaeology North Bonhay Road ADAS Exeter 11D Milton Park Abingdon EX4 3AW Oxfordshire OX14 4RS Copyright The proposed approach and methodology is protected by copyright and no part of this document may be copied or disclosed to any third party, either before or after the contract is awarded, without the written consent of ADAS. 0936648 CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. INTRODUCTION.................................................................................... 1 1.1. Aims and Objectives........................................................................... 1 1.2. Definitions........................................................................................... 2 1.3. Background ........................................................................................ 4 2. METHODOLOGY................................................................................... 6 2.1. Literature Review................................................................................ 6 2.1.1. Upland Vegetation....................................................................... 6 2.1.2. Management Practices................................................................ 7 2.2. Selection and Interview of Major Stakeholders................................... 7 2.3. Identification of Gaps in Knowledge and Further Research Needs .... 8 2.4. Development of an Initial Risk-based Management Tool ................... 8 3. RESULTS OF LITERATURE REVIEW................................................ 10 3.1. Physical Effects of Upland Vegetation.............................................. 10 3.1.1. Forbs, Graminoids and Dwarf Shrubs (Grass/ Heather)............ 11 3.1.2. Bracken ..................................................................................... 12 3.1.3. Gorse......................................................................................... 13 3.1.4. Trees and Shrubs...................................................................... 13 3.1.5. Summary ................................................................................... 15 3.2. Management Practices..................................................................... 15 3.2.1. Livestock ................................................................................... 15 3.2.2. Burning ...................................................................................... 17 3.2.3. Cutting ....................................................................................... 20 3.2.4. Other Mechanical Operations/ Disturbance............................... 21 3.2.5. Plant Introductions..................................................................... 21 3.2.6. Chemical Inputs......................................................................... 22 3.2.7. Abandonment ............................................................................ 22 3.2.8. Water Management................................................................... 23 3.2.9. Summary ................................................................................... 24 4. RESULTS OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE................................................ 26 4.1. Introduction....................................................................................... 26 4.2. Stakeholder Vegetation Issues ......................................................... 27 4.2.1. Heather/ Grass .......................................................................... 27 4.2.2. Bracken ..................................................................................... 28 4.2.3. Scrub......................................................................................... 29 4.2.4. Woodland .................................................................................. 30 4.2.5. Re-wilding.................................................................................. 30 4.3. Stakeholder View of Management Practices .................................... 31 4.3.1. Grazing...................................................................................... 31 4.3.2. Burning ...................................................................................... 32 4.3.3. Cutting ....................................................................................... 33 4.3.4. Other Mechanical Operations/ Disturbance............................... 33 4.3.5. Chemical Input .......................................................................... 34 4.3.6. Abandonment ............................................................................ 34 4.3.7. Plant Introductions..................................................................... 35 4.3.8. Water Management................................................................... 35 4.4. Other Stakeholder Issues ................................................................. 36 4.4.1. Climate change ......................................................................... 36 4.4.2. Wind Erosion ............................................................................. 37 4.4.3. Wild Animals.............................................................................. 37 4.4.4. Access....................................................................................... 37 4.4.5. Archaeological Sites.................................................................. 38 4.4.6. Grouse Moors............................................................................ 39 4.4.7. Agricultural Change................................................................... 39 4.4.8. Wind Farms ............................................................................... 39 4.4.9. General Comments ................................................................... 40 5. CASE STUDIES................................................................................... 41 5.1. Fylingdales Moor, North York Moors ................................................ 41 5.1.1. The causes of the fire................................................................ 42 5.1.2. Consequences of the fire........................................................... 42 5.1.3. Lessons learned ........................................................................ 43 5.2. Anglezarke Moor .............................................................................. 44 5.2.1. Topography ............................................................................... 44 5.2.2. Causes of erosion on the moor ................................................. 45 5.2.3. Archaeology .............................................................................. 45 5.2.4. Palaeoecological record ............................................................ 47 5.2.5. Management of the Moor .......................................................... 48 5.3. Langdale Fells, Lake District National Park ...................................... 50 5.3.1. Causes of erosion...................................................................... 51 5.3.2. Erosion repair and prevention ................................................... 53 5.4. Dartmoor National Park .................................................................... 53 6. DISCUSSION....................................................................................... 55 6.1. Vegetation Issues ............................................................................. 56 6.1.1. Heather/ Grass .......................................................................... 56 6.1.2. Bracken ..................................................................................... 56 6.1.3. Trees & Shrubs ......................................................................... 57 6.2. Management Issues ......................................................................... 57 6.2.1. Livestock ................................................................................... 57 6.2.2. Burning ...................................................................................... 59 6.2.3. Cutting ....................................................................................... 59 6.2.4. Other Mechanical Operations/ Disturbance............................... 60 6.2.5. Plant Introductions..................................................................... 60 6.2.6. Chemical inputs......................................................................... 60 6.2.7. Abandonment ............................................................................ 61 6.2.8. Water Management................................................................... 61 6.3. Gaps in Knowledge: ......................................................................... 63 6.4. General Issues ................................................................................. 65 6.4.1. Definition of Archaeological Landscapes................................... 65 6.4.2. The Management Tool .............................................................. 65 7. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH ........................ 67 7.1. Survey of the Historic Environment in the Uplands........................... 67 7.2. Balancing Objectives at a Catchment Scale..................................... 67 7.3. Vegetation and its Management ....................................................... 68 7.3.1. Vegetation ................................................................................. 68