Durham E-Theses Problems in the management for recreation of Waldridge Fell, an area of lowland heath: an ecological study. Ellison, Leslie How to cite: Ellison, Leslie (1978) Problems in the management for recreation of Waldridge Fell, an area of lowland heath: an ecological study., Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/9001/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk 2 Problems in the Management for Recreation of Waldridge Fell, an Area of Lowland Heath : An Ecological Study, Leslie Ellison Waldridge Fell is one of the last vestiges of lowland heath in central County Durham and it is of particular scientific interest because of its wide variety of acidophilous heath conmiunities. Some 2000 years of extensive human pressure had created an open heath landscape from fomer forested lowlands but changes in farming practice made severe inroads into the heath in the nineteenth century. The greatest threat to the vegetation of Waldridge Fell, however, came^ with the demands of car-borne recreationists for informal leisure space in the 1960*s and early I970*s, In 1975 the County Council began a positive management programme. This thesis records the results of monitoring the first two years of this programme. Exclusion of the motor vehicle has led to revegetation of most of the heavily damaged track surfaces by species adapted to a moderately heavy intensity of pedestrian wear. Limitation of access to the Fell, however, has certain inherent dangers. Evaluation of the landscape of the Fell has identified four zones which visitors may seek out as future 'leisure goals'. The purposeful nature of the existing paths in giving access to these goals may 'freeze* the use of the Fell within the narrow confines of the present track system. Energy expenditure tests confirm that much of the remaining heath is inpenetrable by normal recreationists. The removal of beneficial trampling could lead to a closure of the heath landscape unless a new policy of management is instituted. aoieuiiE - 5 SEP L978 Problems in the Management for Recreation of Waldridge Fell, an Area of Lowland Heath : an Ecological Study, by Leslie Ellison B,A. (Birmingham) Thesis submitted for the degree of M.Sc in the University of Durham, The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published without his prior written consent and information derived from it should be acknowledged. ria UMIVt The content of this thesis, apart from any acknowledged references to published works, is entirely the product of my own research,. It has not previously been submitted in whole or in part for any other degree or diploma. April 1978 Leslie Ellison Waldridge Fell from the South; Autumn "If we are not careful to preseirve a considerable area of heath as a memorial, then I do not doubt that our descendemts will censure us for our short-sightedness and lack of feeling" RaunkLaer (1913) Plate 1 Ref: 10-F Photographed 1st November 1975 Problems in the Management for Recreation of Waldridge Fell, an Area of Lowland Heath : an Ecological Study, Contents Introduction : Waldridge Fell S,S,S,I« as a-Country Park 1 Aims of the study 5 Chapter I : Landscape as a resource 6 Historic pressures on common land 7 Impact of leisure motoring 9 Local authority and government planning 10 Concept of Country Parks 11 Definition of a Coimtry Park 12 Footpaths in the coimtryside 12 Leisure in the countryside 13 Chapter II : The Ecological History of Waldridge Fell 16 Heath as a biotic plagLoclimax 16 Place name evidence of forest clearance 17 Palaeobotany 18 Enclosure and -'improvement'* 20 The influence of grazing, burning and ^ trampling The degeneration of the heathlands in 23 the late nineteenth century The system of trackways 24 Chapter III : The Physiography of Trampled Areas 27 Extensive and intensive trampling 27 Quantification of terrain damage 30 Soil compaction : a review of literature 33 Physical properties of the soils on the Fell 38 Soil pai*ticle size 40 - method of sorting - classification by particle size 42 - soil acidity 43 - soil moisture content and ^ suction - smearing and plant growth 46 - problems with suction pla.te ^ apparatus The influence of slope 50 Soil cohesion 52 (vi) Chapter IV : Quantitative Studies of Vegetation on Waldridge Fell 55 The grass heath association 56 ~ changes in species composition 62 1916 - 1976 - margins of the grass heath 63 - disturbed areas : embankments, rubble,pit spoil - the Potentilla erecta formation 67 The pathway survey - initial state of surfaces 69 - changes in distribution of 70 pedestrian wear since 1975 - the influence of car park 75 provision - a model of trampling tolerance 83 by heath grass species Case study of a Pteridietum 84 Conclusions 93 Chapter V : Qualitative studies of the landscape of 94 WaldrLdjge Fell Public preferences for vegetation types 95 Visitor survey of Waldridge Fell 96 - origin of visitors 98 - knowledge of Fell 99 - activities and demands 99 Recreational carrying capacity 101 Management and control of public pressure 102 Landscape evaluation 103 - review of literature 104 - application of Tandy's technique I06 The efficiency of the communication network IO8 The effects of vegetation on energy e35)enditure - pulse rate as an indicator of effort LL2 - the electrode pulsemeter 114 - the San-^ pulsemeter 115 - vegetation penetrability testing in the field - ojqygen intake as a measure of energy ii:5)ut - a scale of penetrability II8 (vii) Problems associated with under*i«se of heathlands 1L9 — management proposals 120 Chapter VI ; Conclusions IZL Bibliography 128 Appendices 140 A : Evidence of early vegetation of 14L Waldridge Fell B : 19th and 20th Century influences 148 C : Data on physical influences 154 D : Vegetation sampling data 161 E : Landscape evaluation and terrain assessment 210 F : Report of County Planning Officer on Waldridge Country Park 231 (viii) Acknowledgements The following have given important assistance or advice: Keith Bolton :: Department of Computer Graphics, Sunderland Polytechnic, Tony But^lin : Department of Physical Education, Sunderland Polytechnic, J, Carslake : Surveyors' Dept, National Coal Board (Team Valley), Steve Eccleston : Technician, Faculty of Education, Sunderland Polytechnic, Martin Evans : Technician, Dept, of Surveying, Newcastle University, Ray Harris : Dept, of Geography, University of Durham, Clunie Keenleyside and her colleagues in the Planning Dept, Durham County Council, Peter Kershaw : Dept, of Geography, Monash University (Clayton, Victoida) Clifford Tandy Landscape Architect, Thanks To my wife Barbara for draft typing, proof reading and for patience and resilience. To the Administration of Sunderland Polytechnic for financial assistance. Above all to David Bellamy for his enthusiasm and encouragement as supervisor of this project, I- Note on nomenclature The scientific names in the text are based on Clapham, Tutin and Warburg 'flora of the British Isles' 2nd Edition (1962) and the common names, where used, are those given by McClintock and Jitter (Collins guide, 1974). (ix) List of Photographic Plates Plate Page 1, View of Waldridge Fell in autumn iv 2, Nettlesworth Pleld an area enclosed at an early date 3# Ancient trackway following the perimeter fence , , of Waldridge fields 4, Section through the peat of Wanister Bog, showing birch layer at 68 cms 5» Fragments of 'fossil' birch dating from Sub- Atlcintic phase of peat development (Pollen 16 zone VHb/VHI, c, 400 B.C.) 6," Smithy Dene drift mine from the north west 16 7« Recent pitfall near the central track 16 8, The effects of concentrated human tread near -^^ the South Bum 9, Recent vehicular and pedestrian pressure forming a vegetation frontier near Wanister HOI 10, Inhibition of growth of bilberry by vehicles 16 11, The effects of heavy vehicles on coarse, loose sand : compaction and disturbance 16 12, Remedial action : William Street car park 16 13#a&b Remedial action : Restriction of access to 27 trackways (Wanister Bog section) 14«a&b Track surface damage and regeneration in a wet 27 area (Tinkler Row track) 15, Track surface damage at a routeway intersection 27 at a low-J.ying section of the Ellen Street track 16, a&b The vegetation of a ''mineral-' soil surface subjected to heavy trampling and prolonged 27 drought, 17, a-d Seasonal differences in a grassland recently 27 colonised by bracken, 18, Bracken at the crozier stage of growth, 27 19, a&b Colonisation of heath by bracken, after fire 27 20,' The effects of gradient on pathway condition: Gully erosion, deltaic deposition and braiding 27 caused by lateral spread of human pressure. (x) Plate i'a.Re 21, Agrostis tenuis colonising coarse deltaic material at the foot of a steep slope,' 22, Fine alluvial deposits in former rut; with differential colonisation by Poa annua and 27 Agrostis