-ARCH "RINGINGTHE"IG/UTDOORS #LOSERTO0EOPLE !"IODIVERSITY!UDITAND/BJECTIVE 3ETTING%XERCISEFORTHE'REEN!RC !&INAL2EPORTTO %NGLISH.ATUREBY ,AND5SE#ONSULTANTS BRINGING THE BIG OUTDOORS CLOSER TO PEOPLE: A BIODIVERSITY AUDIT AND OBJECTIVE SETTING EXERCISE FOR THE GREEN ARC AREA Final Report prepared for English Nature by Land Use Consultants March 2005 43 Chalton Street London NW1 1JD Tel: 020 7383 5784 Fax: 020 7383 4798 [email protected] CONTENTS 1. Introduction ......................................................................................... 1 Introduction..................................................................................................................................................1 Background...................................................................................................................................................1 The Green Arc ............................................................................................................................................1 The Green Arc Biodiversity Audit..........................................................................................................2 Project Drivers ............................................................................................................................................3 Statutory and non-statutory nature conservation sites...................................................................................... 3 Sympathetic landowners and land managers...................................................................................................... 5 Changes to agri-environment schemes and funding .......................................................................................... 6 Green Infrastructure and Greenway Linkages..................................................................................................... 8 Human induced pressures and the Sustainable Communities Plan .............................................................. 9 Methodology ..............................................................................................................................................11 Stage 1. Target Identification..................................................................................................................11 Stage 2. Target Analysis...........................................................................................................................11 Stage 3. Report Production ....................................................................................................................11 Public Service Agreement Targets ........................................................................................................11 2. Habitat and Species Aims and Targets........................................... 13 Prioritising Habitats and Species............................................................................................................13 3. Green Arc Habitat Actions .............................................................. 15 Woodland...................................................................................................................................................15 Heath and Acid Grasslands.....................................................................................................................20 Aquatic Environments..............................................................................................................................23 Wetlands.....................................................................................................................................................27 Farmland......................................................................................................................................................32 Urban ...........................................................................................................................................................35 4. Green Arc Species Actions............................................................... 39 Water vole..................................................................................................................................................39 Bats...............................................................................................................................................................41 Dormouse...................................................................................................................................................44 Tree Sparrow.............................................................................................................................................46 Grey Partridge ...........................................................................................................................................48 Skylark .........................................................................................................................................................50 Song Thrush ...............................................................................................................................................52 Great crested newt ..................................................................................................................................54 Adder...........................................................................................................................................................56 Stag beetle...................................................................................................................................................58 White-clawed crayfish..............................................................................................................................60 Hornet robber fly......................................................................................................................................62 Desmoulin’s whorl snail...........................................................................................................................63 i Black Poplar................................................................................................................................................64 Creeping marshwort ................................................................................................................................66 5. Site Specific Actions.......................................................................... 69 Introduction................................................................................................................................................69 The Mardyke Action Area ......................................................................................................................71 Context .......................................................................................................................................................71 Actions.........................................................................................................................................................72 Habitat Enhancement Areas..................................................................................................................................72 Habitat Linkages .......................................................................................................................................................74 The Epping/ Harlow/ Cheshunt Action Area......................................................................................75 Context .......................................................................................................................................................75 Actions.........................................................................................................................................................76 Habitat Enhancement Areas..................................................................................................................................76 Habitat Linkages .......................................................................................................................................................77 The Hoddesdon to Hatfield Action Area............................................................................................79 Context .......................................................................................................................................................79 Actions.........................................................................................................................................................80 Habitat Enhancement Areas..................................................................................................................................80 Habitat Linkages .......................................................................................................................................................81 The SawbridgeWorth / Hatfield Forest Action Area .......................................................................83 Context .......................................................................................................................................................83 Actions.........................................................................................................................................................84 Habitat Enhancement Areas..................................................................................................................................84