Farmland, Grassland and Heathland

Lowland Heathland

Objectives

Maintain the existing important areas of lowland heathland by encouraging appropriate management.
Restore degraded areas of lowland heathland by promoting appropriate management.
Increase the amount of lowland heathland in appropriate areas by creation and re-creation.

Targets

Protect all known important (Grade 1 SBI or better) heathland sites from further development by 2005.
Restore through appropriate management 800ha of heathland by 2010.
Create and recreate 100 hectares of heathland by 2010; targeting forestry, minerals and landfill sites in appropriate areas.
Prevent any further losses of important (Grade 1 SBI or better) areas of heathland by 2005.
Ensure that all important heathland sites are in favourable or recovering condition by 2005.

Total achievements to date (November 1998 - March 2001)

64ha placed into restoration and enhancement management via the Countryside Stewardship Scheme (DEFRA), local authorities, SWT, other organisations and private landowners.
2.3ha of heathland has been re-created (various sources).
Staffordshire and West Midlands Heathland Partnership reported that for the County of Staffordshire: 80ha of bracken spraying has been completed, 28ha of scrub clearance, 8ha of woodland thinning, 14ha of plantation removal and 30.2ha of turf scrapes created.

Current Action

Protection and Policy

63% of all Staffordshire heathlands by area are currently notified as SSSIs.
A number of sites containing unimproved lowland acidic grassland have been classified as Grade 1 SBIs.
A programme of publicity and public events are run every year. This includes the annual 'Heath Week'.
Protective and enhancement policies for heathland have been included within statutory local plans etc.
Lowland Heathland has been listed as a costed, key habitat in the UK Steering Group Report.
The Staffordshire & West Midland Heathland Partnership (SWMHP) is Lead Organisation for Lowland Heathland in Staffordshire.

Management, Research and Survey

£¾ million has been raised through the HLF, Staffordshire County Council and English Nature for the 'Saving Cannock Chase' project. A large proportion of these funds will be towards heathland restoration, with an element of re-creation also included (5 year project).
A number of heathland sites have been surveyed for their invertebrate, bird and herptile interest.
Over the last decade the Staffordshire and West Midlands Heathland Partnership have helped to get a significant proportion of heathland into appropriate management.

Sherbrook Valley, Cannock Chase

(Copyright Andy Jukes)

Action Plan

UK Lead Organisation:

English Nature

County Lead Organisation:

N/A

Policy

Ensure any examples of lowland heathland that meet the required criteria are given SBI status. (SBI Grading Committee)
Ensure appropriate lowland heathland sites meeting the SSSI criteria are designated. (EN)
Seek changes in Common Land Legislation to enable grazing re-introduction. (SWMHP)

Management

Seek to restore and create further areas of lowland heathland in appropriate areas. (Developers, FoM, DEFRA, Landowners)
Target heathland creation in restoration plans for mineral workings, landfill sites and within commercial forestry in appropriate places. (Mineral Companies, Landfill Companies, FE)
Liaise with leisure interest groups to incorporate heathland conservation into their site management or to re-direct their activities to more robust locations. (SWMHP)
Ensure all heathland management plans include a consideration of sustainability issues and fire protection. (SWMHP)
Seek to re-introduce grazing on all local authority owned heathland using appropriate breeds by 2005. (SWMHP)
Seek to ensure all heathlands with management plans that are eligible for Countryside Stewardship Schemes are entered into the scheme. (SWMHP, DEFRA)
Encourage restoration of heathland on publicly owned land with surviving heathy fragments such as for example re-establishment of heathland from encroaching scrub. (SWMHP)
Liaise with forestry landholders to restore heathland from coniferous woodland. (SWMHP)
Encourage heathland conservation and management on land in private ownership through active liaison and the promotion of appropriate land management grant schemes e.g. Countryside Stewardship. (SWMHP)

Monitoring and Research

Re-assess the current condition of all lowland heath in Staffordshire within the next five years. (SWMHP)
Develop a programme of regular site survey and monitoring of management for all managed heaths to ensure best practice and species safeguard. (SWMHP)
Seek to monitor the creation, restoration and management of this habitat throughout the County. (SWT, EN)

Advisory

Advise on heathland management and restoration. (SWMHP)
Promote the biodiversity and landscape value of heathland to the public and landowners. (SWMHP, SBAP Partnership)
Maintain ongoing liaison with relevant agencies to ensure best practice in heathland management and re-creation. (SWMHP)

Swallow Moss, Staffordshire Moorlands

Complementary Plans