UK Lead Organisation:
N/A
County Lead Organisation:
N/A
Objectives
- To maintain the current existing populations within Staffordshire.
- To increase the population within Staffordshire at sites where they are known to exist.
Policy
- Include specific targets for the restoration and recreation of lowland wet grassland, wet woodland, pools and rivers within the LEAP process. (EA)
- When developing Capital Flood Defence Schemes, consider the use of flood plain grassland as natural flood storage and seek to re-designate as 'washland'. (EA)
- Ensure any examples of sites containing populations of this species and that meet the required criteria are given SBI status. (SBI Grading Committee)
Protection
- Under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, the grass snake is protected from intentional killing or injury, and from sale of any live or dead specimens.
- The Berne Convention lists the grass snake under Appendix III.
Management, Monitoring, Research and Survey
- Seek to encourage landowners to appropriately manage sites important for grass snakes. (SWT)
- Ensure effective management agreements, covering agricultural practices and water level management, are in place on all SSSIs which formerly, currently, or have the potential to, support grass snakes. (NE)
-
Seek to restore existing and future gravel pits in the Trent-Tame floodplain to wet grassland, ponds and other habitats suitable for grass snakes. (Mineral Companies, CRP)
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Promote good practice (i.e. retention of vegetation piles and bare ground basking sites) and seek to enhance habitat conditions for grass snakes during routine maintenance of drainage infrastructure. (EA, Sow & Penk IDB)
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Carry out management work for grass snakes in gardens and landholdings within grass snake strongholds e.g. Staffordshire Moorlands. (Landowners)
Advisory
Futher Information
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