Farmland, Grassland and Heathland

Lowland Heathland

UK Lead Organisation: Sherbrook Valley, Cannock Chase (Andy Jukes)

County Lead Organisation:

N/A

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.

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. (NE)
Seek changes in Common Land Legislation to enable grazing re-introduction. (SWMHP)

Protection

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.
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.

Management, Monitoring, Research and Survey

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 Environmental Stewardship 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)

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)

Further Information