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Chris Talbot Biodiversity Project Manager Warwickshire Habitat Biodiversity Audit

Developing Nature Improvement Areas in Warwickshire – bigger, better and connected Local Wildlife Sites and Connectivity Mapping. Chris Talbot Biodiversity Project Manager Warwickshire Habitat Biodiversity Audit. Local Wildlife Sites.

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Chris Talbot Biodiversity Project Manager Warwickshire Habitat Biodiversity Audit

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  1. Developing Nature Improvement Areas in Warwickshire – bigger, better and connectedLocal Wildlife Sites and Connectivity Mapping Chris Talbot Biodiversity Project Manager Warwickshire Habitat Biodiversity Audit

  2. Local Wildlife Sites • Areas carefully identified and selected for their special wildlife habitats - ‘County importance’ • The best natural places in everyone’s neighbourhood – ‘Local’ • Form a network of our most valuable urban and rural areas for the natural environment • Complementary to statutory designations such as SSSIs and LNRs • Afforded protection through the planning system (but non-statutory) • Perform a crucial role in protecting our natural environment

  3. Statutory wildlife sites in Warwickshire • 13 Local Nature Reserves (LNR’s) • 57 SSSI’s • 1 Special Area of Conservation (SAC) - Ensor’s Pool Collectively cover 0.7% Warwickshire sub-region National figure is 6.8% Local Wildlife Sites cover 2.71% Warwickshire sub-region

  4. Warwickshire Local Wildlife Sites project • Guidance for Non-Statutory Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINCs) in Warwickshire - May 1998 • formalised into the Local Wildlife Sites Project (LWSP) as part of the HBA in 2000 • range in size from less than 1 hectare to over 120 hectares • cover 13 wildlife habitat types from canals to woodland and scrub • include churchyards, road verges, ponds, meadows, disused railway lines, orchards, rivers, quarries etc.. • occur on publicly and privately owned land, urban and rural • Incorporated into the LBAP habitat plans

  5. Proportion of Local Sites in positive conservation management – defra2012

  6. Tame Valley Local Wildlife Sites

  7. CoombeAbbey Local Wildlife Site SP37Z2 • Designated 21/09/2010 • Area 51.45 ha • Habitats: • Wet woodlands • Dry woodlands • Acid grasslands • Neutral grassland • Open water • Rare Flora • Sanicle • Large Bittercress • Hard shield-fern • Narrow Buckler-fern • Black Poplar • Rare Fauna • Spotted Flycatcher • Marsh Tit • Lesser Spotted Woodpecker • Beeflies • Nomad Bees

  8. Grange Farm Moat Meadows LWS Dordon Spoil Heap LWS Wappenbury Wood LWS

  9. Habitat Biodiversity Audit • Warwickshire’s habitat • Connectivity mapping • Joint project WBRC, York University and HBA - 2011 • Woodlands • Hedgerows • Grasslands • Wetlands

  10. Connectivity modelling • Designed for highly fragmented habitats • Applied to different types of habitat e.g. woodlands, grasslands, wetlands. • Key components of the model are the quality, size, shape and type of patch (habitat) • Requires GIS mapping to extract habitat data and interpret results • LWS information and Phase 1 habitat mapping is ideally suited to applying the model because of the detail and quality of the data

  11. Applying connectivity Identifying strategic areas for wildlife – forward planning • Incorporating connectivity into local plans – Lawton report recommendations • Delivering Living Landscapes initiatives through habitat connectivity • Individual species connectivity e.g. bats, butterflies, dormice, water voles etc.

  12. The LawtonReport • Bigger • Better • Connected • Put the • Right Habitat • in the • Right Place Making Space for Nature: a review of England’s wildlife sites and ecological networks: defra 2010

  13. Incorporating connectivity mapping into local plans • Stratford-on-Avon District Council- Ecological Study of Local Service Villages July 2012 • Warwick District Council - Landscape Sensitivity and Ecological & Geological Study November 2013 • Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council – Ecology and Geodiversity Assessment April 2014

  14. Delivering living landscapes initiativesPrincethorpe project Conservation measures • hedgerow gap reduction and hedge row creation • tree plantation - infilling

  15. Species connectivity: Barbastelle bat study Whichford Wood Conservation measures retention and management of key woodlands, flight-lines and foraging areas hedgerow creation - connectivity small linear woods field margins wet meadows

  16. Conclusions • Local wildlife sites make a valuable contribution to wildlife conservation in Warwickshire • They do require protection where ever possible • Difficult to determine their condition and continuing management for wildlife • Good habitat data and connectivity mapping is the basis for delivering living landscapes • LWS are the building blocks for living landscapes • More research opportunities and applications in applying connectivity

  17. Thank you

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