| Calcareous Grassland - Wiltshire |
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| Extent/Distribution There are estimated to be 40,000 to 50,000 ha of calcareous grassland remaining in the UK, with the majority of this on chalk. The major concentrations are in Wiltshire, Dorset and the South Downs (UK BAP). Wiltshire has between 18,000 and 24,000 ha of calcareous grassland; the majority is on chalk with approximately 500 ha (estimate based on Wiltshire Cotswolds and Bybrook Project files) on limestone. This equates to approximately 50% of the total UK calcareous grassland resource. The Salisbury Plain Training Area (SPTA) alone has approximately 12,000 ha of 3 chalk grassland (Integrated Land Management Plan (ILMP) refers to 12,757 ha calcareous grassland types including grassland/scrub mosaic). This alone represents 41% of the resource of chalk grassland in North West Europe. Calcareous grasslands occur throughout the chalk and limestone areas of the county. The majority of sites lie within the South Wessex Downs where many small sites remain throughout the coombs and scarp slopes of privately farmed downland, and are managed alongside more intensive farming systems. In addition, there are four vast tracts of calcareous grassland which make up Salisbury Plain and Porton Down. The main community types here are CG2 and CG3 but there are also examples of CG6 and 7, with very small areas of CG4 and 5 within Salisbury Plain. In the Berkshire and Marlborough Downs there are several large sites on the chalk between Devizes and Calne and on the downs around Pewsey. These are mainly CG2 and CG3 grasslands with small areas of CG5. Within the Cotswolds Natural Area a few CG5 pastures remain on the limestone to the west of Chippenham. A small part of the Hampshire Downs Natural Area in the east of the county also retains some small areas of CG2 and CG3 chalk grassland. no information currently available 1. Protect all remaining unimproved calcareous grassland in Wiltshire and secure appropriate management. 2. Restore areas of semi-improved calcareous grassland which retain some wildlife value. 3. Increase the area of calcareous grassland of wildlife value through arable restoration/re-establishment and management of improved permanent grassland which has potential for reversion. Target effort in areas with existing concentrations of the habitat and where reinstatement is likely to be most successful. 4. Reduce habitat fragmentation and isolation through the creation of links and buffers between sites. 5. Continue to build on the existing knowledge of calcareous grassland habitat and species management through ongoing recording and a targeted programme of additional research and monitoring. 6. Raise awareness of the wildlife, landscape and historical importance of calcareous grasslands and best practice management techniques. 1. Achieve favourable condition of unimproved calcareous grasslands:
2010 95% SSSIs 80% SPTA 50% WS [no information currently available]
Policy and legislation Where appropriate, designate grassland sites as SSSI or CWS.LEAD EN, WWT Ensure Structure Plans and Local Plans include policies to protect and enhance unimproved calcareous grassland. LEAD:LAs PARTNERS:EN, WWT Ensure that agri-environment schemes are adequately funded and targeted to support calcareous grassland management, restoration and creation in Wiltshire. LEAD:DEFRA PARTNERS:WWT,EN,FWAG Seek to influence the forthcoming review of existing agri-environment schemes to secure improvements for biodiversity. LEAD:EN PARTNERS:WWT, RSPB,FWAG, Cotswold, AONB Ensure the provision of access through the CROW Act does not have an adverse impact on sensitive downland sites or species. LEAD:EN PARTNERS:CLA, NFU, WWT, RSPB . Management
Promote mechanisms to secure positive management of grassland sites to achieve favourable condition (CSS, ESA, EN management agreements). LEAD: FWAG PARTNERS:WWT, DEFRA, EN,RSPB Target restoration and extend re-creation efforts to buffer and link areas of existing calcareous grassland and where reinstatement is most likely to succeed (based on studies below). LEAD:DEFRA PARTNERS: FWAG, NT, RSPB, WWT,Cotswold, AONB Ensure benefits for calcareous grassland through management strategies for Cotswolds, North Wessex Downs and Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs AONBs. LEAD:AONB officers PARTNERS: WWT, CA, EN, LAs Establish a regional grazing scheme based on the principles of the Grazing Animals Project (GAP). LEAD: EN PARTNERS:WWT, FWAG,Cotswold, AONB Promote the use of local provenance seed in all re-creation schemes. LEAD:DEFRA PARTNERS:EN,WWT,FWAG, BTCV,Cotswold, AONB Increase number of breeding stone curlew in line with BAP target through continued monitoring and advice on land management. LEAD: RSPB PARTNERS:EN, DE Initiate Avebury/Stonehenge World Heritage Site CSS special project. LEAD: DEFRA PARTNERS:NT, EH, EN Include measures to enhance the calcareous grassland resource in the Cotswolds in the proposed HLF bid. LEAD:Cotswold AONB Research and monitoring
Undertake a baseline audit of the calcareous grassland in the county to assess the extent and quality of the remaining resource. LEAD:WSBRC PARTNER: RSPB, EN Undertake a desk study to establish the historic distribution and extent of calcareous grassland in Wiltshire and to prioritise areas for re-creation. LEAD:WSBRC PARTNERS:RSPB, EN Continue regular condition assessment of SSSI grasslands and initiate a similar monitoring programme for CWS. LEAD:EN, WWT PARTNERS:WSBRC Review success of ESA and CSS to ensure benefits for biodiversity. Continue survey of species throughout the county. LEAD: DEFRA County Recorders . Education and awareness raising
Promote the local processing and marketing of livestock and produce as a means of adding value to environmentally sympathetic livestock enterprises. LEAD:CLA/NFU PARTNERS: DEFRA,WWT FWAG, EN,NT Contact owners and managers of calcareous grassland sites to provide advice on appropriate management and sources of aid LEAD:WWT PARTNERS: FWAG, EN Continue the programme of demonstration days and events to promote current best practice for management and re-creation of calcareous grassland. LEAD: DEFRA PARTNERS:FWAG, EN,RSPB, WWT . no information currently available |
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