| Sea Cliff and Slope - Devon |
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| Extent/Distribution Sea cliff and slope habitats in Devon amount to approximately 1, 200 ha and occurs widely around both of the County’s coastlines. Since the habitat is confined to a relatively narrow zone, the total area of land may seem rather small, but the richness and diversity of wildlife and geology makes it an extremely important feature of the Devon countryside. Lack of grazing or use of inappropriate stock leading to encroachment of scrub/bracken onto maritime grassland and obscuring geological exposures. Overgrazing may be a problem in some places (including that by rabbits), leading to reduction in habitat diversity. Fertilising, reseeding and silage production on grassland bordering cliff slopes and planting of arable crops as close a possible to the cliff edge, causes a narrowing - and in some extreme cases loss - of the band of semi-natural cliff vegetation, and reduction in plant species diversity. Illegal or uncontrolled burning threatening coastal heath ecosystem. Recreation pressure leading to degradation or destruction of the more fragile plant communities and to disturbance of cliff-nesting birds. Dog-walking may cause disturbance of grazing animals. Certain delicate geological sites may be susceptible to erosion or damaged by irresponsible specimen collecting. Encroachment by invasive plants such as rhododendron, hottentot fig, sycamore or cotoneaster may cause, depending on local circumstances, a reduction in the naturalness of some coastal woodlands, and in many cases smothers less competitive endemic plant species. Interruption of the natural processes of erosion. Coastal protection schemes may have a detrimental effect by reducing the erosion necessary for the colonisation of a characteristic flora on recently-exposed ground, and by reducing exposure sites for geological research. In some cases, increased erosion in areas beyond coastal protection works may destroy habitat study and may threaten certain delicate geological features Canine urinary and faecal pollution is a threat to certain rare vascular plants where use by dog-walking public is high. Fertiliser use on cliff-top fields is also a threat to certain plant species which require nutrient-poor conditions. Atmospheric pollution from South Wales may be reducing the abundance and diversity of lichens, especially on the North Devon coast, although the prevailing SW wind probably limits the potential for this. Lack of appropriate management of woodlands that occur on maritime slopes (such as those on the West Exmoor coast). Lack of awareness of geological issues, leading to lack of appropriate management regimes. Lack of understanding on the part of land managers and the general public of cliff and slope habitats and geological issues, and hence public relations difficulties when undertaking management tasks such as scrub cutting/burning, which may appear to some as destroying wildlife habitats Lack of information on the extent of the various habitat components of sea cliff and slope in the County, the wildlife they support, especially invertebrates, and appropriate forms of management. Insufficient availability of resources for management of SSSIs via the Wildlife Enhancement Scheme means that for many such sites WES is not available. Objective 1 Ensure existing sites of high quality sea cliff and slope are maintained in terms of their wildlife and earth science interest Targets Maintain management on sites already under sympathetic management. For other sites, sympathetic management to be implemented by 2005. Identify sites at risk from over-use/misuse and develop appropriate management regimes, by 2000. Objective 2 Ensure restoration of degraded or neglected sites into habitat and/or exposures of high wildlife and earth science value. Targets Identify priority sites for restoration by 1998. Objective 3 Ensure the re-creation of sea cliff and slope habitats that have been lost to other land uses. Targets Identify sites in need of, and suitable for, re-creation by 1998. Objective 4 Establish buffer zone habitats between intensively-managed agricultural land and semi-natural cliff and slope habitats. Target At least one buffer zone site to be established in each of the Coast and Countryside Management Service (formerly Heritage Coast) areas, including the Exmoor coast by 2005. Objective 5 Ensure the natural processes of erosion and sediment movement continue to operate on all areas of conservation interest, with due regard to essential coastal protection of settlements. Target Ongoing Objective 6 Foster continuing and increased understanding and awareness by landowners and managers of management practices which encourage wildlife and maintain earth science features on sea cliffs and slopes Target Produce and distribute a guide for landowners and managers by 1998. Objective 7 Foster increased understanding and awareness by the general public of the importance and need to conserve sea cliff and slope, the pressures it faces, and ways in which it can be conserved and enhanced Target Incorporate elements highlighted in Devon Biodiversity Action Plan
into existing information publications at their next review. [see above] Agri-environment schemes. Countryside Stewardship is specifically targeted
at cliff farmland, enabling the restoration of low-input habitats from
intensively farmed slopes, and the reintroduction of grazing and cutting
on abandoned slopes. Much of the farmland of Devon’s cliff and
slope is currently under Countryside Stewardship agreement. Exmoor Environmentally
Sensitive Area includes coastal land under sympathetic management. Policy and legislation 1.Seek to extend geographical coverage of, and available prescriptions for, ESA (especially Exmoor) and CS as they relate to sea cliff and slope. (Target 2000)LEAD: MAFF, FRCA 2. Seek to establish South West Coast Path corridor as a Priority Area for CS. (Target 2000) LEAD: SWCP Team, Landowners PARTNERS:FRCA 3. Promote consideration of a Devon Coast ESA (possibly to be linked with parts of Cornwall). (Target 1999) LEAD:RSPB, DWT, EN PARTNER: FRCA 4. Extend WES to additional owner/occupiers of SSSIs, with the priority given to sites supporting EU Habitats Directive habitats and/or species of conservation concern and geological sites of international importance.(Target 2000) LEAD: EN 5. Contribute to the establishment of international designations (such as World Heritage) of sites of geological interest. (Target 2000) LEAD:LAs PARTNERS:EN, DCC Management
1. Complete the of designation of coastal sites meeting SSSI criteria. Target 2000 LEAD: EN 2. Ensure all suitable sites are surveyed and designated as County Geological Sites. (Target 2010) LEAD:Devon RIGS Group PARTNERS:DCC, EN 3. Ensure the recognition as County Wildlife Sites of all cliff and slope sites which meet selection criteria for CWS. (Target 2010) LEAD: DWT 4. Where necessary to safeguard important and vulnerable sites, encourage purchasing of land. (Target 2010) LEAD:NT 5. Recommend that the existing funding for environmental management continues or increases. (Target 2010) LEAD:EN, NT PARTNER:MAFF 6. Encourage owners of cliff and slope sites to take up management schemes such as CS, WES and ESA. (Target 2010) LEAD:MAFF, FRCA, NFU, CLA PARTNER: EN, RSPB, CCMS, DWT, FWAG 7. Ensure that, where appropriate SMPs allow for natural processes to continue and take the interests of biodiversity and earth science fully into account. (Target 2010) LEAD:LAs PARTNERS: MAFF, EA, EN, DWT, RSPB, RIGS Group 8. Ensure offshore islands that hold populations of seabirds are kept free from mammalian predators.(Target 2010) LEAD:EN RSPB, NT 9. Establish at least one buffer zone strip scheme (where appropriate) in each of the Heritage Coast areas, and the Exmoor coast (Target 2000) LEAD: MAFF, FRCA PARTNERS: NT, CCMS, DWT, ENPA, FWAG 10. Complete notification of Geological Conservation Review sites as SSSIs.(Target 2000) LEAD: EN 11. Ensure that sympathetic management takes place alongside the South West Coast Path.(Target 2000) LEAD:CCMS PARTNERS: LAs, ENPA, NT, EN, MAFF, FRCA 12. Promote the coastal grazing for nature conservation initiative.(Target 2010) LEAD:NT PARTNER:MAFF, EN 13. Ensure that all geological sites at risk from over-use (including over-collection of specimens) are identified and measures taken to improve management. (Target 1999) LEAD:EN PARTNERS:NT, LAs, DWT Research
and monitoring
1. Produce an audit of the total resource of cliff and slope habitats in Devon, to include potential sites for re-creation and restoration of semi-natural habitats LEAD:NT, ENPA, EN, DWT PARTNERS:CCMS, LAs 2. Monitor aspects of experimental re-creation and restoration of semi-natural habitats on sites formerly supporting them. LEAD:DETR, JNCC PARTNER:ENPA, NT 3. Establish an integrated monitoring programme of the geographical range/abundance of key cliff and slope habitats, species and earth science features LEAD:DWT PARTNERS: EN, NT, ENPA, RSPB, BC, DBWPS, BSBI 4. Compile a directory of geological importance of sites as an aid to establishing national/international importance. LEAD:EN PARTNERS:RIGS Gp.,BGS Education
and awareness raising
1. Ensure management of South West Coast Path provides information for path users on any management that is being carried out. (Target 2010) LEAD:CCMS PARTNERS: LAs, NT, ENPA 2. Foster enhanced public understanding and awareness of the cliff and slope environment, the threats it faces, and the methods for its conservation and management (Target 2010) LEAD:CCMS 3. Implement the results of EN’s Devon and Cornwall Geological Interpretation Strategy. (Target 2005) LEAD:EN PARTNERS: RIGS Gp., LAs, BGS, DWT, NT, CCMS [no information currently available] |
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