Moorland LBAP- Dartmoor

Moorland - Dartmoor


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Action for Wildlife- Dartmoor LBAP

Key factors

Extent/Distribution

Dartmoor’s moorland forms the heart of the National Park, covering almost 50% of the total area. It is a unique and valuable wildlife resource of international ecological significance, recognised by the designation of much of the moorland as a candidate Special Area of Conservation (SAC) under the European Habitats Directive. It is also important agriculturally for extensive grazing of sheep, cattle and ponies, and much loved for its sense of wild, open landscape and varied recreational opportunities. Archaeologically it provides one of the best prehistoric landscapes in Europe with many Scheduled Monuments. It also possesses a remarkable legacy of former industrial activity (particularly relating to tin workings, peat cutting and granite extraction) and past farming activity particularly post-prehistoric cultivation and abandonment. It is essential to integrate management for biodiversity with all these other interests.

This Moorland Action Plan covers all those moorland habitats found within both open and enclosed moorland on Dartmoor, namely blanket bog and raised bog, upland heathland, lowland heathland, grass moor and bracken, and valley mire. These habitats have been amalgamated into one Action Plan for Moorland because the major issues affecting them are shared, boundaries between them are not always clear-cut and a joint working document will prove much more practical to use. Key objectives for moorland habitats have been defined in The Nature of Dartmoor.

There are two general objectives for moorland habitats :- Objectives 1 and 2 in this Action Plan. The remaining objectives included here relate to specific moorland habitats and are arranged under those headings- blanket bog and raised bog, upland heathland, lowland heathland, grass moor and bracken, and valley mires.

Threats

no information currently available

Action Plan Objectives

General Moorland Objectives

OBJECTIVE 1:

Retain or restore, as appropriate, the full diversity and extent of moorland habitats, particularly blanket bog, upland and lowland heathland, tors and valley mires, and the transitions between them, through the introduction of ecologically sustainable management.

Dartmoor targets

A Retain the current 46,000 ha of moorland habitats (‘moor and heath’ area on DNPA Section 3 Conservation Map which includes enclosed moorland).

B Support ecologically sustainable management which will lead to
the restoration of degraded moorland habitats.

C Recreate 50 ha of moorland by 2005,on former sites which have been improved for agriculture or afforested.

D Seek further opportunities to recreate moorland by 2010.

OBJECTIVE 2:

Encourage public understanding and appreciation of the wildlife resource, where this does not conflict with its conservation.

Dartmoor targets:

A Provide interpretative material on moorland wildlife and regularly update the public, farmers, landowners and commoners on the progress of the Action Plan.

B Provide access and interpretation facilities or opportunities, where appropriate.

Blanket Bog

OBJECTIVE 3

Reverse the degradation of the blanket bog as far as climatic changes allow, through provision of favourable, stable conditions for its re-development.

Dartmoor targets:

A A minimum of 11,000 ha of blanket bog (90% of the total) to be under favourable management by 2005.

B A minimum of 11,000 ha of blanket bog (90% of the total) to be in
favourable condition by 2010.

OBJECTIVE 4:

Ensure that the raised bog at Tor Royal remains hydrologically and ecologically intact.

Dartmoor target:

A Maintain the hydrological and ecological integrity of Tor Royal
raised bog through favourable management of the bog and the
surrounding catchment.

OBJECTIVE 5:

Maintain and enhance populations of breeding golden plover and dunlin.

Dartmoor targets: - see Species Action Plan for Golden Plover and Dunlin

Upland Heathland

OBJECTIVE 6:

Prevent loss of upland heathland to grass moor.

A Maintain a minimum of c.13,000 ha of moorland (total amount in 1994) containing >25% dwarf shrub* cover.

B Achieve favourable condition of all upland heathland within Dartmoor SSSIs by 2010.

*‘Dwarf shrub’ includes heather, bilberry, and western gorse heathland and is currently monitored across the Dartmoor ESA by MAFF.

OBJECTIVE 7:

Restore substantial areas of grass moor, where the heather persists in a very suppressed state, to heathland.

A Identify restorable areas of fragmented dwarf shrub (10-25% cover) by 2001 (estimated as 6,900 ha by MAFF in 1994).

B Restore 75% (c. 5,000 ha) of these areas to dwarf shrub (>25% cover) by 2005 and 90% (c. 6,000 ha) to dwarf shrub by 2010.

C Control bracken where it has invaded dwarf shrub communities (>25% cover).

D Control bracken in grass moorland where this will provide genuine alternative grazing and allow adjacent heathland to develop

OBJECTIVE 8:

Ensure that heather stands are structurally diverse, with a good balance between tall, dense patches and shorter ones.

A Ensure that all burning on heathland complies with the Heather and Grass Burning Code and the Dartmoor Commoners’ Council Regulations, with the 31 st March as the last date for burning.

B Establish a series of widely distributed areas of old heather each at least 5 ha, which will remain unburnt, totalling c. 650 ha (5% of the area of >25% dwarf shrub cover), by 2001.

OBJECTIVE 9:

Maintain the current populations of redgrouse and skylark.

A Maintain a population of at least 30 pairs of red grouse.

B Maintain skylarks as a common and widespread breeding bird on Dartmoor (i.e. present in at least 90% of moorland 1x1 km squares).

OBJECTIVE 10:

Encourage appropriate habitat conditions for re-colonisation by merlins.

A Establish annually whether merlin are likely to have bred on Dartmoor.

B Investigate factors affecting lack of breeding success of merlin on Dartmoor by 2001.

C Seek to establish one or more pairs of breeding merlin on Dartmoor by 2005.

Lowland Heathland

OBJECTIVE 11

Maintain and improve where possible, the condition of all areas of lowland heathland.

Lowland heathland is included in the general heathland targets set under objectives 1, 7 and 8. In addition: A Ensure that Dartford warblers continue to breed on existing Dartmoor sites as far as climatic conditions allow.

OBJECTIVE 12:

Ensure that viable and healthy populations of the high brown fritillary are retained.

Dartmoor targets - see Species Action Plan for High Brown and Pearl-bordered Fritillary.

OBJECTIVE 13:

Ensure that populations of other rare species are sustained in grass moorland and bracken.

Dartmoor targets:

See Species Action Plan for High Brown and Pearl-bordered Fritillaries and Species Action Plan for Vigur’s Eyebright. A Manage bracken to favour other rare species.

OBJECTIVE 14:

Manage the remaining areas of grass moor, i.e. those not targeted for restoration to heathland or supporting rare species, for the benefit of characteristic wildlife such as wheatears.

Dartmoor targets

A Maintain present population of wheatears on Dartmoor (c. 3,000 pairs).

B Establish present numbers of whinchats on Dartmoor and maintain these numbers.

Valley Mire Objectives

OBJECTIVE 15:

Maintain all valley mires in goodcondition, in terms of their hydrology, water quality and species composition.

Dartmoor targets:

A Establish the location of all valleymire communities by 2001.
B Ensure all valley mires remain hydrologically intact.
C Identify and seek to achieve appropriate level of grazing in all
valley mires.

OBJECTIVE 16:

Ensure that the bog orchid and Irish lady’s tresses survive on Dartmoor, and that the keeled skimmer remains a common
species.

Dartmoor targets

See Species Action Plan for Scarce Dragonflies.

A Establish the distribution of bog orchid colonies by 2001.

B Maintain all colonies of bog orchid and Irish lady’s tresses.

OBJECTIVE 17

Attempt to reverse the decline in breeding wader populations, through favourable land management practices.

Dartmoor targets

A Establish the status of curlew, lapwing and snipe by 2001.

B Achieve management appropriate to the specific requirements of these curlew and lapwing, so that breeding
populations of both species increase
by 30% by 2010.

Action Plan Targets

see above

Current Action

[no information currently available]

Proposed Action

Policy and legislation

Seek to ensure that prescriptions and financial incentives continue to encourage entry into the Dartmoor ESA scheme and support the best management regimes for wildlife.

LEAD:MAFF
PARTNERS: EN,DNPA, RSPB
TARGET:2005

Lobby for a separate tier and/or supplementary payment for blanket bog within the ESA review.

LEAD:EN,DNPA
PARTNERS: MAFF
TARGET:2005

Seek to ensure that environmental cross -compliance conditions are met.

LEAD: MAFF
PARTNERS: DaCC,NFU,CLA
TARGET: ongoing

Include protection policies for moorland in all statutory plans
and LEAPs when reviewed.

LEAD:DNPA
PARTNERS: EA
TARGET: ongoing

Management

Safeguard moorland against direct threats through planning
controls and other consultation procedures.

LEAD:DNPA, EA, FC
TARGET: ongoing

Ensure candidate SAC status is confirmed.

LEAD: DETR
PARTNERS: EN
TARGET: 2005

Draw up and implement Site Management Statements for all influential managers of SSSIs, and define conservation objectives for the Dartmoor SAC.

LEAD: EN
PARTNERS: CAs,Owners
TARGETS: 2005

Map areas with 10-25% existing dwarf shrub cover.
LEAD: MAFF
PARTNERS: DNPA,EN
TARGET: 2001

Restore an additional 1,000 ha to >25% dwarf shrub cover by 2010.
LEAD: MAFF
PARTNERS: DNPA, EN
TARGET:2005

Introduce &/or maintain appropriate grazing regimes through ESA, other management agreements and cross-compliance.

LEAD:MAFF, Graziers,DaCC
PARTNERS:CAs, EN, DNPA, MOD,Owners
TARGET: ongoing

Continue to establish new ESA management agreements to achieve a minimum of 60% coverage of moorland by 2005 (MAFF target).

LEAD:MAFF
PARTNERS: Owners, CAs, DNPA, EN, NFU
LEAD: 2005/ongoing

Draw up and implement moorland management plans for all moorland entered into the Dartmoor ESA.

LEAD:MAFF Agreement holders
PARTNERS: CAs,DNPA,EN
TARGET: 2001

Draw up moorland management plans for pilot commons. Extend if appropriate.

LEAD: DaCC CAs,
PARTNERS:Owners,DNPA,EN, MAFF
TARGET: 2001

Maintain existing DNPA management agreements on enclosed moorland where appropriate.

LEAD: DNPA
PARTNERS: Owners
TARGET: Ongoing

Map areas of dense dwarf shrub cover to remain unburnt (c 650 ha, widely distributed) and incorporate in fire management plans.

LEAD: EN MAFF,DNPA
TARGET: 2001

Restore c. 5,000 ha. of these areas to >25% dwarf shrub cover by 2005 using ESA, other management agreements and cross-compliance.

LEAD: EN
PARTNERS: MAFF DNPA,

Research and monitoring

Plot burns at five-year intervals using remote sensing.

LEAD: MAFF,DNPA
PARTNERS:EN
TARGETS: 2010

Re-survey sample dwarf-shrub communities through the ESA monitoring programme.

LEAD:MAFF
TARGET: ongoing

Encourage research into the effects of grazing by Dartmoor ponies.

LEAD:DNPA,MAFF
PARTNERS: NT

Monitor the extent and condition of blanket bog areas at five-year intervals.

LEAD: EN
TARGET: ongoing

Survey moorland birds at ten- year intervals.

LEAD:RSPB, DNPA
PARTNERS: EN, MAFF, DBWPS
TARGETS: ongoing

Education and awareness raising

Maintain Moorland Fire Liaison Group.

LEAD:DNPA,DaCC
PARTNERS:All

Establish a Moorland Management Forum to share best management practice.

LEAD: DNPA, DaCC
PARTNERS:All

Produce a Dartmoor Biodiversity Newsletter, aimed at sharing information with farmers, landowners and commoners, including articles on moorland management, progress on targets, etc.

LEAD: DNPA
PARTNERS: EN,MAFF

Provide guided walks for the public to illustrate moorland management and wildlife.

LEAD:DNPA
PARTNERS: EN, NT
TARGET: ongoing

Progress

no information currently available