| Alder and Willow Wet Woodland - Devon |
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| Extent/Distribution The total amount of wet woodland in Devon is unquantified, since the resource is scattered in small fragments across the County. Indeed small size characterises these woodlands in Devon where most areas are under 5 ha in extent. However, the habitat is not a common one in England as a whole, and the total resource is probably less than 10,000 ha. Lack of appreciation of the habitat as a valuable resource for wildlife. Very often wet woodland of alder and/or willow is cleared to make way for more open wetland habitats such as reedbeds or fens, which are seen as having higher conservation value. Indeed, wetlands are now so small and fragmented, especially in agricultural districts, that great effort is expended to resist encroachment of woodland or scrub onto open wetlands. Grazing levels. Heavy grazing by stock within wet woodland causes two main problems; poaching of the wet ground destroys the ground flora and adversely changes microhabitats for many invertebrates; too high a grazing pressure inhibits natural regeneration of trees within the woodland. Very often, patches of wet woodland are used as shelters for cattle, which results in similar problems. Agricultural improvements. Drainage of land is a potential problem, although most losses of wet woodland to this probably occurred in the first half of this century or before. Change of ownership of a particular farm may result in a change to more intensive agricultural use of available land. Increased nutrient levels from fertiliser/slurry run-off may cause eutrophication of plant communities within wet woodlands. River Management. Changes of the course of rivers and streams for the purposes of flood prevention reduces the potential of the river to change course over time, and hence reduces the potential for wet woodland development. Clearance of bankside alders and willows, often for the sake of "tidiness," results in only a few standard trees remaining. This degrades the habitat by reducing moisture and humidity within the woodland, and may make it impossible for populations of some animals to be maintained. Invasion of exotic plants The presence of species such as Himalayan balsam, snowberry and Japanese knotweed, and, on drier sites rhododendron, degrade the quality and naturalness of the habitat. Lack of information. Lack of existing biological surveys of Devon’s wet woodlands, particularly for invertebrates, lower plants and fungi, perpetuates our ignorance of their true value as a resource for biodiversity. Paucity of comprehensive information on the distribution and extent of high quality wet woodlands in the County hampers any efforts to conserve the existing resource OBJECTIVE 1: To ensure there is no further loss of area of wet woodland in Devon Targets No absolute loss of larger wet woodland sites.
Targets Assess the approximate extent of the Devon resource by 2000,
Target By 1999 produce a popular leaflet on wet woodland, its wildlife interest and methods for its management, and promote to the public and to landowners. see above Woodland Grant Scheme (WGS), run by Forestry Authority, provides incentives for the creation and management of woodlands (including wet woodlands) to among other things, maintain or improve habitats for wildlife and to improve the landscape. WGS is broken down into grants for establishing new woodlands (Planting Grant, Natural Regeneration Grant) and grants for existing woodlands (Restocking Grant, Natural Regeneration Grant, Annual Management Grant, Woodland Improvement Grant and the Livestock Exclusion Premium). Dartmoor, Exmoor and the Blackdowns Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESA) schemes, operated by MAFF, provide payments to farmers and landowners who agree to maintain or introduce environmentally beneficial farming practices. It is a requirement that all ESA agreement-holders obtain advice on the management of all woodlands on their land and on any proposals to plant new woodland. Management of National Nature Reserves and SSSIs by English Nature, including financial assistance from EN’s Wildlife Enhancement and Reserves Enhancement Schemes. Devon Wildlife Trust’s Wildlife Sites Advisory Service in East Devon (operated in partnership with East Devon District Council) and on the Culm Grasslands in the North West of the County has targeted owners of County Wildlife Sites for advice and capital payments for management of wildlife habitats, including wet woodlands. A County Wildlife Site is a non statutory designation of sites identified a being of at least County importance to wildlife. The role of wet woodlands as shelter for stock in very hot weather, may result in some landowners retaining these woodlands for this purpose. Retention of areas of wet woodland on a farm therefore has benefits for the farmer and also for wildlife, although poaching by stock may degrade the ground flora of a site if used frequently. Research at University of Plymouth into the dynamics of the effects of age of wet scrub/wet woodland on relative conservation value of the habitat. Nationally, IGER are conducting research into the use of wet woodland as a tool for stripping nitrates out of agricultural run-off water. A Dartmoor Woodlands survey (funded jointly by DNPA, EN and FA) was completed in 1997. Research is underway by Forestry Authority, the conservation agencies and universities into methods of management of wet woodlands for objectives including exploring the potential of marketable woodland products. Research is underway into Phytophthora disease of alders and its potential impact upon wet woodlands (FA), and the effect of alders on water quality (RSPB).
Policy and legislation Ensure planning policies protect wet woodland sites from inappropriate development requiring planning permission (both of the site itself and affecting the water supply to it), by linking to a proposed Wet Woodland Inventory, CWS data and other sources of information.( Target 2010) LEAD: LPA Ensure that wet woodlands (including those of recent origin) continue
to be eligible for the Woodland Grant Scheme. (Target 2010) Ensure wet woodland and its conservation requirements are recognised in Forest Design Plans (Target 2010) LEAD: FA, FE Ensure wet woodland and its conservation requirements are recognised in relevant Local Environment Agency Plans (Target 2010) LEAD: EA Review the criteria for selection of County Wildlife Sites to ensure that wet woodlands (especially those of small size) are eligible for selection. (Target 1998) LEAD:DWT Management
Promote the uptake of management agreements through the Woodland Grant Scheme or similar future schemes. (Target 2010) LEAD: FA,FWAG,DWT PARTNER: CCMS, FRCA MAFF CLA Seek to ensure that prescriptions within agri-environment schemes (WES, ESA) take full account of the management requirements of wet woodlands. (Target 2010) LEAD: MAFF, FRCA, EN PARTNER: DWT Expand the network of Nature Reserves in the County which include areas of wet woodland. (Target 2010) LEAD: DWT, LAs Ensure provision for retention of areas of wet woodland is made in Management Plans of land under conservation management. LEAD: EN, LAs,DWT, NT, WT PARTNER: NPAs, CCMS Undertake suitable management of wet woodland to maintain and enhance the wildlife value (including control of heavy grazing, maintenance of water table, coppicing of alder to increase structural diversity). LEAD: EN,DWT, NT, WT PARTNERS: NPAs,CCMS Research
and monitoring
Survey a sample (10 sites by 2005) of wet woodlands in the County
to improve knowledge of the importance of the habitat for biodiversity,
with priority to investigations of invertebrates, lower plants and fungi.
LEAD : DIF, Universities, BLS,BMS
Identify sites at which conservation action should be prioritised,
as part of an inventory of important wet woodland sites in Devon, and
feed this information into a proposed national inventory. Investigate, by 2000, the desirability and potential for expanding
the area of wet woodland in Devon as part of a floodplain woodland project.
(Refer to river, streams, floodplain and fluvial processes Devon BAP)..
(Target 2000) Use the opportunity to gain information on presence and extent of wet woodland whilst undertaking farm visits and surveys LEAD:EA, FA, MAFF, NFU, CLA Use the opportunity to gain information on presence and extent of wet woodland whilst undertaking farm visits and surveys (Target 2010) LEAD: DWT Education
and awareness raising
Promote to landowners the idea of using of wet woodlands as a buffer strip to "soak up" pollutant discharges (such as slurry) from agricultural land. (Target 2010) LEAD:FRCA, FWAG, DWT PARTNERS: EA, NFU, CLA Raise the profile of wet woodland as an important element of the biodiversity of Devon, using articles in appropriate newsletters, newspapers and journals. (Target 2010) LEAD: DWT, NFU, PARTNER:NFU Set up and promote a series of guided walks and open days at accessible wet woodland sites, aimed at the general public or at key audiences as appropriate. (Target 2010) LEAD: DWT,EN, CCMS Review, and amend where appropriate, interpretative information at Nature Reserves and other sites accessible to the public to give due importance to wet woodlands. (Target 2010) LEAD: EN, DWT, LAs, NT Promote the Forestry Authority’s "Wet Woodlands" Forestry Practice (Target 2010) LEAD:FA, FE, DWT, CCMS PARTNERS: NFU, CLA, FWAG no information currently available |
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