Floodplain Grazing Marsh: Key objectives

• Raise awareness of the importance of Grazing Marsh for biodiversity.
• Assess the extent and condition of Grazing Marsh in Barnsley.
• Analyse records of populations and assemblages of wildlife species in Grazing Marsh sites in Barnsley; undertake surveys where appropriate.
• Undertake positive conservation management of Grazing Marsh sites to achieve and maintain favourable condition.
• Take opportunities for the creation and extension of Grazing Marsh and other wetland sites in a nature recovery network
• Ensure that suitable Grazing Marsh is designated as within Local Wildlife Sites or SSSIs.

Roles

Landowners and managers:

• manage Grazing Marsh following best practice
• take up opportunities to restore and create Grazing Marsh habitat

Grants. A number of organisations may offer grants for Grazing Marsh management, improvement and restoration. It can also be part of countryside stewardship schemes

Natural England: Where it is intended to change the use of Grazing Marsh this should be subject to a change of use application to Natural England. Sites with SSSI status have additional conditions for their management and use.

Environment Agency, Internal Drainage Boards, Water Companies have a statutory duty to further conservation where consistent with purposes of enactments relating to their functions. Water Resources Act 1991; Land Drainage Act 1991. There is also a regulatory role.

Barnsley council as a planning authority:

• ensures in relevant cases that the biodiversity value of grazing marsh is maintained and enhanced.
• sets conditions to protect grassland and require EIAs where appropriate.

Voluntary groups and volunteers

• help with grazing marsh creation, extension and management where appropriate.
• help provide  information about the condition of grazing marsh and collect records of the wildlife.

What has been done?

• Re-creation of grazing marsh at Old Moor, Wombwell Ings, Broomhill Flash.
• Adwick washland: New washland (wet grassland, ditches, scrapes.) RSPB, EA, 2011-13.
• Houghton washland: Conversion of arable fields to Grazing Marsh. Removal of flood bank. RSPB. EA. NIA 2013-15.
• The Fleet. New washland between Broomhill Flash and Wombwell Ings
  [wet seasonally inundated grassland, scrapes] Garganey Trust 2019-20 (NLHF)
• Doveside: Raising water levels and new scrapes to restore wet meadow.
  BMBC, YWT 2019-20
• Wath Ings: New pools and terraced topography to expose mud in stages as water is lowered. RSPB 2019-22 (NLHF)
• Wombwell Ings: New islands, pools & ditches. Water control from river Dove introduced. RSPB 2019-22 (NLHF)
• Designation of Dearne Valley Wetlands as SSSI. Natural England 2021/2

Proposed actions

• Maintain inventory of existing grazing marsh and other wetland sites, potential additional sites and linkages
• Creation of further areas of grazing marsh on suitable sites along the river Dearne.
• Smithy Marsh:
• create shallow scrapes and foot drains and enhance lowland wet grassland
• River Dearne bank reprofiling and raised flood bank removal to re-connect flood plain and allow natural flooding in peak flow. YWT/BMBC, Env Agency 2022-4
• Wilthorpe Marsh: Continue to investigate potential conservation management including restoring meanders of canalised section of River Dearne.
• Dearne washland optimisation study
• Look into potential conservation management of Swaithe washlands.
• Ensure floodplain grazing marsh of value is designated SSSI or LWS.

Marking Progress

• Extent of Grazing Marsh [No reduction]
• Grazing Marsh restored or created to meet priority habitat criteria.
• Grazing Marsh in conservation management / favourable condition.

Floodplain grazing marsh actions