Conservation: Scrub. Although scrub is a widespread and fairly common habitat, the extent of scrub has declined. In Barnsley the scrub on former railway tracks, stream banks and previously developed sites gives opportunities for conservation management. There is a risk of too much being cleared or cut back.

Causes of loss or decline of Scrub

• Areas of scrub have been subjected to inappropriate ‘scrub control’ under the misapprehension that scrub is of low biodiversity value
• Losses of scrub due to development and agricultural intensification.
• Dense scrub can be perceived as a safety risk, leading to its removal and omission from new landscaping schemes. It can also accumulate litter, leading to pressure for removal.
• Invasion by non-native species such as Japanese Knotweed can eventually shade out and dominate valuable shrub and scrub habitat.
• Use of herbicides, pesticides and fertilisers near to the scrub habitat.
• Unmanaged scrub is lost by succession to woodland succession.

Legal Protection

Scrub is not given any direct protection under existing legislation.

Natural England licences may be needed for work on scrub where protected species are present. Protected species include all breeding birds and bat species. Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981.

There are currently no SSSIs in Barnsley that include scrub in their designation.

Local Wildlife Site designation is a material consideration in the consideration of planning applications.

Links for Information and Advice

Positive conservation management

Scrub requires periodic maintenance to retain its character and value to wildlife but also to prevent scrub from encroaching to an undesirable level on other priority habitats.

• Management should create and maintain scrub of varied age, species and structure, with mosaics of scrub and grassland.
• Increasing the extent of existing scrub, or creating new areas can be done through natural regeneration or if necessary planting.
• Wildlife corridors and buffers for key habitats can be created by linking scrub, hedgerows, and woodlands.
• Scrub should be trimmed only on an infrequent, rolling regime, no more than half of overall scrub resource in an area to be cut in any one year, and not during the bird breeding season.
• Any invasive non-native species, such as Japanese Knotweed or rhododendron should be removed.

Techniques to manage and control scrub are based on cutting, with or without stump removal, followed by grazing or mowing.

The RSPB has published a useful three-page advice note on Scrub Management: Creating, Restoring and Maintaining Scrub for Wildlife. It includes details for

Scrub establishment

Restoration and maintenance

Control or eradication

Further information is given in:

The Scrub Management Handbook.

Day J, Symes NC, Robertson PA, Bacon J (Ed)

The Scrub Management Handbook. (2003)

The RSPB has also published online advice on the management of Wet Scrub.

Scrub Conservation