Biodiversity
Action
Plan
Conservation. Although the quality of the upland heathland habitat has suffered - there are substantial areas where heather and other dwarf shrubs have been suppressed - there is potential for restoration and conservation.
However, there will be further significant loss of heather moorland to acid grassland if current grazing levels and pressures continue.
Factors causing loss or decline
- Enclosure and conversion to grassland or planting of woodland.
- Pressures from over-grazing, fires, and excessive recreation use too often lead to reduction in the cover of dwarf shrubs and increasing dominance of mat grass, or purple moor-grass in wetter areas.
- Reversion to scrub with bracken encroachment and rhododendron invasion in some areas.
- Fragmentation of quality heathland affecting associated species.
- Possible threat from infestations of heather beetle due to more frequent mild winters and wet springs.
Legal protection
The areas of upland heath in Barnsley are either within sites designated as SSSI or as a Local Wildlife Site. Some of the area is designated as an Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA).
SSSIs have legal protection. Certain operations require consent from Natural England.
Natural England promotes managing and bringing SSSIs into favourable condition and monitors such work.
LWS have a presumption against development but have no protection against operations that do not require planning consent.
The Defra Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA) Regulations may apply.
Activities on upland heath where protected species are present may involve offences being committed under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981. Protected species include all breeding birds. Licences may be needed from Natural England.
Links
Buglife:
Wildlife Trusts
Natural England
Upland Heathland Conservation
Good practice conservation management
- Protecting from change of use, afforestation and development.
- Maintaining a varied structural mosaic with stands of dwarf shrubs at different stages of growth, including areas of mature heather.
This is best achieved by a mix of low intensity grazing and occasional cutting of small areas of heather in rotation. - Even carefully controlled burning is best replaced with these forms of management. Steps are needed to prevent uncontrolled fires.
- Preventing scrub succession, controlling the amount of bracken, and clearing invasive rhododendron and any excessive scrub,
- Revegetating where necessary with heather seeds and brash
- Retaining wetter areas and any water courses.
- Making sure that access by the public does not cause habitat damage or disturb ground-nesting birds.
