Janice Bradley Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust Nick Crouch Nottinghamshire County Council Nick Tribe Natural England

Transcription

1 Janice Bradley Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust Nick Crouch Nottinghamshire County Council Nick Tribe Natural England

2 Habitats and Species Janice Bradley Head of Conservation Policy and Planning Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust

3 Semi-natural habitats Post-industrial habitats Species

4 Semi-natural habitats encompass virtually all of the habitats in the UK BAP. These are our most important habitats that contain the majority of our surviving fauna and flora. Nottinghamshire contains examples of all of the lowland and non-coastal/marine habitats in the UKBAP, although some remain only in very small areas and may be highly degraded. The LBAP describes those habitats and sets targets for their protection and restoration/re-creation.

5

6

7 Nearly all of our semi-natural habitats are under threat, eg.. 97% of hay meadows and over 90% of heathland have been lost in England since 1900 Habitats protected in nature reserves and SSSIs have survived but are constantly at risk of degradation from edge effects Larger blocks of habitat are more robust than smaller ones Linked blocks of habitat are also more robust, particularly to the effects of climate change

8 Agricultural intensification and built development have been the principal drivers for habitat loss The East Midlands has the lowest coverage of SSSIs and other protected sites of any of the English regions, consequently much of our remaining habitats of value are recognised through the LWS/SINC system On average, one plant species has become extinct in the East Midlands every year for the last decade Nottinghamshire cannot sustain further losses of BAP habitats, without the risk of irreversible consequences

9 Post industrial habitats These have developed on land that has had previous development or industrial processes, or has been left after unrestored mineral extraction. Often the sites have unusual physical or chemical conditions, such as compaction, no topsoil, high conductivity, extremes of ph etc Lack of management intervention by man has lead to natural successional processes that are rarely allowed in our managed landscapes. The sites may contain species and assemblages that have been largely lost from the wider countryside. Often such sites are extremely biodiverse and may contain rare species, so they are very important, but are often threatened by tidying up.

10

11 Development can affect habitats through: Direct loss Increased detrimental edge effects Fragmentation Indirect impacts such as changes in hydrology, hydrogeology, increase in dust, shading etc.

12 Bats There are 10 species of bats in Nottinghamshire All have declined nationally over recent decades

13 Where are they found? Trees; fissures/cracks, under bark flakes, in holes and hollows, under dense vegetation such as ivy Many types of buildings not just old ones! Including pitched roofs, flat roofs, under soffit boards, behind cladding, in cavity walls, in window cavities, gaps in joists and beams Caves Culverts, adits and shafts Bridges of both brick and concrete construction

14 So bats can be detrimentally affected by development that: Damages any of these features Obstructs access to them Results in the loss of important foraging areas Causes significant disturbance, such as floodlighting, increased noise or vibration, and cats! They can also be affected by new structures along their customary foraging routes.

15 Types of survey Droppings Emergence holes Staining Feeding remains Emergence counts Dawn/dusk swarming Bat detectors Should be several surveys over the course of a year as bats often have their maternity, mating, summer and hibernation roosts in different locations to optimise their use of different temperatures and structures

16 Amphibians

17 Amphibians are found in wetland habitats for some of the year, this can include ponds, lakes, reedbeds,, ditches and wet woodland. They also have a significant terrestrial phase to their life cycle, where they may be in grassland, woodland, post-industrial sites, hedgerow banks etc They also usually hibernate, often under piles of rubble/logs/leaves, debris and builder s waste!

18 Reptiles

19 Reptiles are often faithful to their breeding sites which may be in heaps of vegetation, under rubble/logs/leaves/, in piles of sand etc (depending on the species) They may use similar features for hibernating, and are particularly vulnerable to disturbance at that time They often require complex mosaics of habitat which offer shelter, basking places and plentiful prey items and where they can optimise their temperature control.

20 So amphibians and reptiles can be detrimentally affected by development that: Damages any of the features in which they breed or hibernate Obstructs access to them, such as roads built across customary migration routes Results in the loss of important foraging areas Causes changes in water quality/quantity Reduces the structural diversity of habitats or simplifies the mosaic.

21 Surveys for amphibians involve: Torching Egg-searching Bottle trapping Timing is critical Surveys for reptiles involve: Tinning Hand searching Timing and temperature can be critical

22 Badgers Are found in many habitats, including grassland, woodland and arable, They live in large burrows called a sett sett, clans may live in these for centuries. They are omnivorous. They do not hibernate and so need to feed throughout the year

23 Badgers are under threat from development through: Destruction of or damage to setts Loss of foraging areas Disruption of traditional foraging routes Increased disturbance from people and dogs They are also subject to digging and baiting.

24 A survey for badgers prior to application involves searching for: Setts Latrines & snuffle holes Badger hairs Foraging trails & prints Scratching posts - and may require bait- marking

25 Otters Are found along rivers and streams and around ponds, where they live in cavities called holts which may be in rocks or under a pile of wood. They are carnivorous They may be faithful to breeding holts for several years Young otters will seek new territories, leading them to cross roads etc.

26 Otters are under threat from development that: Affects watercourses and ponds New roads that cross foraging or dispersal routes Pollution of rivers and streams Increases disturbance from people and dogs

27 A survey for otters prior to application involves searching for: Holts Spraints and sign heaps Tracks Feeding remains Slides

28 Water Voles Feed along watercourses and around ponds where they live in extensive burrow networks They are herbivorous They can breed throughout the spring and summer and do not hibernate Water voles are our most rapidly declining mammal and may become extinct in the next decade.

29 Water voles are threatened by development that: Affects streams, particularly canalisation and culverting Also pond destruction and infill Over-management of bankside vegetation can also be a serious issue Increases predation by cats

30 A survey for water voles prior to application involves searching for: Burrows and nests Latrines Tracks Feeding remains Runs and slides

31 Dormice Live in native, broadleaf woodlands that have a high proportion of hazel. They build small round nests from bark strip, grass and leaves. They are currently present in only one location in the County but may gradually colonise a wider area.

32 Birds All wild birds, their nests and eggs are protected. There are exceptions for some species at certain times of the year.

33 Certain species are given protection from reckless disturbance too, in Nottinghamshire these are: Regular breeders: Hobby, little ringed plover, kingfisher, quail, barn owl, woodlark, black redstart, common crossbill, black-necked grebe, goshawk, peregrine, Cetti s warbler. Past or potential breeders: bittern, garganey, marsh harrier, Montagu s harrier, honey buzzard, red kite, osprey, spotted crake, corncrake, black-tailed godwit, ruff, Mediterranean gull, Savi s warbler, firecrest,, bearded tit. Past or potential breeders:

34 Birds generally breed between early February and the end of August. Different species will nest in trees, buildings, hedges or on the ground. Disturbance and noise can reduce their breeding success.

35 Development can affect birds through: Direct loss of breeding, overwintering and foraging habitat Reduction in breeding success from disturbance and noise Displacement and increased competition for resources Increased exposure to predation Deaths due to new structures, such as overhead powerlines, turbines and plate glass.

36 Pre-application surveys should involve: Breeding bird survey Over-wintering bird survey

37 White-clawed crayfish Live in streams with moderate-good water quality They are often found hiding under rocks and large stones

38 White-clawed Crayfish can be threatened by development through: Habitat destruction Water pollution and reduction in flows Importation of non-native native crayfish eggs on plants and machinery working near watercourses Crayfish farming - which can lead to competition from non-native native species and infection from plague..

39 Surveys for White-clawed Crayfish can involve: Hand-searching under suitable features Torching Trapping Timing is important

40 Other Invertebrates Other invertebrates are not protected by law but there are many in the County that have been highlighted as being in decline and which are listed in the UKBAP. The diversity of habitats, both aquatic and terrestrial, in which they are found is too extensive to describe here, but often structural and habitat diversity is critically important Many species have annual life cycles and so are not robust to significant habitat change.

41 Invertebrates can be affected by development through: Direct loss of breeding, over-wintering and feeding habitat Indirect impacts from changes in hydrology, temperature, light/shade levels etc Reduction in breeding success from disturbance Displacement and increased competition for resources Increased exposure to predation

42 Surveys for Invertebrates can involve: Pitfall trapping Hand-searching Sweep-netting Trapping with lights Beating vegetation Netting aquatic habitats Timing and temperature is often critical and surveys should be carried out at least in spring and autumn.

43 Planners have a crucial role to play in securing gains for biodiversity through: Ensuring that you have comprehensive ecological information on which to base a determination Ensuring that damaging schemes are fully mitigated with sufficient ecological compensation to provide habitat or population enhancement Ensuring that any biodiversity gains can be secured in the long term

44 There are several mechanisms available: Conditions Section 106 agreements Tariffs and levies Land covenants Planning Gain Supplement?!

45 Wildlife Legislation is complex and overlaps with many areas of planning; both strategic and development control The decline of our habitats and species has meant that several aspects of legislation and guidance have been strengthened in recent years, to try to prevent further decline Nottinghamshire has many BAP priority habitats and species, including several species protected by law.

46 Development pressure in the County and the threat posed by climate change are significant drivers for the potential loss of further biodiversity Planners have a critical role to play both in preventing further loss and ensuring that there is biodiversity gain as a result of development decisions Biodiversity is a fundamental element of both Green Infrastructure and Environmental Capacity.