Management Proposals |
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Management Aims and Constraints |
Scrub and bracken encroachment into dwarf-shrub heath will ultimately result in loss of much of the conservation interest and landscape value (and will diminish the visitor experience). Soil nutrient enrichment under scrub and development of a deep bracken litter will make it increasingly difficult for dwarf-shrub heath to be recovered if present succession continues unchecked.
Increasing visitor pressure may be impacting upon the sites conservation interest. This requires confirming and quantifying, however. Localised visitor pressure means that many existing footpaths are suffering from erosion (some have become quite badly degraded) and new desire lines have formed in places. The apparent increase in numbers of horse riders and mountain bikes using the site has led to conflicts with other users and may be very damaging to footpaths and areas of sensitive vegetation.
Other than the Conveyance, there are several statutory acts and local bylaws which invoke obligations upon site managers. These are:
The main constraint during the last decade has been lack of funding. However, public opposition to a controlled grazing regime has also reduced management options. Clearly, if the conservation and landscape interest of Blackamoor is to be retained, and indeed enhanced, a good deal of ongoing work is required. Apart from scrub cutting and some footpath maintenance, which can be carried out by volunteers, most such work is costly, requiring suitably qualified staff and equipment/materials.
Management must be able to periodically close footpaths in order to rehabilitate them or prevent access to sensitive areas during the breeding season (when many species are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981). This may conflict with 4.2.3 above, and liaison with local user groups would be desirable before work programmes commence.
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Management Options and Objectives |
The recent, secondary woodland now provides an important wildlife habitat in its own right, helps diversify the landscape and improve the visitor experience. It is recommended that this developing habitat be left alone and monitored, except where exotic species provide opportunities for canopy diversification, or invasive species require control. The areas of mature Scots pine and larch in Blacka and Strawberry Lee Plantations are of some historic interest and some should be left to support bird species associated with conifers, such as siskin. These trees will probably eventually be lost to the developing deciduous woodland as there is little natural regeneration of these species on the site.
Development of scrub for nesting birds can be encouraged by clear felling some small coups (of non-native species) and allowing the generally abundant natural regeneration of rowan and ash to develop. The
woodland/moorland fringe should be rotationally managed to perpetuate scrub and scalloped to increase the extent of 'edge' habitat for species such as tree pipit. Some trees should be ring-barked and either left in situ or stacked to increase the amount of standing dead timber.
Rhododendron has some historic significance within Strawberry Lee plantation, is visually attractive when flowering and supports a range of invertebrates. Unfortunately, it appears to be slowly ousting the ancient alder/downy birch woodland. Measures should be taken to prevent its further spread and establishment outside the plantation, particularly in the event of a fire when its competitive ability will favour spread at the expense of the moorland communities. Ideally, some work should be undertaken in the Strawberry Lee Plantation to reduce its spread.
Dead wood is an important component of the woodland ecosystem and falls into a range of different categories, each of which can support a number of saproxylic invertebrate species or groups (see Whiteley, 1993). These include sun-baked wood, fungus infected bark, fine branches and twigs, stumps, standing hollow trees and large fallen timber. As one of the most important assets of the woodland, all standing dead timber should be retained (where this does not compromise public safety). Fallen wood should be left in a variety of conditions including sunny glades and under deep shade. Consider removing crowns of ring-barked trees to lessen risk of windthrow (where trees area close to paths).
Creation of creating public viewing points and rides along existing paths is desirable in places, in particular on the northern part of the site where views can be gained over Sheffield.
Control scrub encroachment onto the open moorland and into the neutral/calcareous grassland on the edge of Strawberry Lee Plantation. Scrub development will eventually increase soil nutrient status and consequently it will not be easily possible to re-establish dwarf-shrub heath where scrub has been long established.
Stands of bracken ultimately develop deep litter layers, eradicate field layer vegetation and will ultimately reduce the conservation value of the site if allowed to spread uncontrolled. ]be species is difficult and expensive to eradicate where firmly established and requires ongoing control in areas of encroachment. Consequently, the presently dense stands will be retained and control only implemented in areas where bracken appears to be actively encroaching. Therefore, the priority is to push back the advancing bracken front.
Heather communities on Blackamoor are mostly in the mature to degenerate growth stages. If left unmanaged dwarf-shrub heath may eventually decline, with grass, bracken and scrub invading into gaps and bare ground. All stages of the heather cycle are required in order to retain full diversity, from bare peats and mineral soil, through pioneer and degenerate stages.
Mowing and burning are two main alternatives in the absence of grazing. Burning requires large teams of experienced staff, poses a further fire risk in itself and may damage the invertebrate, lichen and bryophyte value of old heather stands. Mowing has several advantages and is the most appropriate option: it is less determined by weather and better regeneration is expected from the cut stumps (burning may actually kill older plants if the fire is sufficiently hot). A cutting programme is likely to reduce the fire risk by separating areas of woody heather by patches of younger pioneer growth and bare ground. Some diversification of the stand has already been achieved by cutting fire breaks and these can be used as a cost effective starting point for the new management regime.
A field archaeological survey is required during the first year of management to ensure that sensitive areas can be excluded from the cutting programme.
In view of the paucity of data on these habitats and the sensitivity of such plant communities to adverse changes in management, minimal intervention is recommended until more quantitative data can be gathered. Following baseline vegetation and hydrological surveys in Year 1, experimental bunds could be constructed to temporarily block ditches in key areas and create additional flushes, and an experimental programme of cutting could be implemented to control purple moor-grass and encourage diversification of the bog community. Winter grazing by cattle, controlled by temporary electric fencing, is a further option, but this would again require collection of baseline data and full liaison with Blackamoor user groups.
This area is intensively used by the public for a range of activities that require maintenance of short turf in some areas. The grassland would merit detailed botanical survey, as a number of species have been found recently which suggest that these fields may be largely 'unimproved' and be capable of recovery if managed sensitively. In particular, the southern-most section of this area (marked 'Totley Moor' on the maps) contains a stream and several wet flushes and may be quite species-rich. Future management would depend upon the results of a survey in Year 1, but could include hay cutting part of the site and implementation of a lighter grazing regime than at present.
To prevent damage to the conservation interest (and to comply with the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981) some visitor management and explanation of work programmes may be required to route visitors away from sensitive breeding bird areas. Some paths may require re-routing in the event of serious erosion or at time of greatest fire risk, and the erection of temporary sign boards may be required.
Interpretation will be an important element of the long-term use of the site. Some sign boards do exist, but these are inadequate and have been vandalised. An interpretation plan is beyond the scope of this review, however, and should be the subject of separate project for which funding should be sought.
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Management Prescriptions |
Manage open moorland by rotational mowing (where this will not damage the archaeological or ecological resource); control further bracken invasion into the moor by herbicide application; and scrub encroachment by cutting and hand pulling seedlings. Create a diverse scrub-heathland interface to benefit a range of breeding birds by removal of scrub, and young tree saplings.
Ancient woodland remnants, secondary woodland areas with high conservation value and plantations of historic interest will be maintained to develop as non-intervention areas (except where trees present public safety considerations). Diversify key areas by selective thinning, group felling, and creation of rides, glades and dead wood habitats.
In the short term, visitor pressure will be managed by small-scale rerouting of paths during periods of greatest fire risk and where footpath rehabilitation work is required. Wardening during periods of greatest fire risk may be an important element of management. An access and education plan should follow production of this management plan and visitor pressure and its impact on the conservation interest addressed more fully.
All felling/spraying work should be undertaken outside the bird breeding season (April to mid July). Arrival of migrants and commencement of breeding may vary annually and the site manager will, therefore, need to be familiar with the site as a result of regular visits or take advice from field workers.
Each woodland block is dealt with separately below:
Block 1
Block 2
Block 3
Block 4
Block 5
Block 6
Block 7
Blocks 8 and 9
Notes:
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Survey, Monitoring and Review |
Monitor bird populations using transects or points counts in the same moorland (both bracken and dwarf-shrub heath) and woodland fringe areas each year. Pay particular attention to areas zoned for future management and those presently under management. Data is required in the same key management areas annually in order to evaluate the response of bird populations to the management programme and to allow the programme to be refined as required.
Liase with Sorby Natural History Society bird recorder and bring in additional workers to supplement existing efforts if required. Ideally use the same recorder/s each year to prevent recorder bias. Undertake evening surveys for nightjar from year 2 onward, following the implementation of key woodland edge work. Collect quantitative data annually on the success of the nestbox programme in attracting target species (long eared owl).
Obtain annual baseline data on populations of key RDB reptiles and monitor annually in areas affected by management. Survey in spring or autumn, paying particular attention to SE facing banks, dense bracken beds in sheltered, sunny areas and potential hibernacula (such as log piles). Liase with the Sheffield City Ecology Unit, City Museum, Weston Park.
Monitor changes in the key heathland invertebrate fauna: obtain annual data on populations of key target species if possible (see Section 3.5 (5). Liase with the Sheffield Environmental Records centre, City Museum, Weston Park and Sorby Natural History Society Invertebrates Group.
Collect baseline data using the NVC on key wetland plant communities and grasslands, in particular Cowsick and Strawberry Lee field areas and survey populations of key species annually. This is required in order that the response of key species and plant communities to management can be understood and the work programme refined. Key species include bog asphodel, sundew, lesser skullcap (see Section 3.5 (3).
Collect quadrat data on the impact of the scrub cutting and bracken control programme but use of permanent quadrats, initially randomly placed within the control zones. Percentage cover data should be collected for each target species (i.e. bracken and dwarf shrubs). Minimum requirement is the establishment of annual fixed point photographic record (using 5Omm lens).
Undertake regular monitoring of path condition. Ensure work is sympathetic to natural environment and unobtrusive (use local materials e.g. crushed sandstone).
Collect data on visitor numbers, activities and impact on nature conservation resource.
Develop access plan based on (4) above.
Purchase temporary signs to allow rerouting of paths in event of breeding birds, fire, footpath erosion.
Develop volunteer ranger programme in liaison with local groups
Commission and develop interpretation plan with on site facilities and co-ordinated education programme involving local schools.
If the bracken spraying (Azulox) programme is expanded in future the proposed areas will require vegetation survey to ensure sensitive species are not adversely affected.
Moorland lichen communities may be of regional interest, as demonstrated by surveys of nearby moorland and the lack of burning on the site and should be undertaken during the first year of this programme.
Periodic assessment of vegetation change using aerial photographs and ground truthing will be extremely valuable and is a cost effective method of monitoring. The availability of recent photographic records will of course dictate the periodicity of the work.
Hydrological data is required for the Cowsick and other flushed areas (in particular the southern section of Strawberry Fields), prior to experimental management work being undertaken. Ibis should be sufficiently detailed to allow an experimental plan of wet flush creation to be produced. Liase with Sheffield University Geography Department (Dr. Andrew Baird/Dr. Louise Heathwaite).
A full evaluation of the field archaeology is required, in particular in the western moorland sections, prior to vehicular work being undertaken. This would also be essential for effective interpretation.
All on-site work should be recorded (by the site manager or warden/ranger responsible) and the locations of each project added to a base map of the site, in order that the effectiveness of the work in achieving the objectives can be assessed. Details of each project should be entered on a blank form. A brief annual report complete with appended forms and base maps will ensure that the objectives within the plan are being met.
Review the management plan at end of a five year period and assess the success of the management and monitoring programmes. The descriptive sections and formulation of objectives should remain unaltered, the prescriptions should be flexible and may well alter depending upon the success or otherwise of the current management programme, successional changes, extrinsic changes, staffing levels and new ecological information. Include the following information;
Extent of priority habitats and change over 5 years
Population levels and trends of key species
Work undertaken and whether objectives achieved
New information obtained
Revised work programme
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