Acid Grassland: Key objectives

• Raise awareness of the importance of Acid Grassland for biodiversity
• Review the extent and condition of semi-natural Acid Grassland in Barnsley.
• Promote good management practice for semi-natural Acid Grassland and seek to maintain its extent.
• Seek the creation of new, and extension of existing, semi-natural Acid Grassland.
• Seek to create links and corridors between semi-natural Acid Grassland and other habitats
• Collect and analyse records of populations and assemblages of wildlife species in semi-natural Acid Grasslands across Barnsley
• Ensure that all suitable semi-natural acid grassland sites are identified as Local Wildlife Sites or SSSIs.

Roles

Landowners and managers:

• Maintain and enhance acid grassland habitat through positive conservation management.
• Take up opportunities to restore acid grassland habitat where this does not damage other priority habitats.

A number of organisations including land fill bodies may offer grants for acid grassland management, enhancement and restoration. It is also part of environmental land management schemes

Natural England:

• Administers environmental land management schemes for maintaining and enhancing acid grassland priority habitat
• Where it is intended to change the use of unimproved grassland this should be subject to a change of use application to Natural England.

Barnsley council as a planning authority:

• ensures in planning decision that the biodiversity value of grasslands are maintained and enhanced.
• sets conditions to protect priority grassland and require EIAs where appropriate.

Voluntary groups and volunteers

• help with meadow creation, extension and management where appropriate.
• provide information about the condition of grasslands and wildlife recorded there

Marking Progress

• No reduction in extent of unimproved or semi-improved grassland
• Grassland restored or created to meet priority habitat criteria.
• Grassland in conservation management / favourable condition.

What has been done?

• Some species-rich meadows have been restored or maintained by private individuals, farmers, charities and local community groups.
• Friends of the Earth Penistone have created a number of meadows.
• Transpennine Trail conservation volunteers with Barnsley council rangers have been active in creating and managing wild flower grassland areas along the TPT.

Proposed actions

• Project to identify Acid Grassland sites and maintain inventories of
• unimproved and semi-improved sites
• sites of high value and interest
• sites with potential to be restored to priority status
• Conduct assessment of condition of identified sites 2022-5
• Analysis of records of wildlife species in grassland sites. Every 3-5 years.

Continued

• Carry out prioritised programme of conservation and restoration through work with farmers and land owners
• Agree and carry out prioritised grassland LWS designation 2022-
• Additional grassland LWS in positive conservation management by 2030

Acid Grassland Actions