Roles

Landowners and managers:

• follow best practice in managing their lowland heathlands for wildlife;
• take up opportunities to restore or create heathlands where this does not damage other habitats.

Barnsley Council as planning authority:

• ensures in planning decisions that the biodiversity value of heathlands are maintained and enhanced.
• sets conditions to protect heathland in relevant planning applications

Conservation bodies:

• give advice and provide practical support in management of heathlands.

Natural England:

• gives advice on heathland management
• prevents damage to lowland heath in considering change of use applications.

Voluntary groups and volunteers:

• help with heathland management
• provide information about the condition of heathlands and wildlife recorded there

Lowland Heathland: Key objectives

• Raise awareness of the importance of Lowland Heath for biodiversity as well as for enhancing the landscape.
• Review the extent and condition of Lowland Heath in Barnsley
• Seek the creation of new Lowland Heathland sites and extension of existing sites, where not detracting from other habitats
• Promote positive conservation management practice for identified Lowland Heathland sites to bring them into favourable condition.
• Seek to create links and corridors between heath and other habitats
• Collect and analyse records of populations and assemblages of wildlife species in Lowland Heathland in Barnsley.
• Ensure that all suitable Lowland Heathland sites are within designated SSSIs or Local Wildlife Sites.

 Lowland Heath  Actions

What is being done?

• The Coalfield Heathlands Project worked partly in Barnsley. 2005-10
• Wharncliffe Heathlands Trust undertakes some scrub clearance and bracken control and maintains grazing of Wharncliffe Heath to the potential benefit of Nightjar
• Grazing and other management takes place at Wogden Foot (BMBC/YWT), Gypsy Marsh (RSPB).
• Lowland Heath in Littleworth Park; is under conservation management including birch scrub clearance. YWT/BMBC 2016-
• Surveys for reptiles and invertebrates have taken place.
  
  

Proposed actions

• Maintain inventories of Lowland Heathland
• Sites of high value and interest
• Sites with potential to be restored to priority status
• Assessment of condition of identified sites
• Analysis of records of wildlife species in Lowland Heathland sites. Every 3-5 years
• Prioritised programme of conservation through work with land owners and tenants, and input from developers.

Marking Progress

• Extent of Lowland Heath: number of sites / area
• Sites / area of lowland heath in favourable condition
• Sites /area in positive conservation management.
• Lowland Heath sites protected by SSSI, LWS or other designations.

Continued

• Agree and carry out prioritised Lowland Heathland LWS designation by 2025
• Lowland Heathland LWS in positive conservation management by 2025.