Biodiversity
Action
Plan
Conservation. Although Lowland heathland is rather scarce and fragmented in Barnsley, and may suffer from neglect or overgrazing, there is potential for restoration and conservation.
Factors causing loss or decline
- Lowland Heathland has been lost to agriculture, forestry, quarrying, and development and these are still pressures on the remaining lowland heath, now including pressure from recreation.
- Neglect and lack of traditional management techniques such as the controlled use of grazing animals and controlled burning bringing about reversion to scrub or woodland
- Agricultural ‘improvement’ by drainage, use of fertilisers, chemical controls etc and nutrient enrichment from surrounding land.
- Uncontrolled burning in some areas has caused habitat destruction and allowed other vegetation such as bracken to encroach.
- Disturbance of ground can enrich the soils which leads to a patchy development of gorse and bramble scrub.
- Fragmentation and loss of heathland habitat affecting associated species such as Nightjar and Common Lizard.
- Possible threat from infestations of heather beetle due to more frequent mild winters and wet springs.
Legal protection
National policies have a presumption against clearance of lowland heathland in favourable condition for other land uses and development.
Some areas of lowland heath in Barnsley are within sites designated as Local Wildlife Site.
LWS have a presumption against development and change of use but have no protection against operations that do not require planning consent.
Some Lowland Heathland is found within sites designated as the Dearne Valley Wetlands SSSI for the bird species they support. SSSIs have legal protection and certain operations require consent from Natural England.
The Defra Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA) Regulations may apply.
Activities on lowland 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
JNCC
Natural England
Lowland Heath Management handbook
Lowland heath management booklet
Buglife
Habitat management Lowland Heathland
Plantlife
Lowland Heath Conservation
Good practice
- Rotational, non-intensive management of different site areas to maintain a diverse structure and prevent succession to scrub and woodland
- Appropriate grazing is the main way of maintaining a mosaic of heathland structure; overgrazing will reduce the structural diversity and species richness of vegetation and the quality of the habitat.
- Burning even if controlled is probably not appropriate as a conservation management technique on the small areas of lowland heath in Barnsley.
- Manual clearance of scrub together with bracken control may be necessary.
- Reduce drainage, use of fertilisers, chemical controls etc and nutrient enrichment from surrounding land improvement
- Make sure that too much access by the public does not cause damage.
