ACTIONS

Key objectives for Upland Heathland:

• Raise awareness of the importance of Upland Heath for biodiversity.
• Review the extent and condition of Upland Heath in Barnsley.
• Maintain and increase the extent of Upland Heath, where not detracting from other habitats such as Blanket Bog
• Seek the restoration and conservation management of Upland Heath to bring it into favourable condition.
• Seek to create links and corridors between heathland and other habitats
• Collect and analyse records of populations and assemblages of wildlife species in Upland Heath in Barnsley
• Ensure that all suitable areas of Upland Heath in Barnsley are within designated SSSIs or Local Wildlife Sites.

Roles:

Landowners and tenants:

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

Peak District National Park or Barnsley Council as planning authority:

• Set conditions in relevant planning applications to ensure that the biodiversity value of heathland sites are maintained and enhanced.

Natural England:

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

Nature and conservation bodies:

• give advice and provide practical support in management of heathland

Moors for the Future is a programme active in the Dark Peak.  

Voluntary groups and volunteers:

• help with heathland management
• help with information about the condition of heathlands and provide records of the wildlife in them.

What is being done

• Limited conservation management.
• Conservation management as SSSI
• Survey of Western Moors LWS 2014
• 
  

Proposed actions

• Maintain inventory of Upland Heathland sites, their status and ownership.
• Encourage landowners and tenants participation in conservation management including environmental schemes.
• Work to achieve upland heathland sites in or approaching favourable condition.
• Monitor upland heathland for
• Mountain hare
• Green Hairstreak
• Common Lizard and Adder
• Curlew, Nightjar, Cuckoo, Ring Ouzel

 Upland Heathland Actions

Marking Progress

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

Continued

• Conservation management of heathland at Banks renewable site as offset net gain compensation. 2022-3