| Tayside Biodiversity - Tayside
Biodiversity Action Plan - Farmland - Wet Grassland |
|
 |
CURRENT FACTORS CAUSING LOSS OR
DECLINE
Drainage of land for agriculture, alteration of flooding regimes, lowering of
water levels, nutrient loading, inappropriate grazing or cutting and abandonment
all affect wet grassland habitats. Further factors may be classified as follows: |
Widespread
effects
Agricultural intensification, including drainage and re-seeding
Neglect and decline of traditional management
Declines in the national cattle
herd
Possible localised effects
Industrialisation and urbanisation
Salt water flooding due to sea level rise
|
|
MAIN THREATS TO KEY
SPECIES
| Otter |
incidental mortality, primarily
by road deaths |
| UK Importance of Tayside
population: |
moderate |
| Redshank |
loss of habitat, especially
through wetland drainage
disturbance of nesting sites
afforestation |
| UK Importance of Tayside population: |
moderate |
| Curlew |
loss of habitat
disturbance of nesting sites |
| UK Importance of Tayside population: |
moderate |
| Snipe |
loss of habitat, especially
through wetland drainage |
| UK Importance of Tayside population: |
unknown |
| Skylark |
loss of habitat
changes in farming practices |
| |
high |
Short-eared
Owl |
loss of habitat
lack of prey |
| |
unknown |
| Common Frog |
loss of habitat, especially through
wetland drainage |
| |
unknown |
Brackish water
crow-foot |
loss of habitat |
| |
unknown |
| Pillwort |
loss of habitat, especially through
drainage of wetland and ponds |
| |
moderate |
|
OPPORTUNITIES
AND CURRENT ACTION
Legislation
and designation
Areas may be notified as SSSI, SPA, SAC, RAMSAR sites.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency and Scottish Water
have some conservation duties inherited from predecessor organisations.
These bodies have statutory responsibilities for pollution
control and prevention.
Incentive schemes
Rural Stewardship Scheme prescriptions encouraging sympathetic
management of wet
grassland exist but could be further promoted. |
|
OBJECTIVES AND TARGETS
Objectives |
Targets |
1 |
Ensure no net loss in area or reduction
in quality of wet grassland in Tayside, accounting for natural
processes. |
No net loss in area or reduction
in quality of the habitat by 2007. |
2 |
Establish the location, extent and quality of
existing and potential areas of wet grassland. Identify areas
that could be restored. |
Identify and survey all substantial (c.10ha.
+) wet grassland areas by 2003.
Identify areas of this habitat which could be restored by 2003. |
3 |
Restore areas of degraded habitat in identified
areas (see Objective 2). Set a target area for re-instatement
to be reached by 2007. |
Begin restoration of degraded habitat by 2003.
Set a target for restoration by 2002. |
4 |
Produce integrated management plans that promote
the maintenance and enhancement of the biodiversity of wet
grassland. Incorporate them into other plans such as Catchment
Plans, as appropriate. |
The inclusion of wet grassland management within
individual Rural Stewardship Scheme plans. The inclusion of
wet grassland
management within other plans relating to other LBAP priorities. |
5 |
As a matter of priority set up a programme of
events to raise awareness of wet grassland, its importance
and the need for its conservation in Tayside. Establish best
practice resource for use by practitioners. |
Set up awareness and education programme by
2003. |
|
Stakeholders
| Landowners,
land managers and advisers, statutory bodies, general public. |
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