Download Appendix Cairngorm Plan - Aberdeenshire Council

APPENDIX 1
Habitat Action Plans
Farmland and
Grassland Habitats
- General Awareness
Raising
The Cairngorms Local Biodiversity Action Plan
Opportunities for Aberdeenshire Council to Support the Actions
Issues
Many agricultural habitats are of great
importance of biodiversity, but often get
undervalued due to their perceived
“artificial” nature
Solutions, Actions and Targets
Link awareness raising issues with the
wider Cairngorms Education for
Sustainable Development programme.
Establish a range of imaginative
interpretation projects to illustrate the links
between traditional farming and crofting
and the area’s rich biodiversity resource.
Farmland and
Grassland Habitats
- General Habitat loss
and fragmentation
Changes in overall landuse
Changes in management regimes
Habitat fragmentation or isolation
Encourage appropriate riparian and
boundary tree planting where appropriate.
Farmland and
Grassland Habitats
Boundary Features
- Habitat loss and
fragmentation
Much of the drystone dyke resource is
unmanaged & neglected and may be
disappearing.
Filling in of ditches and increased use of
pipes has removed many water filled
ditches.
Regular grass cutting, the use of herbicides
and increased disturbance due to the laying
of services can all damage the biodiversity
interest of boundary features.
Road widening and alignment has resulted
in the loss of traditional boundaries and
verges.
Inappropriate or unsympathetic
Relevant local authorities and private
companies should put back drystone dykes,
water filled ditches and hedges along new
alignments when carrying out road
maintenance in all future Cairngorms work
programmes.
Supporting
Initiatives
Comments/
Relevant Services
North East Local
Biodiversity Action
Plan (NELBAP)
Farmland Working
Group
Planning – Natural
Heritage
Team/Ranger
Service
Through
consultations
NELBAP,
Indicative Forestry
Strategy
Planning -Natural
Heritage Team
Transportation and
Infrastructure
Protection and restoration of drystone dykes
within the Cairngorms National Park should
be identified as a priority for action.
Roadside Verge
Landscape Services/
Habitat Action Plans
Issues
Solutions, Actions and Targets
management of roadsides and ditches can
damage the biodiversity interest of
boundary features.
Supporting
Initiatives
Comments/
Relevant Services
Policy – review and
development
Planning – Natural
Heritage Team
Montane, Heath and
Bog Habitats
General – Lack of
data/important
information
There is a lack of up-to-date information on
quality and management of some upland
habitats in the Cairngorms
There is a lack of basic information on the
ecology and current status of many
important species associated with montane,
heath and bog habitats in the Cairngorms
To allow informed decisions on existing
and potential important moorland areas
(including habitat corridors) commission a
strategic evaluation of the Cairngorms
moorland resource, i.e. a Cairngorms
Moorland Framework.
Cairngorms
Moorland Project
Planning – Natural
Heritage Team rep
sits on group
Montane, Heath and
Bog Habitats
General – Awareness
raising
Some of the montane, upland heath and bog
habitats are of great importance for
biodiversity, but often are undervalued
because of their ‘artificial’ nature (e.g.
upland heath) or poor public image (e.g.
blanket bog)
Major awareness raising and moorland
interpretation project to be undertaken.
Consider how best to raise awareness of
montane and bog issues.
Encourage all partners to publicly
acknowledge the importance of appropriate
montane, heath and bog management for
biodiversity conservation in the
Cairngorms.
Cairngorms
Moorland Project
Planning – Natural
Heritage Team rep
sits on group
Ranger Service
Montane, Heath and
Bog Habitats
General – Access to
appropriate policy and
funding sources
Many managers wish to carry out activities
beneficial to biodiversity, but are
constrained by a lack of suitable funding
sources.
Cairngorms
Moorland Project
Planning – Natural
Heritage Team rep
sits on group
Montane, Heath and
Bog Habitats
General – Direct
habitat loss and
Change in use.
Habitat fragmentation or isolation.
“Inappropriate developments” quarries,
bulldozed tracks, wind farms and
A pilot moorland management scheme to
fund appropriate activities that provide
tangible biodiversity benefits should be
undertaken on a 3 year trial basis.
The local partners should consider how best
to take forward strategic, objectives for the
montane and bog habitats in light of the
current absence of any relevant local
stakeholder group.
A Cairngorms Moorland Framework should
be undertaken. – to complement the
Cairngorms Forest and Woodland
Framework as a strategic planning tool to
Cairngorms
Moorland Project
Planning – Natural
Heritage Team rep
sits on groups
Habitat Action Plans
Issues
Supporting
Initiatives
Comments/
Relevant Services
Eastern Cairngorms
Access Project
(UDAT and Angus
Council)
Marr Chair Member
of the UDAT also
Planning – Natural
Heritage Team
Encourage everyone to follow the ‘if you
take it in, then you take it out again’
principle adopted in other national park
areas to reduce waste.
Ensure adequate distribution of the leaflet
‘Where to go in the Outdoors’ amongst
walking groups, tourists and all those likely
to be in the Cairngorms montane habitats.
Eastern Cairngorms
Access Project
(UDAT and Angus
Council)
Marr Chair Member
of the UDAT also
Planning – Natural
Heritage Team
Significant habitat damage has occurred
due to the lateral spreading of some
footpaths and general trampling of some
sensitive habitats. The number and
distribution of mountaineers/climbers and
walkers using the high tops in the
Cairngorms have caused this.
There is increasing concern that
mountaineers/climbers ‘gardening’ and
removing turf of cliff areas may have or be
causing significant damage to refuge areas
for several rare plant species – particularly
where new routes are being created, or off
–route forays at times when the vegetation
is not frozen.
There are no quick fixes to these problems,
which should be seen as biodiversity issues
as well as amenity ones. However, there are
three areas where significant progress has
been made to date and where effort should
be targeted
- Good knowledge of the locations of the
problems and the sensitive habitats.
- Advice, education and awareness raising
of walkers and mountaineers.
- Development of technical solutions,
availability of competent contractors to
carry out path works
Eastern Cairngorms
Access Project
(UDAT Partners
and Angus
Council)
Poor management of multiple use water
All partners should support the
3 Dee Vision
fragmentation
communication masts.
Montane, Heath and
Bog Habitats
General –
Inappropriate
management
Localised disturbance and resulting damage
to sensitive species, for example, humans
and their dogs may disturb breeding birds
away from their nests and chicks making
them more vulnerable to predation and
inclement weather conditions.
Localised contamination from human waste
and litter
Montane, Heath and
Bog Habitats
General – Climate
change and pollution
Montane, Heath and
Bog Habitats
Montane
Wetland and Water
Solutions, Actions and Targets
protect important moorland areas and help
the appropriate siting of any new woodland
areas.
Local partners should carry out a strategic
review on recreational management to
consider minimising localised disturbance
on sensitive montane, heath and bog species
throughout the Cairngorms
Ranger Service
Marr Area Chair is
a Member of the
UDAT Board also
rep from Planning –
Natural Heritage
Team
Ranger Service
Planning and
Habitat Action Plans
Issues
Solutions, Actions and Targets
Habitats
General – Catchment
management
bodies where activities are not sensitively
managed and where surrounding habitats
are inappropriately managed or neglected.
Changes in surrounding landuse.
Habitat fragmentation
development of, and initiatives towards,
integrated CMPs for all the Cairngorms
river catchments and sub-catchments.
Ensure all governmental and
non-governmental partners consider the
impact of current and future potential land
use changes in integrated catchment
management plans.
Wetland and Water
Habitats
General – Changes in
hydrology
Flood alleviation. Appropriate ‘soft’
engineering/management of floodplains is
considered more effective and
environmentally beneficial than large-scale
‘hard’ engineering works.
Inappropriate dredging/channel deepening
and river engineering
There should be a presumption against
‘hard engineering’ flood alleviation works
on all water bodies. (It is accepted that
under certain circumstances
‘hard-engineering’ may be necessary and
practical guidance can be provided by
SEPA/SNH to ensure minimal damage).
There should be a presumption against new
buildings in floodplain areas. This should
be taken forward through Local Plans and
other relevant mechanisms.
The temporary water storage capacity of
natural floodplains should be evaluated and
then highlighted to local people through
raising the profile of the natural role of
floodplains to store flood water.
Promotion of flood management should
allow watercourses to flood into their
natural floodplain.
Ensure that environmental assessments are
carried out on all proposed physical
watercourse developments to ascertain the
potential impacts on key species and
habitats e.g. Freshwater pearl mussel
Supporting
Initiatives
Comments/
Relevant Services
Project (North Sea
Region Interreg)
Partners – A’shire
Council, SNH,
SEPA, Scottish
Water, Macaulay
and Uni. of
Aberdeen
River Dee CMP
now being
developed
Aberdeenshire
Council/North East
Rivers Project
Publications
Environmental
Services –
Environment Section
Transportation and
Infrastructure –
Structures Section
-
Works to
Watercourses
and their
Banks/Flooding
Issues
North East
Scotland Flood
Appraisal Group
Transportation and
Infrastructure –
Structures Section
Planning and
Environmental
Services – Policy
Section/
Development
Control
Policy in NEST and
ALP
T&I Structures
Section have
commissioned –
“Generic
Ecological Impact
Transportation and
Infrastructure –
Structures Section
Habitat Action Plans
Issues
Solutions, Actions and Targets
Supporting
Initiatives
Comments/
Relevant Services
Assessment for
Civil Engineering
Works in or
Adjacent to
Watercourses”
Wetland and Water
Habitats
General – Climate
change and pollution
Localised contamination from road surface
runoff, organic matter, silt, heavy metals
and cooling water discharges.
Poor water quality.
For example,
eutrophication (inc. cyanobacterial blooms)
primarily caused by nitrates/phosphates in
sewage and agricultural runoff or forestry
use of fertilisers, may result in increased
plant growth and domination by a few
vigorous species, leading to an overall loss
of biodiversity.
Localised human excrement pollution.
For example, localised microbiological
contamination of watercourses near
well-used bothies and camping sites or
poorly
functioning
septic
tanks
downstream of skiing areas may pose
threats to human health and aquatic flora
and fauna.
Deliberate rubbish dumping.
Relevant partners should continue
monitoring of sensitive water bodies, such
as Loch Skene and Loch Davan Continue
with appropriate monitoring and research to
aid identification of the factors responsible
for algal blooms in affected areas.
3 Dee Vision
Project (North Sea
Region Interreg)
SUDS required by
NEST and ALP
Ensure that future growth in residential
and tourist accommodation is addressed River Dee CMP
by long-term planning in capacity
management especially in relation to the
protection of key species and habitats.
For example, this should be taken
forward through Local Plans and other
relevant mechanisms. Assess what moves
can be made to mitigate localised effluent
problems associated with private septic
tanks.
The problems associated with surface
runoff from roads and car parks should be
considered and tackled through the
inclusion of SUDS in all future
developments.
Maintain the highest grade water quality
status for all waste waters entering all
Cairngorms watercourses. For example,
Planning and
Environmental
Services
–Environment
Section
Transport and
Infrastructure –
Structures Section
Planning and
Environmental
Services – Policy
Section
Transport and
Infrastructure –
Structures Section
Habitat Action Plans
Issues
Solutions, Actions and Targets
Supporting
Initiatives
there is a need to consider the impacts of
the constituents of road surface runoff
water (salt, oil, metals, rubber etc.) on
aquatic habitats and key species
Ensure adequate distribution of the leaflet
Eastern Cairngorms
‘Where to go in the Outdoors’ amongst
Access Project
walking groups, tourists and all those likely
to be in the Cairngorms.
Wetland and Water
Habitats
General – Fisheries
management
Wetland and Water
Habitats
General – Recreation
and tourism
Physical developments e.g. groynes and
artificial creation of ‘salmon pools’ may
impact on important species and habitats
including those of Salmon.
The introduction of fish, the removal of
natural predators, and the manipulation of
existing fish stocks can affect natural fish
populations, which in turn may alter plant
and invertebrate communities.
Due to the near ‘natural’ state of many of
the Cairngorms watercourses, minimal
intervention should take place within the
river
channel
to
achieve
habitat
improvements.
Support and promote
moves towards environmentally sensitive
habitat restoration in denuded areas, such as
increased riparian woodland cover.
Ensure that environmental assessments are
carried out on all proposed physical
watercourse developments, including
aqua-culture, to ascertain the potential
impacts on key species and habitats.
North East LBAP
Rivers and
Wetlands Plan
Water-borne traffic can cause erosion,
damage to aquatic plants and increase
turbidity, contributing to enrichment and
the growth of algae.
Localised and concentrated recreation
pressure, both in time (weekends) and space
(popular riparian shores) on watercourses
and wetlands may cause disturbance to
flora and fauna and damage through
discarded litter e.g. fishing line and hooks
Use agreed recreational zoning of
watercourses and wetlands and use the
lessons learned on biodiversity decline on
Loch Morlich to inform management
decisions elsewhere..
Promote responsible recreational water use
with recreational users e.g. ‘Angling for
Change’ Note, conflicts that arise in
connection to uses of water are often more
do with friction between different forms of
recreation than with environmental damage.
Do not expand recreational opportunities
The forthcoming
Scottish Outdoor
Access Code
should assist in
promoting
responsible use.
Council Access
staff and Rangers
will be involved in
promotion and
awareness.
Comments/
Relevant Services
Planning - Natural
Heritage Team &
Ranger Service
Planning – Natural
Heritage Team
IFS promoting
riparian woodland
Planning – Natural
Heritage
Team/Ranger
Service
Habitat Action Plans
Issues
Solutions, Actions and Targets
into new areas and water bodies unless an
environmental assessment has been
undertaken. Future developments should
be assessed against the value of particular
sites for nature conservation (especially in
relation to important species).
Woodland Habitats
General – Awareness
raising
Woodland Habitat
Broadleaved
Woodland
Some planted woodland habitats are of
great importance for biodiversity, but often
are undervalued because of their perceived
‘artificial’ nature or poor public image (e.g.
planted conifer woodlands for Capercaillie
and Twinflower).
Woodland owners and managers need free
advice on all key BAP woodland habitats
and species in the area to enable them to
manage their land for the maximum benefit
of biodiversity
Ensure all woodland management follows
the best practice guidelines and advice
available issued by the FC (through their
various grant schemes) and other partners,
including the use of local provenance native
stock for planting.
Raise the profile of the contribution of
native and non-native productive woodland
to biodiversity of the Cairngorms by
encouraging all partners to recognise the
importance of well managed productive
woodland to biodiversity conservation in
the Cairngorms.
Link awareness raising issues with the
wider Cairngorms Education for
Sustainable Development programme.
Supporting
Initiatives
Comments/
Relevant Services
River Dee Access
and Fishing Project
Indicative Forestry
Strategy (IFS)
supports this action
Some conservation policy makers and land Raise the general awareness of policy IFS supports this
owners have under-valued the broadleaved makers and land managers to the strategic action
importance of broadleaved woodland,
woodland resource in the Cairngorms.
through a series of new workshops,
presentations and publications.
Use opportunities afforded by native pine
woodland action to raise the profile of the
importance of the broadleaved component
to Scotland’s remnant Boreal forest habitat.
Natural Heritage
Planners comment on
Scottish Forestry
Grant Scheme
(SFGS) grant
applications for
planting and felling.
Comments follow
policy in IFS.
Habitat Action Plans
Woodland Habitat
Wet/Riparian
Woodland
Issues
Solutions, Actions and Targets
A recent survey suggested that there was
widespread interest amongst owners in
restoring the favourable conservation status
of their riparian woodland for a range of
reasons, but two key constraints stopped
them from doing so: (1) Financial cost of
restoration, and (2) Loss of grazing land,
especially on the floodplain.
Target funding to take account of multiple
benefits of riparian woodland e.g. ensure
that financial incentives take account of the
extra establishment and maintenance costs
of riparian schemes.
Consider allowing the introduction of
targeted and controlled seasonal grazing by
cattle on larger floodplain schemes.
Encourage neighbour co-operation and joint
riparian schemes for more cost effective
and useful biodiversity benefits. This links
closely with objectives for key habitat
networks and links to be made between
different woodland patches
Supporting
Initiatives
Comments/
Relevant Services
The new Scottish
Forestry Grant
Scheme (SFGS)
Should help address
this