Forest of Dean and
Wye ValleyForest of Dean and Wye ValleyNational Character Area
Forest of Dean and Lower Wye
Landscape Partnership
Lead partner/s
Forestry Commission and Natural England
Other partners
Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, Forest of Dean District Council, FWAG, Gloucestershire Orchard Group, RSPB, Wye Valley AONB, Butterfly Conservation.
Rational
The area is nationally important for its extensive woodland landscape and the unique assemblage of woodland birds that this supports. Of particular importance are the woodlands of the Wye Valley and the 800 hectares of oak trees that date from the early 19th Century. The history of the forest and its woodlands is long and complex and this has resulted in a high degree of landscape distinctiveness and a strong cultural identity. Approximately 35,000 people live in close proximity to the woodlands in this area and it is also an important tourist destination. A partnership project will enhance the local natural environment through the creation, expansion and maintenance of a network of sustainably managed woods, and associated open habitats such heathland/acid grassland, centred around the Statutory Forest of Dean. This will create a resilient forest ecosystem with a diverse range of habitat types, support the local economy and improve the quality of people's lives. Such a project will also support, develop and promote new local activities that celebrate the local culture, distinctiveness and biodiversity of this nationally important woodland landscape.
Lower Leadon Vale
National Character Area
Part Severn and Avon Vales, part South Herefordshire and Over Severn, part Forest of Dean and Lower Wye, including a small area of the Herefordshire Lowlands and Malvern Hills NCA.
Severn and Avon Vales Intergrated Biodiversity Delivery Area Partnership
Lead partner/s
Natural England
Other partners
Gloucestershire Orchard Group, Malvern Hills AONB, Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust
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Rational
This area is of particular importance for the traditional orchard and associated priority habitats such as neutral grassland and wood pasture. Perry pears are the longest living orchard tree (300yrs) and a distinctive feature of the Gloucestershire landscape. Perry orchards are particularly common around May Hill, where Evelyn (Pomona 1660) records suitable pears being selected from the wild pears growing in the district. Orchards with a mixture of apples, pears and plums were until 50 years ago associated with every farmstead and with many houses and cottages across the vales in Gloucestershire (west of the Cotswolds). A recent survey (2009) of Gloucestershire's traditional orchards revealed that only 2,108 ha remain (nearly a quarter of the national resource) in contrast with 5,903 ha of orchards in the county in 1939.
A partnership project to rebuild the mosaic of traditional orchards across the river vales of the Severn, Leadon, Avon and Wye linked by hedgerows with fruit trees, will provide a more extensive and robust habitat across the South West and West Midlands for those habitats and species associated with old orchards. The traditional orchard also provides a focus for social encounter, through the development of community orchards and group activities. The success of apple days, wassails, blossom trails and other orchard activities demonstrates public interest and involvement. Community orchards also serve to put people in touch with where their food comes from. A thriving orcharding community helps support the tourist appeal of the area, provides local products such as fresh fruit, preserves, perry, cider and juice and brings local employment opportunities. Orcharding is uniquely positioned to provide the chance of diversification for mainstream agriculture, whilst supporting a sustainable rural economy.
Severn Vale
National Character Area
Severn and Avon Vales
Wetlands West
Lead partner/s
Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust through the Severn Vale Living Landscape project, Gloucestershire Orchard Group and Gloucester City Council.
Other partners
FWAG, Gloucestershire County Council, Natural England, Stroud District Council, Tewkesbury District Council, Cheltenham Borough Council, Environment Agency, South Gloucestershire Council.
Rational
The Severn Vale holds a significant proportion of the county and regional lowland wet grassland (total project area in the long term - 11,000 hectares) and is a major wintering ground for important populations of swans, geese, ducks and wading birds. The area is also developing as a breeding area for key wader species. Old orchards also form a strong part of the traditional landscape character of the Severn Vale.
This area is part of a "wildlife highway" and the overall aim is to restore a continuous expanse of lowland wet grassland and other wetland habitats along the 30 mile stretch of the Severn floodplain as it flows through Gloucestershire. In addition there is a long term aim to rebuild the mosaic of traditional orchards across the Severn Vale, which will provide habitat connectivity across the vales of Gloucestershire and link orchard habitat across the SW and into the West Midlands. A socio-economic strand is also being developed which aims to promote products from the area (local meat, willow products, fruit, cider and perry etc), this will help support the local economy and tourist opportunities in the area. In addition, increased recreational opportunities are also being drawn up through the provision of Green Infrastructure planning.
The long term aim will be to connect the county SNAs with those in South Gloucestershire and Worcestershire's Biodiversity Opportunity Area's thus linking up coastal and floodplain grazing marsh habitat. Restoring this wetland ecosystem will bring a range of benefits, including natural flood defence.
This aim for this area is to bring together the work of the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust's Severn Vale Living Landscape Project and the Gloucestershire Orchard Group's orchardscape vision (a mosaic of traditional orchards stretching across the vales of Gloucestershire) with the Green Infrastructure Plans for Gloucester City Council, Tewkesbury District, Cheltenham Borough Council and Stroud District Council. Also included are the work programmes of Severnside project (Gloucester City Council) and Stroud Valleys Project.
Cotswold Escarpment
National Character Area
Cotswolds
Cotswolds Ecological Network Partnership
Lead partner/s
Cotswolds AONB
Other partners
Forestry Commission, Woodland Trust, Natural England, FWAG, Plantlife, Butterfly Conservation, Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, Gloucestershire Naturalist Society, National Trust, Gloucestershire County Council, local conservation groups, NFU, Stroud Valleys Project.
Rational
The Cotswolds, within the south west region, contains just over half the country's species rich limestone grassland. It has also been identified as one of 5 Ancient Woodland Priority Areas in the SW region, of particular importance are the beech woods. Both the woodland and grassland occur as a mosaic with a strong interrelationship vital for biodiversity. The geology, geomorphology and landscape history provides the opportunity to create a significant wildlife corridor. The western edge of the Cotswolds stands out regionally and trans-regionally as a potential 80 mile corridor between Bath and Mickleton allowing grassland and woodland species to move to a new climate space in terms of aspect and latitude, enabling adaptation to climate change.
The area is already a hotspot where millions of people realise the mental and physical health benefits of enjoying a "natural" environment and more work is intended. It is within the Cotswolds AONB, which receives approximately 23 million visitors a year, and the Cotswold Way National Trail follows the route of the corridor. It contains a concentration of commons with a long history of public access as well as a great deal of access land.
The long term aim is to improve the condition of the grassland and woodland and link the SNA's which already contain significantly large sites such as Crickley Hill and Barrow Wake, Leckhampton Hill, Charlton Kings Common, Cleeve Common and the Stroud Commons to build a corridor of cross regional significance. The benefits of restoring this landscape include supporting the local economy through tourism and local produce such as beef, lamb and venison and wood fuel. Ecosystem service delivery is through permanent pasture and woodland as a carbon store and providing soil protection, flood prevention (absorbing excess rain fall), improved air quality (trees removing pollutants) and oxygen production.
ValleysCotswolds River Valleys
National Character Area
Cotswolds
Cotswolds Ecological Network Partnership
Lead partner/s
Cotswold AONB, Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust
Other partners
Environment Agency, FWAG, Cotswold AONB, Cotswold Water Park Trust, National Trust.
Rational
Draining the dip slope of the Cotswolds, the river corridors link the huge biodiversity resource of the Cotswold Hills with the Internationally important Cotswold Water Park where they flow into the River Thames. Most of the Cotswold rivers represent key examples of oolitic limestone rivers and have high biodiversity value and are of national importance. Their integrity is threatened by inappropriate management leading to diffuse pollution of the watercourses. Much of the land management work required to improve the condition of the catchment is associated with the adjoining calcareous grassland SNAs which support limestone grassland - the vast majority of which in England occurs in the Cotswolds.
The long-term aim for the area is the rehabilitation of the rivers through activities such as the buffering of water course to reduce diffuse pollution in line with Water Framework Directive. This will improve water quality and help enable the recovery of priority species such as the water vole. The Cotswold rivers are intimately linked with the grassland and woodland habitats of the Cotswold Hills and their rehabilitation will provide resilience to the area through creating an ecological connectivity network. A strong theme to facilitate delivery is local community engagement and education, which is centred on the plight of the water vole to raise awareness of the issues in the area.
Cotswold Water ParkNational Character Area
Upper Thames Clay Vales
Lead partner/s
Cotswold Water Park Society and Natural England
Other partners
Environment Agency, FWAG, Wildlife Trusts, Local Authorities, RSPB, Buglife, Pond Conservation, British Dragonfly Society, Vincent Wildlife Trust, Local Bat Groups.
Rational
The current biodiversity interest of Cotswold Water Park is a result of a combination of factors. Low intensity farming on a few key sites has maintained flower rich meadows while mineral extraction has led to the formation of marl lakes which support a wide diversity of aquatic plants. The area is also nationally important for wintering and breeding wetland birds as well as regionally significant for many other aquatic species.
The long-term aim will be the creation of an open floodplain landscape connected by flooded gravel pits creating a unique wetland complex between Cirencester and Swindon. With appropriate restoration the landscape will have the potential to remain resilient to the extremes of climate change, acting as a 'reservoir' at the head of the Thames to reduce the severity and speed of flooding to Oxford and beyond, whilst acting as a refuge for wetland wildlife during times of drought.
The development of a Green Infrastructure Plan for the area, linking the water park with Swindon will enhance local access and footpaths, visitor facilities and recreational facilities including water sports.
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