Calver Marshes Wildlife Project
Calendar of Walks for 2006
Saturday April 29th Birds
A leisurely walk along the River Derwent looking at birds sighted around the area.
Time: 9-11am Meeting Place: New Bridge, Calver
Leader: Tony Botham
Sunday June 18th Wild flowers
A short walk around the marshes and wet woodland focussing on wild flowers found here.
Time: 9.30-12.00am Meeting Place: New Bridge, Calver Leader: Steve Furness
Monday July 17th Insects
Catching and identifying insects around the marshes, with Sorby Invertebrate Group. Non-members welcome. Bring a packed lunch and drink if staying for the afternoon.
Time: 11am start Meeting Place: New Bridge, Calver Leader: Derek Whiteley
Monday July 17th Vision Project
A 2-mile leisurely evening walk along the River Derwent looking at wildlife, habitats and the weir. A Vision for Wildlife Walk in association with the Calver Weir Restoration Project.
Time: 6.30-9.00pm Meeting Place: Bridge Inn, Curbar Leader: Rebekah Newman
Sunday August 27th Fish
A novelty! Looking at fish found in the River Derwent and Stoke Brook.
Time: 9.30-12am Meeting Place: New Bridge, Calver
Leader: Steve Furness, Tom Lewis
Saturday September 23rd Moths
Moth watch on National Moth Night, with Sorby Moth Group. Non-members welcome. Warm clothing and hot drinks recommended.
Time: 8.30pm start Meeting Place: New Bridge, Calver
Leader: Frank Botterill
Sunday October 1st Fungi
Fungal foray around the area. Bring a packed lunch and drink if staying for the afternoon.
Time: 11am start Meeting Place: Calver Crossroads (slip rd)
Leader: Kevin Gilfedder
Sunday October 8th Mosses
A short walk around the area focussing on mosses.
Time: 9.30-12.00am Meeting Place: New Bridge, Calver
Leader: Steve Furness
Tuesday 28th November Harvest Mice
Searching the marshes for harvest mice nests, with Sorby Mammal Group. Non-members welcome. Gloves and wellies recommended.
Time: 11am start Meeting Place: New Bridge, Calver
Leader: Derek Whiteley
To book a place on any of the future walks please phone The Vision Project on 01629816397
Thursday, 22 February 2007
Calver Marshes Widlife Project
Calver Marshes Wildlife Project
Wetlands are now scarce in Britain as many have been drained for agriculture. Calver Marshes, with its adjacent streams, ponds and wet woodlands, is one of the finest areas of wetland in the Peak District. There is a wealth of wildlife including rare and vulnerable species.
Stoke Brook is important for water voles and brook lamprey, two nationally important species of conservation concern. Water voles are Britain's fastest declining mammal. They make nests in burrows in the stream banks. Brook lamprey are small fish, which make nests in the gravel at the bottom of the brook.
These species, and many other plants and animals, depend on clean, pollution-free water to survive. It is vital that residents and businesses upstream of the site act responsibly to ensure that no run-off that may harm these vulnerable species enters these waters. From limestone dust to domestic cleaning products, all pollutants can have a harmful effect on our special wildlife.
Conservation and Restoration Work
Work has been carried out over the last two years through the Peak District Vision for Wildlife Project to enhance the wetland area and so secure a better future for wildlife here.
Two ponds have been restored and one created to expand the habitat suitable for many animals. In 2005, ten uncommon dragonfly species were recorded using these ponds. Water voles were already visiting the new pond. It is hoped that the great crested newt will return from nearby locations and once again breed here. This species is declining through out Europe and is now internationally protected.
Fencing has been put up along stretches of the river Derwent to stop bank side erosion and loss of water vole nesting sites. Cattle grazing regimes aim to curb poaching. Fencing at Stoke Brook is to minimise disturbance to the spawning grounds of the brook lamprey.
Community groups and local rangers have been pulling up Himalayan balsam from the riverside and wet woodland. This non-native plant spreads quickly and out-competes many native species. Students from Lady Manners ‘Green Group’ are helping to monitor and protect the rare yellow loosestrife here.
The survival of Calver Marshes is ultimately dependent on Calver Weir. Already damaged, if the weir were to completely collapse the wetlands would drain and eventually dry out. The loss of wildlife would be devastating. Calver Weir Restoration Fund was set up by a group of concerned locals to raise funds for the full repair of the weir.
For more information on how special this site is contact our website on www.calverweir.org.ukFor more information on the Vision Project contact Rebekah Newman or Louise Valantine on 01629 816397
Wetlands are now scarce in Britain as many have been drained for agriculture. Calver Marshes, with its adjacent streams, ponds and wet woodlands, is one of the finest areas of wetland in the Peak District. There is a wealth of wildlife including rare and vulnerable species.
Stoke Brook is important for water voles and brook lamprey, two nationally important species of conservation concern. Water voles are Britain's fastest declining mammal. They make nests in burrows in the stream banks. Brook lamprey are small fish, which make nests in the gravel at the bottom of the brook.
These species, and many other plants and animals, depend on clean, pollution-free water to survive. It is vital that residents and businesses upstream of the site act responsibly to ensure that no run-off that may harm these vulnerable species enters these waters. From limestone dust to domestic cleaning products, all pollutants can have a harmful effect on our special wildlife.
Conservation and Restoration Work
Work has been carried out over the last two years through the Peak District Vision for Wildlife Project to enhance the wetland area and so secure a better future for wildlife here.
Two ponds have been restored and one created to expand the habitat suitable for many animals. In 2005, ten uncommon dragonfly species were recorded using these ponds. Water voles were already visiting the new pond. It is hoped that the great crested newt will return from nearby locations and once again breed here. This species is declining through out Europe and is now internationally protected.
Fencing has been put up along stretches of the river Derwent to stop bank side erosion and loss of water vole nesting sites. Cattle grazing regimes aim to curb poaching. Fencing at Stoke Brook is to minimise disturbance to the spawning grounds of the brook lamprey.
Community groups and local rangers have been pulling up Himalayan balsam from the riverside and wet woodland. This non-native plant spreads quickly and out-competes many native species. Students from Lady Manners ‘Green Group’ are helping to monitor and protect the rare yellow loosestrife here.
The survival of Calver Marshes is ultimately dependent on Calver Weir. Already damaged, if the weir were to completely collapse the wetlands would drain and eventually dry out. The loss of wildlife would be devastating. Calver Weir Restoration Fund was set up by a group of concerned locals to raise funds for the full repair of the weir.
For more information on how special this site is contact our website on www.calverweir.org.ukFor more information on the Vision Project contact Rebekah Newman or Louise Valantine on 01629 816397
Tuesday, 20 February 2007
Dobbin and Stoney Meadows Ecological Report
CONTENTS
l. FOREWORD
2. INTRODUCTION
3. DOBBINS MEADOWS
4. STONEY MEADOWS
5. EVALUATION
APPENDIX
l Methodology
2 Species Lists
BIBLIOGRAPHY
LIST OF FIGURES
1A Vegetation Map of Dobbins Meadow OS Fields 8028 and 7534
1B Vegetation Map of Stoney Meadows OS Fields 3544,4738 and 5046
2 The National Distribution of Twin-Striped Cranefly
LIST OF PHOTOGRAPHS
1 Ragged Robin
2 Common Spotted Orchid
3 Greater Tussock Sedge
4 Twin-Striped Cranefly
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thanks are due to Mrs Warren for allowing access to the land. Thanks to Sarah Montgomery for arranging the survey. Thanks also to Rhodri Thomas for photographs and general advice and to Alison Foster/Angie Johnson for assisting with production of the report.
FOREWORD
Centuries of farming have made the Peak District what it is today, a place of such special value that its importance has been recognised by designating it a national park, one of Britain’s best-loved landscapes. The wildlife of the park makes a particularly important contribution to the character of this landscape, whether it is the expanses of ‘wild’ open moorland, flower-rich meadows or the call of the curlew. Farming and nature together have created a truly “living landscape”.
Much of the wildlife which we take for granted in the Peak District, such as flower-rich limestone dale grassland, ponds with Great Crested Newts, or extensive cottongrass bogs, is actually very uncommon or absent elsewhere in Britain. For other habitats and species, such as heather moorland and Red Grouse, Britain is the most important country in the world. Our conservation responsibilities therefore extend far beyond the bounds of the national park.
Many wildlife habitats depend on maintaining the traditional way in which the land has been farmed, much of our important wildlife has flourished because of traditional farming activities. However, the last 50 years has seen radical changes in farming at an unprecedented pace encouraged by successive government policies. This in turn has led to loss of wildlife and habitats on a massive scale. Since the 1930’s it is estimated that in Britain we have lost:
· over 97% of our flower-rich grasslands
· 30-50% of our ancient woodland
· over 30% of our moorland
· over 140,000 miles of hedgerow
· birds such as Lapwing, Grey Partridge and Skylark have declined by 50-75%
· nearly half of our species of butterfly are declining or near extinction
· nearly 40% of our rarest plants have suffered substantial declines.
The most important habitats are usually those which have been managed traditionally for a very long period of time. They are an important part of our history and, once destroyed, are often irreplaceable.
In the Peak District our aim is to work closely with farmers, to help them look after the special character of the national park and its wildlife. In doing so it is important to protect both the rare and the more commonplace plants, animals and wildlife habitats which make the national park special. Lapwing, for instance, have declined by over 50% in Britain since the late 1970’s due to agricultural change. The national park has become a poorer place with the decline of this increasingly uncommon bird, and would be poorer still if it disappeared completely. It is only by working closely with the farming community that we can ensure the things we take for granted today do not become the memories of tomorrow.
This report has been compiled by the Board's Ecology Service to explain why your land is important for wildlife. I hope that you will find it interesting and informative, and that it explains why we value your help in managing the land sympathetically for wildlife. If you have any comments on the report, or wish to know more about the wildlife on your land, our Ecology Service will be pleased to help.
I would like to thank you for your support in helping to conserve the unique wildlife of the Peak District National Park.
MARTIN DOUGHTY
CHAIRMAN
2. INTRODUCTION
These two fields at Knouchley Farm represent a type of wildlife habitat which is fast disappearing from our countryside. At one time such wet, sedge-fen meadows would have been common, but extensive drainage has resulted in the loss of a large proportion of such sites throughout Britain.
Both fields support a variety of marshland plant communities with a number of wetland plant species which are now uncommon in the Peak Park, and this vegetation will also support a correspondingly uncommon collection of insects which frequent this type of habitat. Dobbins Meadow is also the only known site in the Peak District for the harvest-mouse, uncommon in northern Britain and declining nationally.
3. DOBBINS MEADOW
Meadows such as this are now very uncommon in the Peak District and are of great value to wildlife. Many of the plants which grow here, and especially those which can only grow in damp ground, are becoming increasingly uncommon throughout the country. In time gone by wildflowers such as cuckooflower, ragged-robin and marsh marigold could be found in damp corners of most farms, but nowadays, when most of these places have been drained, there are fewer and fewer places in which they can live
Marsh marigolds, also known as “May blobs” or kingcups, have brilliant yellow flowers like giant buttercups. They are very popular with a variety of insects, which are attracted by the large bright flowers to feed on the nectar. In folklore, farmers were said to hang marsh marigolds over the byres of their cattle on May day to protect them from the evil doings of witches.
Ragged-robin (photograph 1) is an attractive plant of wet ground. It is a tall slender herb with ragged pink flowers. It gets its name from the ragged look of its divided petals. The plant is restricted to marshes and wet grasslands. It is a poor competitor and soon lost from the sward if there is an increase in the availability of nutrients. Plants with robin in their name were often associated with goblins and it was considered unlucky to pick this plant.
Several plants found here are scarce in the Peak District, including marsh arrowgrass, fen bedstraw, common spotted orchid, southern marsh orchid and spiked sedge.
It is not just the individual plant species which are important in fields such as this. The fact that these plants combine to form a number of different plant communities, which make up a complex mosaic of vegetation, add greatly to the conservation value of the field.
A particularly important aspect of this meadow is that it is the only known site for the harvest-mouse in the Peak District. This little mouse, the smallest British rodent, has greatly decreased in numbers in recent years and is now rare in most parts of the country. It lives in thick vegetation where it climbs about looking for seeds and insects to eat. In the summer it needs tall vegetation in which it can build its summer nest, where it might raise several litters of young. These nests, slung between the stalks of tall grasses or other plants in order to keep them away from predators such as stoats and weasels, are constructed from bits of grass formed into a ball about l0 cm across.
4. STONEY MEADOWS
Like Dobbins Meadow, this field supports a number of plant communities and is even more botanically interesting, with an exceptional total of over l00 species of plant. The vegetation forms a mosaic of different grassland and marsh communities. Marsh communities, in particular, are now extremely scarce within the Peak Park. Extensive areas are dominated by lesser pond sedge, indicataive of calcareous groundwater conditions along the flood-plain of the Stoke Brook. Such types of marsh are particularly rare in the Peak District, and this is possibly the most extensive and diverse area of this habitat within the national park.
Perhaps the most attractive of all the wild flowers which grow here are the orchids notably, the common spotted orchid and the southern marsh-orchid. These two species belong to a group of orchids which are closely related. These species often hybridize with each other as at this site and it is difficult, even for the expert, to put a name to them.
Common spotted orchids (photograph 2) are striking plants with narrow lance shaped leaves and a spike of dense pink flowers. The flowers are visited by a wide variety of insects including bumble bees and hoverflies which gather the sugary nectar from the spur formed by the petals. In doing so they are responsible for pollination of the plant. Common spotted orchids are restricted to unimproved grasslands and nationally its population has declined as a result of agricultural improvement.
The southern marsh orchid can be a tall, handsome plant, to 70 cm high, with a long spike of up to l00 pink to magenta flowers. They can be found in flower in June and July. It is restricted to a handful of sites in the Peak District.
A number of plants of greater tussock sedge (photograph 3) occur at the eastern end of the field. This plant, which in the right conditions can live for a very long time and eventually produce enormous tussocks as big as an armchair, is now also confined to a handful of sites in the Peak District. It is also indicative of the calcareous groundwater conditons. Wood club-rush, another locally uncommon plant, is also present.
A great many species of insects are drawn here to feed, and to lay their eggs on the multitude of different wild flowers and grasses. Most insects are very restricted in their requirements; some butterfly caterpillars depend on only one kind of plant, so the more different kinds of plant there are in a field the more kinds of insect you will get. The nationally rare twin striped cranefly (photograph 4 and figure 2) has been recorded here, for example.
5. EVALUATION
This site is particularly valuable for its varied marsh and fen vegetation, which is particularly uncommon in the Peak Park, and includes one of the largest areas of pond-sedge fen in the Peak District. It is also the only known site in the Peak District for the harvest-mouse. There are many plant species here which are now becoming uncommon, both in the Peak Park and nationally. These are generally wetland species, or species of unimproved grassland, and include: southern marsh-orchid, ragged robin, wood club-rush, greater tussock-sedge, yellow-rattle, marsh-marigold, quaking-grass, marsh arrow-grass and fen bedstraw.
Overall this marsh may be the finest of its type remaining in the Peak District, and is of considerable nature conservation value.
These meadows are also of great value to insects and other invertebrates and abundant butterflies have been recorded on the site, the light grazing and varied plant communities providing excellent habitat.
APPENDIX 1. METHODOLOGY
The aim of the survey is to assess what types of vegetation are present, how extensive they are and what particular species are found there. This in turn enables us to provide better aadvice about how to manage the area for the benefit of wildlife. The survey has been done as follows:
i) Visually distinct communities are recorded on a sketch map. A community is defined as an assemblage of plants which exhibits the same dominant species and key plants (e.g plants which indicate special environmental conditions).
ii) For each community a list of plants is compiled. Each species is assigned a DAFOR rating according to its frequency in the sward. DAFOR scores are a subjective visual assessment of the occurrence of a plant throughout the area. (D = dominant, A = abundant, F = frequent, O = occasional, R = rare).
iii) A brief description of the community is then made, with reference to the type of vegetation, management and any other notable features. For example, grassland communities are readily categorised according to the tolerance of the majority of plants to soil conditions.
a) Acidic grassland, swards largely composed of those species tolerant of acidic, nutrient poor soils;
b) Calcareous grassland, refers to swards with a high proportion of plants which are tolerant of alkaline conditions. These soils tend to be shallow and well drained, supporting a range of lime loving plants.
c) Neutral grasslands, are those swards in the middle range, being neither acid or alkaline. Species here tend to have less exacting requirements for growth than those characteristic of the two extremes and such communities may contain a large number of species.
iv) Each community is assigned to a category within the National Vegetation Classification (NVC). This classification is based on a comprehensive survey of all vegetation types within the British Isles. This enables assessment of the vegetation in a national context.
Within any site the boundaries between vegetation types is not always distinct. Mosaics of vegetation and transitions between communities are common.
Finally, the site is assessed for its overall conservation value. This is based on a number of criteria:
i) The richness of the vegetation, the number of different species present.
ii) The diversity of the sward, the number of species present and their abundance. Thus, a site which supports a large number of species, many of which are frequent, will have a high diversity and thus a high conservation value.
iii) The presence of rare and interesting species. An individual plant may be important on a site for a number of reasons. For example, it may be nationally rare or rare within the Peak National Park. Other plants may be of interest where they occur in a habitat not normally associated with this species or where geographically the species is at the edge of its national distribution.
iv) A community may be of high ecological value if it is a good example or an unusual example of a particular vegetation type, either nationally or within the context of the Peak National Park.
In brief, those fields of low ecological interest tend to be relatively poor in species and often dominated by grasses rather than herbs. The species of grass present are usually those most competitive and productive, such as rye grass (Lolium perenne). Herbs are present but they tend to be those more robust species which are able to withstand the competition of the productive grasses on the site. Such herbs are common and occur in a wide range of vegetation types. In contrast, fields of high ecological interest contain the more unusual plants. These tend to be less competitive and often have very specific habitat requirements, such as soil and drainage conditions. Such plants are often more sensitive to changes in agricultural practices and therefore tend to be restricted to traditionally managed areas of land.
APPENDIX 2. SPECIES LIST
Species list for Dobbins Meadow (Fields 8028 & 7534)
Grasses
Cocks-foot
Common couch
Creeping bent
Creeping soft grass
Crested dogs-tail
False oat-grass
Meadow fescue
Meadow foxtail
Quaking-grass
Perennial rye-grass
Red fescue
Reed canary-grass
Rough meadow-grass
Sweet-grass
Tall fescue
Timothy
Yorkshire fog
Sedges & Rushes
Carnation sedge
Common sedge
Compact rush
False fox-sedge
Glaucous sedge
Hard rush
Jointed rush
Lesser pond-sedge
Soft rush
Spiked sedge
Star sedge
Ferns & Horsetails
Field horsetail
Marsh horsetail
Wood horsetail
Trees & Shrubs
Ash
Bramble
Elder
Elm
Rose
Willow
Herbs
American willowherb
Black knapweed
Bog stitchwort
Broad-leaved dock
Burdock
Bush vetch
Cleavers
Common mouse-ear
Common sorrel
Common spotted orchid
Creeping buttercup
Creeping cinquefoil
Creeping thistle
Cuckooflower
Dandelion
Fen bedstraw
Germander speedwell
Goats-beard
Greater birds-foot trefoil
Greater plantain
Great willowherb
Hedge woundwort
Hoary willowherb
Hogweed
Intermediate lady’s-mantle
Lesser celandine
Marsh arrowgrass
Marsh bedstraw
Marsh marigold
Marsh thistle
Marsh willowherb
Meadow buttercup
Meadow cranesbill
Meadowsweet
Meadow vetchling
Ragged-robin
Red clover
Ribwort plantain
Rosebay willowherb
Selfheal
Smooth lady’s-mantle
Southern marsh orchid
Square-stalked St John’s-wort
St John’s-wort
Tufted vetch
Water avens
Water figwort
Water forget-me-not
Wavy bitter-cress
White clover
Wild angelica
Yellow-rattle
Species list for Stoney Meadows (OS fields 3544, 4738 & 5046)
Grasses
Annual meadow-grass
Cocks-foot
Common couch
Creeping bent
Crested dogs-tail
False oat-grass
Meadow fescue
Meadow foxtail
Perennial rye-grass
Plicate sweet-grass
Quaking-grass
Red fescue
Rough meadow-grass
Small sweet-grass
Sweet vernal-grass
Tall fescue
Timothy
Tufted hair-grass
Yorkshire fog
Sedges & Rushes
Common spike-rush
Compact rush
False fox-sedge
Glaucous sedge
Greater tussock-sedge
Hairy sedge
Hard rush
Jointed rush
Lesser pond-sedge
Soft rush
Spiked sedge
Star sedge
Toad rush
Wood club-rush
Ferns & Horsetails
Field horsetail
Marsh horsetail
Wood horsetail
Trees & Shrubs
Ash
Beech
Elder
Elm
Hawthorn
Holly
Lime
Rose
Sycamore
Willow
Herbs
American willowherb
Autumn hawkbit
Black knapweed
Bog stitchwort
Broad-leaved dock
Brooklime
Bush vetch
Common field-speedwell
Common figwort
Common mouse-ear
Common nettle
Common ragwort
Common sorrel
Common spotted orchid
Creeping buttercup
Creeping cinquefoil
Creeping thistle
Crosswort
Cuckooflower
Curled dock
Daisy
Dandelion
Fools water-cress
Garlic mustard
Germander speedwell
Greater birds-foot trefoil
Greater plantain
Great willowherb
Ground-ivy
Hedge woundwort
Herb-robert
Hoary willowherb
Hogweed
Hybrid orchid
Ladys-mantle
Large bitter-cress
Lesser stitchwort
Marsh-bedstraw
Marsh marigold
Marsh thistle
Marsh willowherb
Meadow buttercup
Meadow cranesbill
Meadowsweet
Meadow vetchling
Oxeye daisy
Ragged-robin
Red clover
Redshank
Ribwort plantain
Rosebay willowherb
Selfheal
Smooth ladys-mantle
Spear thistle
Square-stalked St John’s-wort
Southern marsh orchid
Thyme-leaved speedwell
Tormentil
Tufted vetch
Water avens
Water cress
Water forget-me-not
Water mint
Wavy bitter-cress
White clover
Wild angelica
Wood avens
Wood dock
Yellow-rattle
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Anderson, P. & Shimwell, D., 1981, Wild Flowers of The Peak District, Moorland Publishing Company Ltd.
Clapham, A.R. (editor), 1969, The Flora of Derbyshire, Bemrose & Sons Ltd.
Grigson, G., 1975, The Englishmans Flora, Richard Clay (The Chaucer Press) Ltd., Suffolk.
Grime, J.P., Hodgson, J.G., Hurst, R., 1988, Comparative Plant Ecology, Oxford University Press.
Moss, C., 1913,Vegetation of the Peak District, University Press, Cambridge.
Perring, F.H. & Walters, S.M., 1990, Atlas of the British Flora, Botanical Society of the British Isles.
Press, J.R. et al, 1981, Field Guide to the Wildflowers of Britain, The Readers Digest Association Ltd., London.
l. FOREWORD
2. INTRODUCTION
3. DOBBINS MEADOWS
4. STONEY MEADOWS
5. EVALUATION
APPENDIX
l Methodology
2 Species Lists
BIBLIOGRAPHY
LIST OF FIGURES
1A Vegetation Map of Dobbins Meadow OS Fields 8028 and 7534
1B Vegetation Map of Stoney Meadows OS Fields 3544,4738 and 5046
2 The National Distribution of Twin-Striped Cranefly
LIST OF PHOTOGRAPHS
1 Ragged Robin
2 Common Spotted Orchid
3 Greater Tussock Sedge
4 Twin-Striped Cranefly
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thanks are due to Mrs Warren for allowing access to the land. Thanks to Sarah Montgomery for arranging the survey. Thanks also to Rhodri Thomas for photographs and general advice and to Alison Foster/Angie Johnson for assisting with production of the report.
FOREWORD
Centuries of farming have made the Peak District what it is today, a place of such special value that its importance has been recognised by designating it a national park, one of Britain’s best-loved landscapes. The wildlife of the park makes a particularly important contribution to the character of this landscape, whether it is the expanses of ‘wild’ open moorland, flower-rich meadows or the call of the curlew. Farming and nature together have created a truly “living landscape”.
Much of the wildlife which we take for granted in the Peak District, such as flower-rich limestone dale grassland, ponds with Great Crested Newts, or extensive cottongrass bogs, is actually very uncommon or absent elsewhere in Britain. For other habitats and species, such as heather moorland and Red Grouse, Britain is the most important country in the world. Our conservation responsibilities therefore extend far beyond the bounds of the national park.
Many wildlife habitats depend on maintaining the traditional way in which the land has been farmed, much of our important wildlife has flourished because of traditional farming activities. However, the last 50 years has seen radical changes in farming at an unprecedented pace encouraged by successive government policies. This in turn has led to loss of wildlife and habitats on a massive scale. Since the 1930’s it is estimated that in Britain we have lost:
· over 97% of our flower-rich grasslands
· 30-50% of our ancient woodland
· over 30% of our moorland
· over 140,000 miles of hedgerow
· birds such as Lapwing, Grey Partridge and Skylark have declined by 50-75%
· nearly half of our species of butterfly are declining or near extinction
· nearly 40% of our rarest plants have suffered substantial declines.
The most important habitats are usually those which have been managed traditionally for a very long period of time. They are an important part of our history and, once destroyed, are often irreplaceable.
In the Peak District our aim is to work closely with farmers, to help them look after the special character of the national park and its wildlife. In doing so it is important to protect both the rare and the more commonplace plants, animals and wildlife habitats which make the national park special. Lapwing, for instance, have declined by over 50% in Britain since the late 1970’s due to agricultural change. The national park has become a poorer place with the decline of this increasingly uncommon bird, and would be poorer still if it disappeared completely. It is only by working closely with the farming community that we can ensure the things we take for granted today do not become the memories of tomorrow.
This report has been compiled by the Board's Ecology Service to explain why your land is important for wildlife. I hope that you will find it interesting and informative, and that it explains why we value your help in managing the land sympathetically for wildlife. If you have any comments on the report, or wish to know more about the wildlife on your land, our Ecology Service will be pleased to help.
I would like to thank you for your support in helping to conserve the unique wildlife of the Peak District National Park.
MARTIN DOUGHTY
CHAIRMAN
2. INTRODUCTION
These two fields at Knouchley Farm represent a type of wildlife habitat which is fast disappearing from our countryside. At one time such wet, sedge-fen meadows would have been common, but extensive drainage has resulted in the loss of a large proportion of such sites throughout Britain.
Both fields support a variety of marshland plant communities with a number of wetland plant species which are now uncommon in the Peak Park, and this vegetation will also support a correspondingly uncommon collection of insects which frequent this type of habitat. Dobbins Meadow is also the only known site in the Peak District for the harvest-mouse, uncommon in northern Britain and declining nationally.
3. DOBBINS MEADOW
Meadows such as this are now very uncommon in the Peak District and are of great value to wildlife. Many of the plants which grow here, and especially those which can only grow in damp ground, are becoming increasingly uncommon throughout the country. In time gone by wildflowers such as cuckooflower, ragged-robin and marsh marigold could be found in damp corners of most farms, but nowadays, when most of these places have been drained, there are fewer and fewer places in which they can live
Marsh marigolds, also known as “May blobs” or kingcups, have brilliant yellow flowers like giant buttercups. They are very popular with a variety of insects, which are attracted by the large bright flowers to feed on the nectar. In folklore, farmers were said to hang marsh marigolds over the byres of their cattle on May day to protect them from the evil doings of witches.
Ragged-robin (photograph 1) is an attractive plant of wet ground. It is a tall slender herb with ragged pink flowers. It gets its name from the ragged look of its divided petals. The plant is restricted to marshes and wet grasslands. It is a poor competitor and soon lost from the sward if there is an increase in the availability of nutrients. Plants with robin in their name were often associated with goblins and it was considered unlucky to pick this plant.
Several plants found here are scarce in the Peak District, including marsh arrowgrass, fen bedstraw, common spotted orchid, southern marsh orchid and spiked sedge.
It is not just the individual plant species which are important in fields such as this. The fact that these plants combine to form a number of different plant communities, which make up a complex mosaic of vegetation, add greatly to the conservation value of the field.
A particularly important aspect of this meadow is that it is the only known site for the harvest-mouse in the Peak District. This little mouse, the smallest British rodent, has greatly decreased in numbers in recent years and is now rare in most parts of the country. It lives in thick vegetation where it climbs about looking for seeds and insects to eat. In the summer it needs tall vegetation in which it can build its summer nest, where it might raise several litters of young. These nests, slung between the stalks of tall grasses or other plants in order to keep them away from predators such as stoats and weasels, are constructed from bits of grass formed into a ball about l0 cm across.
4. STONEY MEADOWS
Like Dobbins Meadow, this field supports a number of plant communities and is even more botanically interesting, with an exceptional total of over l00 species of plant. The vegetation forms a mosaic of different grassland and marsh communities. Marsh communities, in particular, are now extremely scarce within the Peak Park. Extensive areas are dominated by lesser pond sedge, indicataive of calcareous groundwater conditions along the flood-plain of the Stoke Brook. Such types of marsh are particularly rare in the Peak District, and this is possibly the most extensive and diverse area of this habitat within the national park.
Perhaps the most attractive of all the wild flowers which grow here are the orchids notably, the common spotted orchid and the southern marsh-orchid. These two species belong to a group of orchids which are closely related. These species often hybridize with each other as at this site and it is difficult, even for the expert, to put a name to them.
Common spotted orchids (photograph 2) are striking plants with narrow lance shaped leaves and a spike of dense pink flowers. The flowers are visited by a wide variety of insects including bumble bees and hoverflies which gather the sugary nectar from the spur formed by the petals. In doing so they are responsible for pollination of the plant. Common spotted orchids are restricted to unimproved grasslands and nationally its population has declined as a result of agricultural improvement.
The southern marsh orchid can be a tall, handsome plant, to 70 cm high, with a long spike of up to l00 pink to magenta flowers. They can be found in flower in June and July. It is restricted to a handful of sites in the Peak District.
A number of plants of greater tussock sedge (photograph 3) occur at the eastern end of the field. This plant, which in the right conditions can live for a very long time and eventually produce enormous tussocks as big as an armchair, is now also confined to a handful of sites in the Peak District. It is also indicative of the calcareous groundwater conditons. Wood club-rush, another locally uncommon plant, is also present.
A great many species of insects are drawn here to feed, and to lay their eggs on the multitude of different wild flowers and grasses. Most insects are very restricted in their requirements; some butterfly caterpillars depend on only one kind of plant, so the more different kinds of plant there are in a field the more kinds of insect you will get. The nationally rare twin striped cranefly (photograph 4 and figure 2) has been recorded here, for example.
5. EVALUATION
This site is particularly valuable for its varied marsh and fen vegetation, which is particularly uncommon in the Peak Park, and includes one of the largest areas of pond-sedge fen in the Peak District. It is also the only known site in the Peak District for the harvest-mouse. There are many plant species here which are now becoming uncommon, both in the Peak Park and nationally. These are generally wetland species, or species of unimproved grassland, and include: southern marsh-orchid, ragged robin, wood club-rush, greater tussock-sedge, yellow-rattle, marsh-marigold, quaking-grass, marsh arrow-grass and fen bedstraw.
Overall this marsh may be the finest of its type remaining in the Peak District, and is of considerable nature conservation value.
These meadows are also of great value to insects and other invertebrates and abundant butterflies have been recorded on the site, the light grazing and varied plant communities providing excellent habitat.
APPENDIX 1. METHODOLOGY
The aim of the survey is to assess what types of vegetation are present, how extensive they are and what particular species are found there. This in turn enables us to provide better aadvice about how to manage the area for the benefit of wildlife. The survey has been done as follows:
i) Visually distinct communities are recorded on a sketch map. A community is defined as an assemblage of plants which exhibits the same dominant species and key plants (e.g plants which indicate special environmental conditions).
ii) For each community a list of plants is compiled. Each species is assigned a DAFOR rating according to its frequency in the sward. DAFOR scores are a subjective visual assessment of the occurrence of a plant throughout the area. (D = dominant, A = abundant, F = frequent, O = occasional, R = rare).
iii) A brief description of the community is then made, with reference to the type of vegetation, management and any other notable features. For example, grassland communities are readily categorised according to the tolerance of the majority of plants to soil conditions.
a) Acidic grassland, swards largely composed of those species tolerant of acidic, nutrient poor soils;
b) Calcareous grassland, refers to swards with a high proportion of plants which are tolerant of alkaline conditions. These soils tend to be shallow and well drained, supporting a range of lime loving plants.
c) Neutral grasslands, are those swards in the middle range, being neither acid or alkaline. Species here tend to have less exacting requirements for growth than those characteristic of the two extremes and such communities may contain a large number of species.
iv) Each community is assigned to a category within the National Vegetation Classification (NVC). This classification is based on a comprehensive survey of all vegetation types within the British Isles. This enables assessment of the vegetation in a national context.
Within any site the boundaries between vegetation types is not always distinct. Mosaics of vegetation and transitions between communities are common.
Finally, the site is assessed for its overall conservation value. This is based on a number of criteria:
i) The richness of the vegetation, the number of different species present.
ii) The diversity of the sward, the number of species present and their abundance. Thus, a site which supports a large number of species, many of which are frequent, will have a high diversity and thus a high conservation value.
iii) The presence of rare and interesting species. An individual plant may be important on a site for a number of reasons. For example, it may be nationally rare or rare within the Peak National Park. Other plants may be of interest where they occur in a habitat not normally associated with this species or where geographically the species is at the edge of its national distribution.
iv) A community may be of high ecological value if it is a good example or an unusual example of a particular vegetation type, either nationally or within the context of the Peak National Park.
In brief, those fields of low ecological interest tend to be relatively poor in species and often dominated by grasses rather than herbs. The species of grass present are usually those most competitive and productive, such as rye grass (Lolium perenne). Herbs are present but they tend to be those more robust species which are able to withstand the competition of the productive grasses on the site. Such herbs are common and occur in a wide range of vegetation types. In contrast, fields of high ecological interest contain the more unusual plants. These tend to be less competitive and often have very specific habitat requirements, such as soil and drainage conditions. Such plants are often more sensitive to changes in agricultural practices and therefore tend to be restricted to traditionally managed areas of land.
APPENDIX 2. SPECIES LIST
Species list for Dobbins Meadow (Fields 8028 & 7534)
Grasses
Cocks-foot
Common couch
Creeping bent
Creeping soft grass
Crested dogs-tail
False oat-grass
Meadow fescue
Meadow foxtail
Quaking-grass
Perennial rye-grass
Red fescue
Reed canary-grass
Rough meadow-grass
Sweet-grass
Tall fescue
Timothy
Yorkshire fog
Sedges & Rushes
Carnation sedge
Common sedge
Compact rush
False fox-sedge
Glaucous sedge
Hard rush
Jointed rush
Lesser pond-sedge
Soft rush
Spiked sedge
Star sedge
Ferns & Horsetails
Field horsetail
Marsh horsetail
Wood horsetail
Trees & Shrubs
Ash
Bramble
Elder
Elm
Rose
Willow
Herbs
American willowherb
Black knapweed
Bog stitchwort
Broad-leaved dock
Burdock
Bush vetch
Cleavers
Common mouse-ear
Common sorrel
Common spotted orchid
Creeping buttercup
Creeping cinquefoil
Creeping thistle
Cuckooflower
Dandelion
Fen bedstraw
Germander speedwell
Goats-beard
Greater birds-foot trefoil
Greater plantain
Great willowherb
Hedge woundwort
Hoary willowherb
Hogweed
Intermediate lady’s-mantle
Lesser celandine
Marsh arrowgrass
Marsh bedstraw
Marsh marigold
Marsh thistle
Marsh willowherb
Meadow buttercup
Meadow cranesbill
Meadowsweet
Meadow vetchling
Ragged-robin
Red clover
Ribwort plantain
Rosebay willowherb
Selfheal
Smooth lady’s-mantle
Southern marsh orchid
Square-stalked St John’s-wort
St John’s-wort
Tufted vetch
Water avens
Water figwort
Water forget-me-not
Wavy bitter-cress
White clover
Wild angelica
Yellow-rattle
Species list for Stoney Meadows (OS fields 3544, 4738 & 5046)
Grasses
Annual meadow-grass
Cocks-foot
Common couch
Creeping bent
Crested dogs-tail
False oat-grass
Meadow fescue
Meadow foxtail
Perennial rye-grass
Plicate sweet-grass
Quaking-grass
Red fescue
Rough meadow-grass
Small sweet-grass
Sweet vernal-grass
Tall fescue
Timothy
Tufted hair-grass
Yorkshire fog
Sedges & Rushes
Common spike-rush
Compact rush
False fox-sedge
Glaucous sedge
Greater tussock-sedge
Hairy sedge
Hard rush
Jointed rush
Lesser pond-sedge
Soft rush
Spiked sedge
Star sedge
Toad rush
Wood club-rush
Ferns & Horsetails
Field horsetail
Marsh horsetail
Wood horsetail
Trees & Shrubs
Ash
Beech
Elder
Elm
Hawthorn
Holly
Lime
Rose
Sycamore
Willow
Herbs
American willowherb
Autumn hawkbit
Black knapweed
Bog stitchwort
Broad-leaved dock
Brooklime
Bush vetch
Common field-speedwell
Common figwort
Common mouse-ear
Common nettle
Common ragwort
Common sorrel
Common spotted orchid
Creeping buttercup
Creeping cinquefoil
Creeping thistle
Crosswort
Cuckooflower
Curled dock
Daisy
Dandelion
Fools water-cress
Garlic mustard
Germander speedwell
Greater birds-foot trefoil
Greater plantain
Great willowherb
Ground-ivy
Hedge woundwort
Herb-robert
Hoary willowherb
Hogweed
Hybrid orchid
Ladys-mantle
Large bitter-cress
Lesser stitchwort
Marsh-bedstraw
Marsh marigold
Marsh thistle
Marsh willowherb
Meadow buttercup
Meadow cranesbill
Meadowsweet
Meadow vetchling
Oxeye daisy
Ragged-robin
Red clover
Redshank
Ribwort plantain
Rosebay willowherb
Selfheal
Smooth ladys-mantle
Spear thistle
Square-stalked St John’s-wort
Southern marsh orchid
Thyme-leaved speedwell
Tormentil
Tufted vetch
Water avens
Water cress
Water forget-me-not
Water mint
Wavy bitter-cress
White clover
Wild angelica
Wood avens
Wood dock
Yellow-rattle
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Anderson, P. & Shimwell, D., 1981, Wild Flowers of The Peak District, Moorland Publishing Company Ltd.
Clapham, A.R. (editor), 1969, The Flora of Derbyshire, Bemrose & Sons Ltd.
Grigson, G., 1975, The Englishmans Flora, Richard Clay (The Chaucer Press) Ltd., Suffolk.
Grime, J.P., Hodgson, J.G., Hurst, R., 1988, Comparative Plant Ecology, Oxford University Press.
Moss, C., 1913,Vegetation of the Peak District, University Press, Cambridge.
Perring, F.H. & Walters, S.M., 1990, Atlas of the British Flora, Botanical Society of the British Isles.
Press, J.R. et al, 1981, Field Guide to the Wildflowers of Britain, The Readers Digest Association Ltd., London.
ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE AS A RESULT OF THE FLOODING AT CAVENDISH MILL, AND INITIAL PROPOSALS FOR MITIGATION.
STONEY MIDDLETON AND CALVER MARSHES: ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE AS A RESULT OF THE FLOODING AT CAVENDISH MILL, AND INITIAL PROPOSALS FOR MITIGATION.
I visited the site on Wednesday 24th January with the aim of making a very preliminary assessment of the extent of the effect of the flooding and sift load on the water courses (Stoke Brook and its tributaries) and floodplain between Stoney Middleton Hall and the River Derwent.
Ecological Significance
This area has long been recognised as supporting a range of aquatic and wetland habitats which are amongst the most ecologically valuable in the Peak District including: • Priority national and local Biodiversity Action Plan habitats including Fen, Wet Woodland, Lowland Hay Meadow, Veteran Trees, Ponds and River Corridor. The area of fen and the Stoke Brook itself are recognised as being particularly important wildlife habitats. • Populations of water vole, a priority national and local BAP species, protected by law. These feed and breed along the Stoke Brook. • Bullhead and brook lamprey, two fish that are considered to be of European conservation concern, but have no legal protection outside of SACs. These are present in the Stoke Brook and the River Derwent. Brook lamprey create breeding nests’ in gravely areas of the stream bottom. The Stoke Brook is likely to be the spawning ground for many other of the fish species which inhabit the River Derwent, including those that are important to the fishery resource. • A range of less well documented species including water shrew, a local species with a poorly understood distribution, • A diverse bird assemblage including species dependent on the aquatic and wetland habitats such as the dipper. • A wide range of invertebrates including rare and uncommon species, associated with the Stoke Brook and the River Derwent, the stream-side trees and the fen habitats. These animals are the lower links in the food chain that support many of the mammals, bird and fish species associated with the stream and wetlands.
The majority of the floodplain land is managed within an agri-environment scheme. In addition works have been camed out in various locations designed to enhance or restore priority BAP habitats and so maintain or extend the range of priority species. These works have been funded through various sources including the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund and directly by the National Park Authority. Proactive environmental and awareness raising work has been co-ordinated by the Vision for Wildlife Project, a partnership project between the National Park Authority and Natural England. The whole area is managed as an informal local nature reserve with a steering group including landowners, naturalists and local people deciding on an annual basis a programme of capital works designed to deliver environmental benefit, and a programme of awareness raising events. As an example of the former we have secured funding from the SITA Trust for the construction of a further pond west of the Calver/Grindleford road adjacent to the stream. This is programmed to happen in the spring. As an example of the latter, Stoney Middleton school are working with the National Park Authority to develop a series of interpretation boards for the area west of the Calver/Grindleford Road including ones specific to the wildlife of the stream. This will complement panels east of the road constructed in partnership with Calver school.
Perceived Extent of the Damage
The following is based, as described above, on a brief visit. We may wish to modify the conclusions made based on further information becoming available, including the results of analytical tests of the silt and water samples.
It is impossible to see the stream bed owing to the silt load in the water. However silt brought down by the flood is plastered on the stream sides including banks and small flat areas normally above the water line at all times other than when the stream is at maximum capacity. There is likely to be a covering on the stream bed. In places the silt is over 30 cms thick. This will have had a devastating effect on all the aquatic and marginal habitats and the species associated with them including water voles, brook lamprey and bullheads, species of national and international significance.
Outside of the immediate environment of the stream the silt is restricted in extent. The exceptions are: 1. Relatively small areas adjacent to the stream where the flood has come over onto the floodplain and left a deposit of silt. This includes areas of fen habitat of high ecological value; 2. Areas where the floodwaters left the road, north of the small housing estate and close to Stoney Middleton Hall. These areas are of low ecological value but the silt deposits will have (and are having) an impact on the agricultural use of the land. 3. An ‘off-line’ pond to the north of the stream and the east of the Calver/ Grindleford road where silt appears to be covering a large part of the bed and the sides of the pond. The inflow is now completely blocked. Small areas of land close to the pond are also covered in silt where the flood waters have breached either the pond or the stream. This pond was constructed in 2004 using grant from the Aggregates Levy Sustainabilty Fund.
The impact of the flood will be not only in terms of the physical effects of the silt deposited on the stream and the land but also in terms of the potential chemical toxicity of both the waters and the silt. This could be assumed to be more widespread that the extent of the silt as the water may well have flowed further than the silt indicates. In addition and assuming that the toxic materials present in the silt are water soluble, we could expect these to be released into the stream and into groundwater over a prolonged period of time. High levels of heavy metals in the silt may have a localised damaging effect on plant and animal populations and so on the wildlife habitats, food chain and agricultural use of the land. High levels in the water will have more far reaching implications.
Priorities for Action.
For reasons described above these are our immediate concerns. We may wish to modify or add to these as knowledge increases and as the full impact of the flood becomes apparent.
1. The condition of the stream needs to be assessed in the light of the important populations of animals that it did support and particularly with reference to brook lamprey, bullhead and water voles. It is likely that a restoration plan and action will be necessary to ensure that appropriate habitats are re-instated to allow the re-colonisation of the stream by these species. This will have to include not only the physical habitats appropriate for their survival but also water quality and the habitats and species groups necessary for these species to feed. This proposed action plan needs to be developed and acted on as quickly as is feasible. For example Brook lamprey will start to return to the stream for breeding as early as April.
2. The ‘off-line’ pond will need to be re-instated to its former profile and condition. This is by far the easier part of these proposals but will require a restoration plan and action on the ground.
3. Works are likely to necessitate complete removal from the site of silt identified in the stream and pond restoration plans, owing to its physical and chemical properties.
Recolonisation opportunities
The small tributary stream of the Stoke Brook (shown on the attached map) is running with clear unpolluted water. In addition several springs which feed the marshes are also unpolluted. Aquatic plants and animals present in this stream and springs may be able to naturally re-colonise the Stoke Brook once restorative action has taken place. However populations of animals in this stream are different to the Stoke Brook. It is unlikely to support the whole range of invertebrates or fish fry present in the Stoke brook. It may or may not have provided a ‘safe haven’ for water voles. Survey for some or all of these species will be necessary if we wish to establish the complete resource of species for natural re-colonisation of the brook. One permanent pond and one heavily shaded seasonal pond lie to the east of the damaged pond, between it and the River Derwent. They may be able to provide species which can naturally re-colonise the damaged pond.
Other Interests
The assessment of damage outlined above does not include the potential impact of the event for grazing animals. Again this is likely to be two-fold, one in terms of the physical impact of the silt on the ground and secondly in relation to its toxicity and the toxicity of the stream which is the primary water source for the animals. The National Park Authority has outlined its concerns to the relevant landowners.
In addition the assessment only touches on the impact on the wildlife and ecology of the River Derwent or for the fishery implications.
Rebekah Newman 25.1.07 Vision Project Officer, PDNPA
I visited the site on Wednesday 24th January with the aim of making a very preliminary assessment of the extent of the effect of the flooding and sift load on the water courses (Stoke Brook and its tributaries) and floodplain between Stoney Middleton Hall and the River Derwent.
Ecological Significance
This area has long been recognised as supporting a range of aquatic and wetland habitats which are amongst the most ecologically valuable in the Peak District including: • Priority national and local Biodiversity Action Plan habitats including Fen, Wet Woodland, Lowland Hay Meadow, Veteran Trees, Ponds and River Corridor. The area of fen and the Stoke Brook itself are recognised as being particularly important wildlife habitats. • Populations of water vole, a priority national and local BAP species, protected by law. These feed and breed along the Stoke Brook. • Bullhead and brook lamprey, two fish that are considered to be of European conservation concern, but have no legal protection outside of SACs. These are present in the Stoke Brook and the River Derwent. Brook lamprey create breeding nests’ in gravely areas of the stream bottom. The Stoke Brook is likely to be the spawning ground for many other of the fish species which inhabit the River Derwent, including those that are important to the fishery resource. • A range of less well documented species including water shrew, a local species with a poorly understood distribution, • A diverse bird assemblage including species dependent on the aquatic and wetland habitats such as the dipper. • A wide range of invertebrates including rare and uncommon species, associated with the Stoke Brook and the River Derwent, the stream-side trees and the fen habitats. These animals are the lower links in the food chain that support many of the mammals, bird and fish species associated with the stream and wetlands.
The majority of the floodplain land is managed within an agri-environment scheme. In addition works have been camed out in various locations designed to enhance or restore priority BAP habitats and so maintain or extend the range of priority species. These works have been funded through various sources including the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund and directly by the National Park Authority. Proactive environmental and awareness raising work has been co-ordinated by the Vision for Wildlife Project, a partnership project between the National Park Authority and Natural England. The whole area is managed as an informal local nature reserve with a steering group including landowners, naturalists and local people deciding on an annual basis a programme of capital works designed to deliver environmental benefit, and a programme of awareness raising events. As an example of the former we have secured funding from the SITA Trust for the construction of a further pond west of the Calver/Grindleford road adjacent to the stream. This is programmed to happen in the spring. As an example of the latter, Stoney Middleton school are working with the National Park Authority to develop a series of interpretation boards for the area west of the Calver/Grindleford Road including ones specific to the wildlife of the stream. This will complement panels east of the road constructed in partnership with Calver school.
Perceived Extent of the Damage
The following is based, as described above, on a brief visit. We may wish to modify the conclusions made based on further information becoming available, including the results of analytical tests of the silt and water samples.
It is impossible to see the stream bed owing to the silt load in the water. However silt brought down by the flood is plastered on the stream sides including banks and small flat areas normally above the water line at all times other than when the stream is at maximum capacity. There is likely to be a covering on the stream bed. In places the silt is over 30 cms thick. This will have had a devastating effect on all the aquatic and marginal habitats and the species associated with them including water voles, brook lamprey and bullheads, species of national and international significance.
Outside of the immediate environment of the stream the silt is restricted in extent. The exceptions are: 1. Relatively small areas adjacent to the stream where the flood has come over onto the floodplain and left a deposit of silt. This includes areas of fen habitat of high ecological value; 2. Areas where the floodwaters left the road, north of the small housing estate and close to Stoney Middleton Hall. These areas are of low ecological value but the silt deposits will have (and are having) an impact on the agricultural use of the land. 3. An ‘off-line’ pond to the north of the stream and the east of the Calver/ Grindleford road where silt appears to be covering a large part of the bed and the sides of the pond. The inflow is now completely blocked. Small areas of land close to the pond are also covered in silt where the flood waters have breached either the pond or the stream. This pond was constructed in 2004 using grant from the Aggregates Levy Sustainabilty Fund.
The impact of the flood will be not only in terms of the physical effects of the silt deposited on the stream and the land but also in terms of the potential chemical toxicity of both the waters and the silt. This could be assumed to be more widespread that the extent of the silt as the water may well have flowed further than the silt indicates. In addition and assuming that the toxic materials present in the silt are water soluble, we could expect these to be released into the stream and into groundwater over a prolonged period of time. High levels of heavy metals in the silt may have a localised damaging effect on plant and animal populations and so on the wildlife habitats, food chain and agricultural use of the land. High levels in the water will have more far reaching implications.
Priorities for Action.
For reasons described above these are our immediate concerns. We may wish to modify or add to these as knowledge increases and as the full impact of the flood becomes apparent.
1. The condition of the stream needs to be assessed in the light of the important populations of animals that it did support and particularly with reference to brook lamprey, bullhead and water voles. It is likely that a restoration plan and action will be necessary to ensure that appropriate habitats are re-instated to allow the re-colonisation of the stream by these species. This will have to include not only the physical habitats appropriate for their survival but also water quality and the habitats and species groups necessary for these species to feed. This proposed action plan needs to be developed and acted on as quickly as is feasible. For example Brook lamprey will start to return to the stream for breeding as early as April.
2. The ‘off-line’ pond will need to be re-instated to its former profile and condition. This is by far the easier part of these proposals but will require a restoration plan and action on the ground.
3. Works are likely to necessitate complete removal from the site of silt identified in the stream and pond restoration plans, owing to its physical and chemical properties.
Recolonisation opportunities
The small tributary stream of the Stoke Brook (shown on the attached map) is running with clear unpolluted water. In addition several springs which feed the marshes are also unpolluted. Aquatic plants and animals present in this stream and springs may be able to naturally re-colonise the Stoke Brook once restorative action has taken place. However populations of animals in this stream are different to the Stoke Brook. It is unlikely to support the whole range of invertebrates or fish fry present in the Stoke brook. It may or may not have provided a ‘safe haven’ for water voles. Survey for some or all of these species will be necessary if we wish to establish the complete resource of species for natural re-colonisation of the brook. One permanent pond and one heavily shaded seasonal pond lie to the east of the damaged pond, between it and the River Derwent. They may be able to provide species which can naturally re-colonise the damaged pond.
Other Interests
The assessment of damage outlined above does not include the potential impact of the event for grazing animals. Again this is likely to be two-fold, one in terms of the physical impact of the silt on the ground and secondly in relation to its toxicity and the toxicity of the stream which is the primary water source for the animals. The National Park Authority has outlined its concerns to the relevant landowners.
In addition the assessment only touches on the impact on the wildlife and ecology of the River Derwent or for the fishery implications.
Rebekah Newman 25.1.07 Vision Project Officer, PDNPA
Wednesday, 14 February 2007
Jubilation as lottery grant moves Calver Weir restoration a step closer
The restoration of Hope Valley’s historic Calver Weir and its surrounding important ecological wetland area has taken a major step forward, thanks to a £49,000 award from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) it was announced today.
Members of the Calver Weir Restoration Project (CWRP) are celebrating news of the grant which will be spent on in-depth planning work to be prepared in conjunction with architects, engineers, archaeologists, ecologists, landscape architects, and access, tourism and transport experts. A project officer will also be recruited.
The detailed information and plans will be used to prepare a bid to fund the complete restoration of the Calver Weir at a total cost of almost £1m.
The Grade Two listed weir on the River Derwent was built in 1778 to provide water to power cotton spinning machinery at Calver Mill under licence from Richard Arkwright.
In 2004 CWRP raised almost £40,000 to carry out urgent repairs to the weir which was in a dangerous and perilous state.
Mike Hennessy, chairman of CWRP, said: "This HLF award is great news and thanks are due to everyone involved. The whole project can now be developed based on expert advice on the best way forward to save-guard this wonderful site. It’s essential the Calver Weir is saved – not only is it an extremely important part of our industrial heritage, it has also created a nationally significant wetland habitat supporting a huge range of birds and wildlife including the dipper, kingfisher, grey wagtail, goosander and water voles.”
He added, “The weir needs major work and if it is not carried out soon the structure will collapse, causing the river level to drop by three metres. A change in the river levels caused by a breach to the weir would have a dramatic affect on the ecological balance of the habitats on this part of the Derwent. “
The area is designated has priority national and local Biodiversity Action Plan habitats.
HLF regional manager Emma Sale said, ”The weir is a fine example of industrial history and the final project will help ensure it is conserved for future generations to learn from and enjoy. It has also shaped the surrounding water and landscape, creating a haven for wildlife, birds and plants.”
Members of the Calver Weir Restoration Project (CWRP) are celebrating news of the grant which will be spent on in-depth planning work to be prepared in conjunction with architects, engineers, archaeologists, ecologists, landscape architects, and access, tourism and transport experts. A project officer will also be recruited.
The detailed information and plans will be used to prepare a bid to fund the complete restoration of the Calver Weir at a total cost of almost £1m.
The Grade Two listed weir on the River Derwent was built in 1778 to provide water to power cotton spinning machinery at Calver Mill under licence from Richard Arkwright.
In 2004 CWRP raised almost £40,000 to carry out urgent repairs to the weir which was in a dangerous and perilous state.
Mike Hennessy, chairman of CWRP, said: "This HLF award is great news and thanks are due to everyone involved. The whole project can now be developed based on expert advice on the best way forward to save-guard this wonderful site. It’s essential the Calver Weir is saved – not only is it an extremely important part of our industrial heritage, it has also created a nationally significant wetland habitat supporting a huge range of birds and wildlife including the dipper, kingfisher, grey wagtail, goosander and water voles.”
He added, “The weir needs major work and if it is not carried out soon the structure will collapse, causing the river level to drop by three metres. A change in the river levels caused by a breach to the weir would have a dramatic affect on the ecological balance of the habitats on this part of the Derwent. “
The area is designated has priority national and local Biodiversity Action Plan habitats.
HLF regional manager Emma Sale said, ”The weir is a fine example of industrial history and the final project will help ensure it is conserved for future generations to learn from and enjoy. It has also shaped the surrounding water and landscape, creating a haven for wildlife, birds and plants.”
Sunday, 11 February 2007
FUNGI AT CALVER MARSHES. 1/10/06
- species identified by Kevin Gilfedder in the course of a fungi walk organized by the PDNPA Vision for Wildlife Project
By Calver crossroads: Auricularia auricular-judae, on Elder Around footpath from B6001 road by Dale Brook, SK 2385 7535: Rhytisma. acerinurn Agaricus sp. Polyporus varius Meripilus giganteus Psatbyrella sp. Copnnus plicatilis Phragrnidium viola.cewn Hygrocybe conica Galerma sp. Scieroderma citrmurn
Around footpath between B6001 and Middleton Plantation: Scutellinia scutellata Calocera cornea Coriolus versicolor Bjerkandera adusta Ganoderma adspersurn Leuzites betulina Scieroderma citrinum Bolbitius vitelimus Panaeolus sp. Panacolina foeniseeii Galerina sp. Deconica sp. Conocybe sp. Psathyrella sp. Oudemansiella radicata Mycena sp. Lycoperdon pyriforme Coprirnis sp. Stereurn hirsutum Volvariella sp. Russula sp.
Middleton Plantation, around area SK 234756: Boletus sp. Auricularia auncular-judae Tremella mesenterica Peniophora sp.Coprinus micaceus Tyromyces stipticus Conolus versicolor Sterewn rugosuin Dacrymyces stiilatus Boletus chrysenteron Lycoperdon pyriforme Collybia peronata Fields around Knoucliley Farm: Hygrocybe ealyptriformis( N.B. red data list species) — SK 235758 Hygrocybe reidii Hygrocybe irrigate Hygrocybe chlorophana Clavulinopsis helvola Bolbitius vitellinus Marasmius oreades (Pair of Buzzards seen circling above Middleton Plantation from this area) Langennannia gigantean Coprinus plicatilis Hygrocybe conica Panaeohis semiovatus
Calver Marshes, West of River Derwent: Armillaria mellea (Goosander seen on river) Lycoperdon pyriforme Pluteus umbrosus Phellimis igniarius Peziza sp. Hebeloma sp. Daedaleopsis confragosa Russula ochraleuca Kuelmerornyces mutabilis Tyromyces stipticus Chondrostereum purpureum Xylaria hypoxylon Slime mould Tubifera femiginosa Tyromyces sp. Coprinus dissemmatus
FUNGI IN CALVER MARSHES/MIDDLETON PLANTATION AREA. 19/03/06 - species identified by Kevin Gilfedder
Path between B6001 & Middleton Plantation: Pleurotus sp. Daedaleopsis confragosa Middleton Plantation: Bjerkandera adusta Stereum spp. Tremella mesentenea Slime mould Lycogala epidendron Diatrype disciformis
Fields round Knouchley Farm: Dacrymyces stillatus(on stile) Langermannia gigantea(remains of)
By Stoke Brook next to A625 road: Flaimnulina velutipes (Pochard and Coot seen on Stoke Brook. Frog spawn in Stoke Brook West of B600l).
FUNGI AT CALVER MARSHES 3/9/06 - species identified by Kevin Gilfedder
Footpath East of Knouchley Farm, between farm and river: Pluteus sp. Calver Marshes: (Female Goosander on river) Coprinus plicatilis Coprinus spp. Cortmanus sp. Phellinus igniarius Lepiota sp(possibly L. cristata) Laccaria laccata Coprinus disserninatus Stereurn sp. Tyrornyces sp. Daedaleopsis confragosa
FUNGI AT CALVER MARSHES. 17/07/06 - species identified by Kevin Gilfedder
Rhizomorphs of Armillaria mellea Scutellinia scutellata Coriolellus albidus (dog lichen Peltigera canina
- species identified by Kevin Gilfedder in the course of a fungi walk organized by the PDNPA Vision for Wildlife Project
By Calver crossroads: Auricularia auricular-judae, on Elder Around footpath from B6001 road by Dale Brook, SK 2385 7535: Rhytisma. acerinurn Agaricus sp. Polyporus varius Meripilus giganteus Psatbyrella sp. Copnnus plicatilis Phragrnidium viola.cewn Hygrocybe conica Galerma sp. Scieroderma citrmurn
Around footpath between B6001 and Middleton Plantation: Scutellinia scutellata Calocera cornea Coriolus versicolor Bjerkandera adusta Ganoderma adspersurn Leuzites betulina Scieroderma citrinum Bolbitius vitelimus Panaeolus sp. Panacolina foeniseeii Galerina sp. Deconica sp. Conocybe sp. Psathyrella sp. Oudemansiella radicata Mycena sp. Lycoperdon pyriforme Coprirnis sp. Stereurn hirsutum Volvariella sp. Russula sp.
Middleton Plantation, around area SK 234756: Boletus sp. Auricularia auncular-judae Tremella mesenterica Peniophora sp.Coprinus micaceus Tyromyces stipticus Conolus versicolor Sterewn rugosuin Dacrymyces stiilatus Boletus chrysenteron Lycoperdon pyriforme Collybia peronata Fields around Knoucliley Farm: Hygrocybe ealyptriformis( N.B. red data list species) — SK 235758 Hygrocybe reidii Hygrocybe irrigate Hygrocybe chlorophana Clavulinopsis helvola Bolbitius vitellinus Marasmius oreades (Pair of Buzzards seen circling above Middleton Plantation from this area) Langennannia gigantean Coprinus plicatilis Hygrocybe conica Panaeohis semiovatus
Calver Marshes, West of River Derwent: Armillaria mellea (Goosander seen on river) Lycoperdon pyriforme Pluteus umbrosus Phellimis igniarius Peziza sp. Hebeloma sp. Daedaleopsis confragosa Russula ochraleuca Kuelmerornyces mutabilis Tyromyces stipticus Chondrostereum purpureum Xylaria hypoxylon Slime mould Tubifera femiginosa Tyromyces sp. Coprinus dissemmatus
FUNGI IN CALVER MARSHES/MIDDLETON PLANTATION AREA. 19/03/06 - species identified by Kevin Gilfedder
Path between B6001 & Middleton Plantation: Pleurotus sp. Daedaleopsis confragosa Middleton Plantation: Bjerkandera adusta Stereum spp. Tremella mesentenea Slime mould Lycogala epidendron Diatrype disciformis
Fields round Knouchley Farm: Dacrymyces stillatus(on stile) Langermannia gigantea(remains of)
By Stoke Brook next to A625 road: Flaimnulina velutipes (Pochard and Coot seen on Stoke Brook. Frog spawn in Stoke Brook West of B600l).
FUNGI AT CALVER MARSHES 3/9/06 - species identified by Kevin Gilfedder
Footpath East of Knouchley Farm, between farm and river: Pluteus sp. Calver Marshes: (Female Goosander on river) Coprinus plicatilis Coprinus spp. Cortmanus sp. Phellinus igniarius Lepiota sp(possibly L. cristata) Laccaria laccata Coprinus disserninatus Stereurn sp. Tyrornyces sp. Daedaleopsis confragosa
FUNGI AT CALVER MARSHES. 17/07/06 - species identified by Kevin Gilfedder
Rhizomorphs of Armillaria mellea Scutellinia scutellata Coriolellus albidus (dog lichen Peltigera canina
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