Atlantic Coast and Valleys Project
In December 2009 a new Project Development Manager was appointed by Natural England in Cornwall to carry forward the Atlantic Coast and Valleys Project on the north coast of the county, close to the Devon border.
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What is the Atlantic Coast and Valleys Project?
The Atlantic Coast and Valleys Project (ACVP) remit is broadly aimed at re-establishing high quality maritime grassland and heathland in the valleys and headlands within the North Cornwall Coast from Pentire Head to Marsland Mouth. This in turn would enhance the wildlife biodiversity for maritime plants, invertebrates such as the Large Blue Butterfly, and birds such as the Chough.
In previous phases of the project, work has been done to engage with local landowners and occupiers, carrying out scrub clearance to create short herb-rich turf of high value to birds, reptiles, plants and insects, trial soil perturbations, seed harvesting activities to collect seeds to be sown in key areas with presently low biodiversity value, and community engagement events.
These activities followed extensive ecological surveys (on birds, insects and plant communities) to inform future management.
Why is it important?
This particular part of the coastline encompasses two SSSI’s (Sites of Special Scientific Interest), is part of an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is designated as Heritage Coast.
Practical Management
The Project is a partnership between local farmers, nature conservation bodies, Natural England, Cornwall Council, The National Trust and Spalding Associates.
In the few months since the re-launch of the project, existing relationships with owner/ occupiers are being re-established through meetings and discussions, where the possibility of utilising agri-environment schemes to further the project’s aims and objectives are being explored. Partnerships with outside organisations have been re-established with a view to a comprehensive and holistic project delivery method.
Short term capital schemes include swaling at Trebarwith Farm (to encourage more grazing on the southern facing valley) and scrub management at Littermouth, Marsland Manor. In the latter scheme approximately 70% of the scrub has been removed from the southern facing valley to allow access for the Aberdeen Angus stock for future grazing to encourage biodiversity. This was undertaken as a “special project” within the landowner’s Countryside Stewardship Scheme and further justified as the valley is part of a SSSI.
The “rootraker” method employed may seem initially quite severe; however natural regeneration is expected to occur from the existing seed bank. This process will be closely monitored in terms of plant and invertebrate populations over the next few years.
A Partnership Project
Partnership development is an essential aspect of the Atlantic Coast & Valleys Project, for example we are currently exploring funding avenues within existing agri-environment schemes to pay for fencing that would enable the National Trust to undertake grazing with Dartmoor Ponies in the Royston area of the coast, south of Trebarwith.
Over the next few months contact will be made with the remainder of the owner/ occupiers in the project area to discuss potential entry into the Higher Level Stewardship Scheme, opportunities for capital works to be undertaken within existing schemes and to gain an insight into how local people feel the project should develop in the near future.
As the project begins to develop, work will also begin on looking at themes explored in the previous phases of the project history. These include the assessment of access needs within the area, and whether they could be developed, potential opportunities for the involvement of local schools through small scale education programmes and investigating realistic ways and means of enabling work associated with the project to potentially benefit the local economy.
The Historic Environment
One of the elements of the ACVP is the integration of the historic environment into the management of the study area.
To date this has taken the form of a comprehensive assessment which identified and mapped historic features within the study area; examined the time depth of the landscape through historic landscape characterisation (the historical processes which have created the landscape of today) through maps dating to 2003, c1880 and c1840 and an appraisal of three time slices of vegetation history and land use to inform current land management (1996, c1880 and c1840).
This information can be used to help identify areas which were once favourable to the Large Blue and associated species, with the aim of reintroducing suitable ground cover and land management techniques. It is also hoped to include some survey and consolidation works at some of the more significant historic sites in the study area, such as slate quarrying features, abandoned settlements, RAF Cleave and Stowe Barton.
What can you do?
Local community participation is integral to the future of the project and we would be keen to hear from anyone who would be interested in taking part or can provide local background to some of the historic sites.
For any further information on the project please contact: Bruce Hosie, Atlantic Coast and Valleys Project Development Manager, Natural England.
Telephone: 01726 828183 or 07774 337773
Email: bruce.hosie@naturalengland.org.uk
