Biodiversity Action Plan for the National Cycle Network ... - Sustrans

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Route 4 through Richmond Park, London the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust sites are within five miles of the Network and to encourage visitors to arrive by bike, some sites have secure locking facilities. In its handbook, the RSPB includes details of the nearest railway station to each site and is working with Sustrans to connect as many as possible of its 20 most popular sites to the National Cycle Network. English Nature is also keen to promote non-motorised access to wildlife sites. Cycling is clearly a valid option and sites, centres and other attractions need to cater for bike riders in a positive way. Getting There Cycle friendly routes should be planned from the nearest station and National Cycle Network route, if necessary negotiating permissive paths to create links. The creation of a separate cyclists’ entrance keeping them away from cars and allowing them shortcuts to a privileged cycle park can help promote cycling. On Arrival Free, secure and well-located cycle parking should be provided, with some form of surveillance. Alternative locking facilities instead of Sheffield racks, which are not always suitable for a countryside setting, can be provided - see Sustrans free leaflet FF17 ‘Cycle parking in rural areas’. Encouraging Cyclists A cheaper entry fee for those arriving by sustainable transport works well and can often be recouped in the café or tea room where © Julia Bayne This document is printed on recycled or environmently friendly paper hungry cyclists will buy more than sedentary motorists. Other Facilities On large properties and estates, cycle nature trails, which go further afield than those for walkers, can be provided using estate roads, tracks and paths. Guided cycle trips are another possibility. Who will benefit? The encouragement of more cycling in rural areas could help slow down, and eventually reverse, the increase in car usage. It will also help to change attitudes so that, instead of improving country lanes for cars to go faster, we start to install traffic-calming measures or impose speed limits which encourage nonmotorised use and make the roads safer for wildlife. At the same time, the positive provision of segregated cycle paths presents an opportunity to establish and manage facilities of significant benefit to wildlife. What You Can Do You can insist on walking and cycling routes being included in the management and development plans of your favourite sites. You can also walk or cycle whenever possible. Distances of two miles or less are quite walkable and you can easily cycle up to five miles. Try to think of these alternatives rather than simply jumping into a car. Ask any wildlife, heritage or countryside organisation of which Badgers often dig their setts in the banks of disused railways converted for cycling and walking. © Michael Woods you are a member to promote cycling as an integral part of its operation and as its positive contribution to the transport debate. References: 1. Roads and Nature Conservation (1993) English Nature. 2. Bright, P. and MacPherson, D. (2000) What makes a hedgerow good for dormice? Paper given at The Mammal Society Conference, University of Newcastle 14-16 April 2000. 3. Reynolds, P. (1999) From badgers to bears - the importance of being well connected. Paper given at The Mammal Society Conference, Reading University. 26-28 March 4. Walsh, A. and Harris, S. (1996) Factors determining the abundance of vespertilionid bats in Britain - geographical land class and local habitat values. In The Journal of Applied Ecology 33, pp. 519-529. 5. Sustrans (1994) ‘Making ways for the bicycle.’ 6. Meadow Madness (March 1999) Report published by the Council for the Protection of Rural England. 7. Tensen, D. and Zoest, J. van 1983. Keuze van hoogwatervluchtplaatsen op Terschelling. Unpubl. Report L.U. Wageningen/RIN Texel: 71pp. Cited by Cor J. Smit and George J. M. Visser in ‘Effects of disturbance on shorebirds: a summary of existing knowledge from the Dutch Wadden Sea and Delta area’ for Wader Study Group Bulletin 68, ‘Disturbance to Waterfowl on Estuaries’ edited by Nick Davidson and Phil Rothwell. 8. Pers.com. 9. Countryside Commission, (1992) For further copies of this or other factsheets please call the INFORMATION LINE 0117 929 0888 Monday - Friday 8.30am -5.30pm Saturdays 10am - 2pm (March to September) or visit www.nationalcyclenetwork.org.uk 35 King Street, Bristol BS1 4DZ Tel: 0117 926 8893 Fax: 0117 929 4173 Charity no. 326550 THERE IS NO COPYRIGHT NOVEMBER / 2000 4
Appendix 2 – Phase 1 and 2 habitat surveys methodology Phase 1 habitat survey This is the standard method for habitat survey in the UK. It is a qualitative method based on mapping the distribution of habitat types across a site by using the standard field methodology set out in the ‘Handbook for Phase 1 Habitat Survey – a technique for environmental audit’ - Joint Nature Conservation Committee, 1990 (2003 edition). It aims to provide a record of the semi-natural vegetation and identify wildlife habitat on a site and is based principally on vegetation, augmented by topographic and substrate features. There are around 90 standard habitat types identified according to characteristic vegetation and other environmental features. Mapping of habitat types usually uses standardised colour codes. Extended Phase 1 survey Most Phase 1 habitat surveys will include surveys for vertebrate and invertebrate fauna as well as flora. This is known as an extended Phase 1 survey. This combined approach is likely to include protected, BAP, notable and even lists of species found or observed during the survey. The purpose of extending the habitat survey is to make sure that all features of conservation interest are identified as a purely botanical approach does not always highlight key features. Phase 2 survey Where further detailed survey work is required, this is known as a Phase 2 survey. For vegetation, this is a (semi)quantitative method based on the National Vegetation Classification (NVC) system. For many faunal species, further survey work usually follows set protocols that must be adhered to. These may include requiring licences, setting restrictions about when and how often to survey, appropriate methodologies and the extent of survey effort required. Sustrans’ Biodiversity Action Plan for the National Cycle Network (December 2007) 53
Page 1 and 2: Biodiversity Action Plan for the Na
Page 3 and 4: CONTENTS Executive Summary 6 1. Int
Page 5 and 6: 12. Mitigation and enhancement meas
Page 7 and 8: 1. Introduction to biodiversity in
Page 9 and 10: Project National Cycle Network Safe
Page 11 and 12: 2.3.5 Map of National Cycle Network
Page 13 and 14: On-going key action plan items and
Page 15 and 16: Association, the British Horse Soci
Page 17 and 18: 7. Links with Local Biodiversity Ac
Page 19 and 20: 9. Habitat Action Plans 9.1 Hedgero
Page 21 and 22: grasses such as tor grass Brachypod
Page 23 and 24: Contribute to the implementation of
Page 25 and 26: Where planting is required in hedge
Page 27 and 28: 10.3 Badger Meles meles 10.3.1 Desc
Page 29 and 30: 10.4.2 Optimum survey time The opti
Page 31 and 32: 10.6 Great crested newt Triturus cr
Page 33 and 34: Loss of food plants for certain spe
Page 35 and 36: 12. Mitigation and enhancement meas
Page 37 and 38: 12.6.2 Some bat species rely exclus
Page 39 and 40: 13.3 Japanese knotweed Fallopia jap
Page 41 and 42: seed. Young plants are easy to pull
Page 43 and 44: 14. Education and understanding 14.
Page 45 and 46: 16. Glossary HAP Habitat Action Pla
Page 47 and 48: Cumbria LA7 7NH Tel: 01539 567953 w
Page 49 and 50: Ways for Wildlife Wildlife, cycle p
Page 51: © David Hall © Toby Smedley Visit

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