Sheffield Lakeland Landscape Conservation Action Plan

ECOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT
Detailed habitat survey -
baseline samples
In order to facilitate practical work under the
Sheffield Lakeland project four sites required
detailed ecological survey. These were:
• Midhope Reservoir
• Hammond’s Field Nature Reserve
• Agden Bog Nature Reserve
• Wyming Brook and Fox Hagg Nature
Reserve
Midhope Reservoir
Midhope Reservoir has been highlighted by
landowner Yorkshire Water as a target site
for biodiversity enhancement. Wildscapes
undertook a Phase 1 Habitat Survey
(Wildscapes CIC Ltd, 2017) of the site, the
full details of which are included within
Appendix 5.
The survey report identified a number
of key habitats, including a mosaic
of acid dry dwarf shrub heath, semiimproved
grassland, conifer plantation
and wetter acid flushes. Management
recommendations include controlling
invasive scrub, diversifying age profiles
within plantations and ensuring that open
areas are not invaded by invasive species
such as rhododendron and bracken. There
is an opportunity to provide further habitat
diversity through, for example, the addition
of new ponds in the wooded area.
Public access to the east of the site is by
way of a public footpath, but the south/west
of the site is only accessible informally. This
provides an opportunity to retain relative
seclusion for more disturbance sensitive
species in other parts of the site.
Recommendations for Midhope Reservoir biodiversity enhancement
46 SLLP LCAP Understanding Sheffield Lakeland