European Marine Sites Update
Ruth Crundwell
Natural England
Advisers to the government on the environment, providing practical
scientific advice on how to look after England’s landscape and wildlife
(GOV.UK website)
Area teams- Cumbria
Marine adviser- marine programme;
• Advising the government on the designation of Marine Protected Areas
including Marine Conservation Zones (MCZ), Special Protection Areas
(SPA) for birds and Special Areas of Conservation (SAC). Marine elements
are collectively known as European Marine Sites.
• Reviewing conservation advice packages and developing packages for the
new MCZ’s.
• Risk based assessments of activities taking place in European Marine Sites.
This includes supporting the local Inshore Fisheries and Conservation
Authority (IFCA) with their assessments of fishing activity.
IPENS
• Improvement Programme for England’s Natura 2000 Sites
• This is a new strategic approach to managing England’s Natura
2000 sites.
• EU Life+ bid (funding comes from Europe and government)
• It will enable Natural England, the Environment Agency and other
major stakeholders to plan what, how, where and when they will
target effort on Natura 2000 sites.
• By 2015 the programme will identify theme plans, produce Site
Improvement Plans, identify gaps in knowledge, develop a strategic
framework for management of Natura 2000 sites
IPENS
Strategic approach to obtain favourable condition for Natura 2000 sites
by reviewing;
• Risks and issues impacting or threatening the condition of the site
• Actions and measures- ‘mechanisms’- that can be used to address
those risks
• How much it will cost and where the money could come from
• Working with important stakeholders and agreeing how they can
contribute
• First time this information has been drawn together
IPENS
Development of Theme Plans
• Invasive species
• Grazing
• Habitat fragmentation
• Coastal recreation and disturbance
• Coastal squeeze
• Species management
• Diffuse water pollution
• Restoration of lakes and rivers
• Hydrological functioning
• Aerial nitrogen deposition
IPENS
Compiling of evidence
Use of Natural England’s evidence database, results from
commissioned reports, academic literature, specialist knowledge
Also specific IPENS projects
• Investigating risks and issues affecting features in Natura 2000 sites
• Identifying or investigating potential management measures to
address the issues
• If required, monitoring and mapping the features providing data to
help inform above actions.
IPENS
Development of Site Improvement Plans – SIP
• Outlines the actions to achieve and maintain the site in favourable
condition
• High level description of the issues affecting the sites
• Identifies actions required to address the issues and the funding
sources available
• Live documents which can be updated
• Not habitat management plans or funded and agreed programme of
specific measures for delivery on the ground
• See them as a resource
IPENS
Benefits of the programme
• Improved understanding by government agencies and stakeholders
of the issues affecting Natura 2000 sites
• Better access to information on mechanisms to address issues and
associated funding options
• Help the UK government in relation to its responsibilities under the
Habitats and Birds Directives
• Provides evidence to influence EU funding
Solway Firth EMS
Solway Firth EMS
SAC features
• Estuaries
• Sandbanks covered by seawater all the time
• Mudflats and sandflats not covered by seawater at low tide
• Salicornia and other annuals colonizing mud and sand
• Atlantic salt meadows
• Reefs
• River lamprey
• Sea lamprey
• Perennial vegetation of stony banks
• Fixed coastal dunes with herbaceous vegetation-“grey dunes
Solway Firth EMS
SPA
• Internationally important populations of regularly occurring Annex 1 species
• Internationally important populations of regularly occurring migratory
species
• An internationally important assemble of waterfowl
Ramsar
• Regularly supports 20,000 waterfowl
• 1% or more of populations of one species or one subspecies of waterfowl
• Supports vulnerable, endangered species or threatened ecological
communities
•
Also has supporting habitats for the above designations but some are
outwith the EMS boundary
Solway Firth Site Improvement Plan
©Stephen Candler/Natural
England
• Draft document has been collated by local site leads in Natural
England using theme plans.
• Identified a change in distribution of birds as a priority for Solway
Firth plan
• Draft document has been reviewed by partners and stakeholders
including Environment Agency, Solway Firth Partnership, Cumbria
Wildlife Trust, AONB, Scottish Natural Heritage, Scottish
Environment Protection Agency
• Does not encompass local management plans
Solway Firth Site Improvement Plan
©Stephen Candler/Natural
England
• Use of the SIP can identify what theme’s should be reviewed locally,
giving the impetus for these issues to be included within national
plans.
• Work in progress
Mersey Estuary
Solway Firth Site Improvement Plan
• Site Improvement Plans will integrated into the Environment
Agency’s River Basin Management Plan‘s(RBMP)
• North West RBMP available on Environment Agency website
• Solway Tweed RBMP available on SEPA website
• IPENS and SIP information available
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/improvementprogramme-for-englands-natura-2000-sites-ipens
IPENS
Thank you for listening
Any questions ??