YORKSHIRE PEAT PARTNERSHIP
SURVEY SPECIFICATION
May 2012
A. Pre-survey
Create GIS layers as follows:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
GRIPS: Map grips from high resolution aerial photographs map.
NATURAL WATERCOURSES: Map all natural watercourses from high resolution aerial
photographs to match those classed as in blue on the Ordnance Survey 1:50000 maps.
BARE PEAT: Map bare peat using spectral analysis in ArcGIS using YPP protocols
(Brown, 2012). Extract gully bare peat and hag bare peat from this to provide a final
map showing flat bare peat.
ERODING GULLIES & WATERCOURSES: Using the bare peat map as a guide create
a linear map showing all gullies with eroding sides.
GULLY BARE PEAT: Create a 10m buffer around the gullies in the eroding gullies
map and overlay this with the bare peat map to select bare peat associated with gullies.
Save this as a Gully Bare Peat map
GULLY WIDTHS: Create a map showing all gullies (exclude natural watercourses)
classified into different width categories (see Table 1).
HER: Obtain Historic Environment Record for each site.
ISOLATED HAGS: Using the bare peat map as a guide create a linear map showing all
isolated hags with eroding sides.
ISOLATED HAG BARE PEAT: Create a 5m buffer around the hags in the isolated
hags map and overlay this with the bare peat map to select bare peat associated with
isolated hags. Save this as an Isolated Hags Bare Peat map
EXTENSIVE HAGS: Using the bare peat map and eroding gully map as a guide create
polygons around extensive hag zones.
EXTENSIVE HAGS BARE PEAT: Overlay this polygon with the bare peat map to
select bare peat associated with extensive hag zones. Save this as an Extensive Hags
Bare Peat map
FIELD SURVEY TRANSECT: Overlay site boundary with 100m grid. Using this grid
mark sampling locations every 200m.
Load maps onto GPS enabled field computer.
B. Field survey
1. Habitat recording: At each sampling point along the field transect record the following
information into the GPS enabled field computer:
-peat depth (m)
-heather height (m) over a 5m x 5m area <15cm, 15-30cm, >30cm.
-vegetation community class viewed over a 2m x 2m area (Table 3)
-indicator species presence in a 2m x 2m area (Table 4)
-Nanotope type in a 5m x 5m area (see Table 5)
-burning category in a 5m x 5m area (see Table 6)
2.
Grips & Gullies : Whenever the transect crosses or passes within 1m of a grip or gully
record the following information into the GPS enabled field computer:
-flow present YES/NO
-dams present YES/NO
-width category (see Table 1) estimated from peat side to peat side at the widest point of
the vertical profile
-depth category (see Table 2) estimated from the base of the grip/gully in the middle to the
top.
-base type as mineral (m), peat (p) or vegetated (v).
-eroding base as YES/NO
-eroding sides as YES/NO
Angle of sides as vertical, ≥750 (v), severe, ≥450 <750 (s) moderate, ≥330<450 (m)
Sphagnum present YES/NO
3. Hags: Whenever the transect crosses or passes within 1m of a hag record the following. In
areas of extensive hagging where the transect is passing continuously through hags do this
recording every 100m.
-height of the hag above current ground level (m)
-vegetated on top YES/NO
-vegetated between hags YES/NO
-erosion between hags YES/NO
-eroding sides YES/NO
-Angle of sides as vertical, ≥750 (v), severe, ≥450 <750 (s) moderate, ≥330<450 (m)
-Sphagnum present between hags YES/NO
-Sphagnum present on top of hags YES/NO
4. Historic Environment recording: Record all HE features (as GPS centroid points with an
estimate of size) seen during the walkover (see Table 7).
5. Soil analysis: Take 25 small peat samples (using “cheese-corer” soil sampler) from areas
of bare peat which should be combined to produce 1 sample for each site. These samples
should then be sent to a laboratory to be tested for pH and nutrient levels.
C. Post-survey
1.
Grips: Using high resolution photographs as a base map and the information collected on
grips in the field digitise lengths of grips into a MAPINFO table according to the
classification outlined in Table 8.
2.
Gullies & Category 4-6 grips: Using the gully widths map created in the Pre-survey and
the map of Category 4-6 grips together with the field data on gully/large grip characteristics
classify these further into linear sections within MAPINFO as described in Table 9.
3. Extensive hag zones: Using the pre-survey and field data on extensive hag zones classify
these into polygons in MAPINFO based on the criteria in Table 10.
4. Habitat: Create a MAPINFO point table showing the different vegetation community
classes at each sampling location (we plan to use this information in future in an image
classification study to eanable habitat areas to be mapped from aerial photography)
5. Species: Create a series of MAPINFO point tables showing the distribution of Sphagnum
mosses and the following other indicator species:
-Calluna vulgaris (Heather)
-Eriophorum angustifolium (Common cottongrass)
-Eriophorum vaginatum (Hare’s-tail Cottongrass)
-Erica tetralix (Cross-leaved heath)
-Empetrum nigrum (Crowberry)
-Molinia caerulea (Purple-moor grass)
-Juncus effusus (Soft rush)
6. Nanotope types: Create a MAPINFO point table showing the different nanotope types at
each sampling location (we plan to use this information in future in an image classification
study to enable explore whether nanotopes can be mapped from aerial photography)
7.
Heather heights: Create a MAPINFO point table showing the eather heights at each
sampling location.
8. Historic Environment: Create a MAPINFO point table showing all features of histiric
environment interest.
9. Services: Carry out searches to determine whether any services (water pipes, electricity
cables, gas pipes) cross the site and identify these on GIS maps.
10. Access: After discussions with stakeholders identify access routes & “no-go” areas for
machinery and map these.
11. Locations for materials storage/lift sites: Identify these on maps after discussions with
stakeholders.
Table 1: Gully Width Categories
Class
1
2
3
4
Gully Width (cm)
≤1m
>1m≤2m
>2m≤3m
>3m
MapInfo colour code
Blue (I1)
Pink (J1)
Yellow (F1)
Green (G1)
Table 2: Gully Width Categories
Class
1
2
3
Gully Depth (m)
≤1m
>1m≤2m
>2m≤3m
Table 3: Vegetation communities
Community
BB75
BB50
BB25
HD
WD
AGM
AGJ
AGN
AGJN
NCG
BR
AF
BF
BP
BM
Description
Blanket Bog >75% dwarf shrub
Blanket Bog ≥25%≤75% dwarf shrub
Blanket Bog <25% dwarf shrub
Dry heath
Wet heath
Acid Grassland (Molinia caerulea)
Acid Grassland (Juncus squarrosus)
Acid Grassland (Nardus stricta)
Acid Grassland (Juncus squarrosus/Nardus stricta mosaic)
Neutral/Calcareous Grassland
Bracken
Acidic Fen
Basic Fen
Bare Peat
Bare Mineral
Table 4: Indicator species
Code
Cv
Ea
Ev
Sc
Et
Em
Vm
Vv
Vo
Rc
Ap
No
Dr
Mc
Je
Sph
Sfa
Spp
Scp
Sm
Scu
Spu
Ss
St
Saf
Sau
Si
Sfu
Sq
Sd
Pc
Species
Calluna vulgaris (Heather)
Eriophorum angustifolium.(Common Cottongrass)
Eriophorum vaginatum (Hare’s-tail Cottongrass)
Scirpus cespitosus (Deergrass)
Erica tetralix (Cross-leaved heath)
Empetrum nigrum (Crowberry)
Vaccinium myrtillus (Bilberry)
Vaccinium vitis-idaea (Cowberry)
Vaccinium oxycoccos (Cranberry)
Rubus chamaemorus (Cloudberry)
Andromeda polifolia (Bog Rosemary)
Narthecium ossifragum (Bog Asphodel)
Drosera spp. (Sundew)
Molinia caerulea (Purple-moor grass)
Juncus effusus (Soft rush)
Sphagnum species
Sphagnum fallax
Sphagnum papillosum
Sphagnum capillifolium
Sphagnum magellanicum
Sphagnum cuspidatum
Sphagnum palustre
Sphagnum subnitens
Sphagnum tenellum
Sphagnum affine
Sphagnum austinii
Sphagnum inundatum
Sphagnum fuscum
Sphagnum quinquefarium
Sphagnum denticulatum
Polytrichum
Table 5 Nanotope type
Table 6: Burning classes
Class
0
1
2
3
4
5
Description
No burn
New burn – blackened vegetation
1-5 year old burn – heather regenerating but not closed canopy
5-10 year old burn – closed canopy pioneer heather (up to 15cm high)
Mature heather between 15 and 30cm high
Tall old heather
Table 7: HE record
Code
N
U
E
T1
T2
T3
Description
HER feature not noted on ground or absent
Upstanding feature – e.g. boundary stone, walkers cairn, sheepfold
Earthwork feature, e.g. peat cutting, mineshaft or prehistoric cairn
Tree remains - single
Tree remains - multiple
Tree remains - abundant
Table 8: Post-survey grip classes
Class
1b
1f
2
3
4
5
6
Description
Blocked grip up to 600mm wide; 650mm deep
Flowing grip up to 600mm wide; 650mm deep
Early erosion; >600mm-1000mm wide; >650mm-1000mm deep
Eroding and deeply scoured: >1000mm-1500mm wide; >1000mm-1200mm deep.
Grip which is wide in relation to depth: >1500mm-2000mm wide; >1200-2000mm
deep
No longer a grip, now a watercourse with bare peat edges: >2000mm-3000mm
wide; 2000-3500mm deep
A huge washed out grip: >3000mm wide; >3500mm deep.
Table 9 Post-survey gully classification
Gully/large grip
class
1a
1b
1c
1d
1e
1f
2a
2b
2c
2d
2e
2f
3a
3b
3c
3d
3e
3f
4a
4b
Description
Width
≤1m
Depth
≤0.5m
sides
severely sloping/vertical sides
moderately sloping sides
severely sloping/vertical sides
moderately sloping sides
severely sloping/vertical sides
moderately sloping sides
severely sloping/vertical sides
moderately sloping sides
severely sloping/vertical sides
with moderately sloping sides
severely sloping/vertical sides
moderately sloping sides
severely sloping/vertical sides
moderately sloping sides
severely sloping/vertical sides
moderately sloping sides
severely sloping/vertical sides
moderately sloping sides
severely sloping/vertical sides
moderately sloping sides
>0.5m≤1m
>1m
≤0.5m
>1m≤2m
>0.5m≤1m
>1m
≤0.5m
>2m≤3m
>0.5m≤1m
>1m
>3m
All
Table 10 Post-survey extensive hag zone classification
Gully/large
grip class
1a
1b
1c
1d
2a
2b
2c
2d
3a
3b
3c
3d
4a
4b
4c
4d
Description
Description
Hag Height
Eroding Sides
≤1m
NO
Vegetated
between
YES
NO
YES
YES
NO
>1m
NO
YES
NO
YES
YES
NO
Vegetated on
top
YES
NO
YES
NO
YES
NO
YES
NO
YES
NO
YES
NO
YES
NO
YES
NO