Ecology of vegetation change in upland landscapes II - Study areas

Ecology of Vegetation Change in Upland Landscapes Part IT : Study A r e a s PREFACE As acknowledged in the Preface to Part I of this Report, the work described was carried out by the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology (ITE), Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), under contract to the Department of the Environment (DOE) as WE/NERC contract DGR/483/23. ITE is grateful to DOE and their Review Committee for support throughout, and to DOE for permission to publish the contract report in this form. Errata p9 line 11 from end, delete 'centuries', insert 'century'. p35 ling3 from end, spelling 'pastures'. p54 line 16, should read I . . . cold and moderately wet . . . I . p58 line 11 from end, delete 'and', insert 'but'. p15 line 22, delete 'were'. insert 'was'. - - p85 line 17 from end, should read I . . . as moderately cold and . . . ' . p130 line 7 , delete 'occupies', insert 'occupy' 136 line 16, delete 'intensive', insert utensive'. I line 3, delete 'or', insert 'of'. C O N T E N T S PART 11: STUDY AREAS INTROUUCTION STUDY AREAS 1 ALWINTON 2 LUNEDALE 3 SHAP RURAL AND SHAP 4 BRANSDALE 5 HEFTONSTALL 6 MONYASB AND HARTINGTON MIDDLE QUARTER 7 LLANFACHRETII 8 YSBYTY YSTWYTH 0 GLASCWM 10 YSTRAMiYNLAIS HIGHER AND GLYNTAWE 107 11 LYNMN 118 11 WIDECOMBE IN THE MOOR AND BUCKLAND IN THE MOOR 120 APPENDICES APPENDIX 1 Grid Referenoes of Vegetation Sites 141 APPENDIX 2 Predicted Courses of Vegetation ChPnge at Main Sites 155 APPENDIX 3 Associations between ULS Vegetation Mapping Units and ITE Vegetation Classes Conbined Data for 11 Areas. - 156 INTRODUCTION The results of this study of Ecology of Vegetation Change in Upland Landscapes are being published in two parts. Part I: General Synthesis (Ball -et a1 1981) identifies, from a classification of data collected in 12 study areas, 16 pasture and heath vegetation classes important in the farmland/moorland mosaic that characterises the uplands of England and Wales. It considers the environmental, historical and current management factors that control the occurrence of these classes and interprets, using standard assumptions, the possible directions and rates of potential gradual change between them. This second part of the report on the contract study carried out for DOE by ITE consists of accounts of the individual study areas: Alwinton, Northumberland; Lunedale, Durham; Shap Rural and Shap, Cumhria (Shap); Bransdale, North Yorkshire; Heptonstall, West Derbyshire Yorkshire; Monyash and Hartington Middle Quarte)., (Monyash); Llanfachreth, Gwynedd; Ysbyty Ystwyth, Dyfed; Glascnn, Powys; Ystradgynlais Higher and Glyntawe, Powys (Ystradgynlais); Lynton, Devon; Widecombe in the Moor and Buckland in the Moor, Devon (Widecombe). The area accounts each contain sections on Physical Environment; Land-use History; Vegetation; Potential Vegetation Change; and a summary Conclusion. The physical environment sections include the representation in each area of land types in the land classification discussed in Part I. Summary descriptions of these types are repeated here (from Part I, Table 4-1). Land Group Land Type General Descriptiona Hill Steep ~111' (1) High altitude, strong relief, steep slope#; very low density of habitation, low frequency of road access and intensity of agricultural use. Hill (3) High altitude, moderate relief and slopes; low density of habitation, frequency of road access and inteneity of agricultural use. High Plateau High altitude, low relief and gentle slopae; low density of habitation, frequency of road access and intensity of agricultural use. (4) Upland Steep Upland (5) . Moderate altitude, strong relief and steep slopes; low density of habitatipn, moderate frequency of road acceas and intensity of agricultural use. Land Group Land Type General DescriptionP Upland Moderate altitude, relief and Slopes; high deqsity of habitation, frequency of road access and intensity of agricultural use. (7) Upland Plateau (8) Upland Margin Upland Margin (6) 1 1 Moderatq altitude, low relief and gentle elopes; moderate density of habitation and frequency of road access; high intensity of agricultural use. Low altitude, moderate relief and ratheir steep slopes; high density of habitatidn, frequency of road access and intensity of agricultural use. 1 Numbers in brackets are those used on computer maps of land type distribution in each area 2 Descriptive terms are relative to the range of character incduded in the study areas i Computer maps are used in the sections on physical environment to disblay the distribution of some land characteristics and of land types. Sources of the environmental data are: for physiographic and topographic data, 1:25 000 Ordnance Survey maps; for rainfall, the Meteorological Office national map; for geology, published nations1 and unpublished district maps of tbe Institute of Geological Scie ces; for soils, the England and Wales map of the Soil Survey of Englan and Wales; for Agricultural Land Classification, the 1:250 000 maps of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Full references to these are given in Part I of this report. Other climatic data for the study areas are drawn from their approximate location on smal -scale national maps in Meteorological Office Climatic Memoranda 73 (1973) for monthly temperatures; 72 (1974) for sunshine hours; and 74 (1975) for length of snow lie. Temperatures have been adjusted to the mean altitude for each area (Part I. 2.81). No detailed local climati data were sought for individual areas or for locations within are s, nor are they available in most cases. 1 1 f In the sections on land-use historg, main aspects relevant to the vegetation of each area are outlined. Particular attention has bken paid to changes between moorland and farmland over about the past 150 years, as identified from analysis of maps and air photographs. Reference is also made to parish agricultural statistics collated for the post-1900 period. Current farming and other land-use practices are not discussed in detail as they have been comprehenbively investigated in a parallel study of the same areas by a group of consultants on behalf of the Countryside Commission. This Upland Landscapes Study (ULS) provided reports (as listed in references to each area account here) that discuss the aims and plans of the f a F n g communities and, from consideration of the present landscapes of each area, predict the likely impact of intended or probable farming and other land-use changes on these landscapes. The vegetation sgctions in each area account concentrate on the pasture and heath vegetation classes present on the 70 or more 'main sites' recorded in each area in 1977 or 1978. Maps and text use the vegetation class names and/or reference numbers that have been employed in Part I. Again for ease of reference a summary of these classes, drawn from their description in Chapter 3 of Part I, is included here. Vegetation Group Vegetation Class Improved pastures 1. Lolium/ Holcus/ Pteridiw grassland Lolium perenne and Holcus lanatus are the co-dominant species with Pteridium aquilinum present as an invading species. This class is usually associated with shallow soils. Surface rocks and boulders are typically present. 2. Lolium grassland Lolium perenne is again a dominant species but with Agrostis tenuis and Holcus lanatus as co-dominants. Land used for hay meadows is included in this class. 3. Lolium/ Trifolium grassland Characteristic co-dominant species are Lolium perenne and Trifolium repens. A tendency towards drainage impedence is shown by the presence of thistles and rushes. 4. Herb-rich Lolium grassland Dominated by Lolium perenne with a range of agricultural weeds present. Trifolium repens and Dactylis glomerata are prominent. This class includes recently resown swards. 5. Agrostis/ Juncus grassland Agrostis tenuis and Juncus spp. are characteristic. Herb-rich flushes are a feature, and bracken and brambles are frequent. 6. Festuca/ Juncus grassland A main distinction from class 5 is the more prominent presence in class 6 of coarser grass species such as Deschampsia flexuosa, Agrostis canina/ stolonifera and Nardus stricta. Slopes tend to be slightly steeper and soil pH rather lower than for class 5 sites. Rough pastures General Description Vegetation Group Vegetation Class 7. Agrostis/ Holcus grassland General Description i Agrostis spp. and Holcus lanatus are co-dominant. This class inclqdes a variety of herb species. It occurs on well drained soils on moderate slopes (6" 11°) with same surface rocks and boulders presenq. Scattered trees are also frequent.1 - 8. Festuca/ Agrostis grassland Co-dominant species are Festuca ovina and Agrostis tenuis. This class mainly occurs on moderate slopes with shallow soils. Some drainage impedence can be reflected in the presence of species such a$ Jupcus effusus. - I Grassy heaths 14. Festuca/ Vaccinium heath Dry grassy heath on gentle or moderate slopes, shallow soils and free drainage. Characteristic species and Potentilla erecta. I Shrubby heaths 15. Festuca/ Nardus/ Vaccinium heath m, 16. Festuca/ Nardus/ Molinia heath Wet upland grassy heath with many b species typical of wet situations, present, e.g. Carex nigra, vaginatum, Juncus bulbosus, cespitosum and Narthecium ossifragum. Streams and pools are frequent. Characteristic species are Festucb Nardus stricta and Vacciniw myrtillus. It occurs particularly on moderate to steep slopes in the northern study areas e.g. Bransdale. ' I 9. Calluna/ Molinia/ Vaccinium heath Relatively species-poor heath located mainly in the south west shallow soils. Calluna vulgaris dominant, but other common erico are also present. 10. Also a species-poor class, which differs from class 9 in its stro ger snrubby heath element. In class 9, 5 grass species occur at more thdn 60% of sites, compared with one only in class 10. Surface character1 tics iaclude evidence of burning and f eroding peat. Vaccinium/ Calluna heath on is ds I 4 d Vegetation Group Vegetation Class General Description 11. Nardus/ Sphagnum/ Calluna heath Mixed heath occurring on boggy moorland with coarse grasses abundant. Characteristic subordinate species include Trichophorum cespitosum, Empetrum nigrum, Narthecium ossifragum and Vaccinium OXYCOCCUS. 12. Eriophorum/ Calluna heath Blanket bog on deep peaty soils, rnainly present in Lunedale. Calluna vulgaris is dominant with Eriophorum vaginatum co-dominant. EriophorlU angustifolium and Sphagnum spp. are also abundant. 13. Calluna heath Dry Calluna heath with bracken sometimes present, occurring mainly in the south western study areas e.g. Widecombe and Lynton. Ula. spp. is a frequent associate. Mainly situated on rocky sites with pockets of well drained soils. The frequency of vegetation class occurrence at the time the site recording was carried out is discussed for 'main sites' in each area as a whole, and for sites in land types within each area. The limited number of woodland sites examined in each area are also considered. It must be emphasised that, in the ITE study, field work was necessarily limited to recording vegetation at a series of preselected sites. It is not possible therefore to provide a comprehensive picture of the total vegetation of each area, nor , to relate each recorded site to quantitatively identified local management methods, past and present, or, for example, to a detailed assessment of soil conditions. The main objectives were to cover adequately the range of grasslsnd-moorland vegetation in the 12 areas, and to consider the general relationships of this vegetation to its controlling factors. To enable main sites and the smaller number of woodland sites to be located more precisely than can be shown on maps included in the accounts, their grid, references are listed in Appendix 1. The sections on potential vegetation change include predictions of the possible situation that could result from agricultural intensification or decline: at individual sites; for each area as a whole; for land types within each area; and for ULS vegetation mapping units in each area (see below). The changes predicted result from standard trends drawn from the principles set out in Part I, Chapter 5, rather than from consideration of the specific land and management situation at each individual site. Appendix 2 (derived from Figure 5-4 in Part I) lists the standard trends that are used in these predictions of change. Vegetation maps for all study areas except Monyash have been produced by G. Sinclair of Environmental Information Services as part of the Upland Landscapes Study. Simplified ULS versions of these maps are reproduced in the area accounts here by permission of Mr Sinclair. Associations between ITE vegetation classes at 'main sites' and the UL8 mappPng qnits are considered for each arRa individually. Correlations between the two vegetation groupings for the 11 areas combined are discussed in Appendix 3. 1 , ~ The conclusion section in each area account briefly sums up the main factors locally constraining or encouraging the predicted ecologically potential vegetation changes. Maps showing the study area locations, and base naps of each study area reproduced from 1:50 000 Ordnance Survey maps, are included with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationepy Office, Crown copyright reserved. The air photograph of Glasc the cover is one of those by Prafessor J K St Joseph, Universit of Cambridge, that are included in Part I of this Report. 'Ehe essential contributions of qany colleagues and others are necognised in the Preface and Aaknowledgement sections of Part I. The study would not have been possible without the freely given pe ission of landowners and tenants to carry out vegetation recording on 'their land. I Ball, D. F., Dale, J., Sheail, J., Dickson, K. P-Williams, W. Y. (1081). Ecology of Vegetation Change in Upland Landscapes Part I: General Synthesis. Bangor Research Station Occasional Pa No. 2, ITF. - ALWINTON - PLATE I Valley of the River Coquet. In the right foreground is rough grassland with Nardus stricta prominent. Pastoral rough grazing remains the dominant feature of much of this study area. (Photo by P.~insworth) FIGURE 1.1 THE STUDY AREA OF ALWINTOR Crown Copyright Reserved L PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT The study area of Alwinton in the Cheviot region of northern Northumberland (Figure 1-1) is a large parish covering 155 km2, the northern boundary of which follows the border between England and Scotland. It includes the headwaters of the River Coquet (Plate 1). Rothbury and Alnwick are the nearest towns. Land between 244 and 427 m (800-1 400 ft) dominates most of the area, but there is a small sector of lower ground around Alwinton village, and a band of higher land along the western and northern margins (Figure 1-2). Steep and very steep slopes 0 1 1 0 ) are frequent north of the Coquet and moderate slopes dominate most of the (Part I, Plate I), remainder of Alwinton (Figure 1-31, with gentle slopes (<50) only prominent in a small part of the area in the south. Climatically, compared to the other study areas, Alwinton is classifiable as cold and dry (Part I, 2.32 and Figure 2-21. The annual average of daily sunshine hours is 3.5 and there is an average of 30 days a year with snow lying. January and October mean temperatures are estimated as 0.5 and 7.80C. These climatic values will clearly vary substantially between the village and the hill summits and can only be used to give a general impression for the area (see Part I, 2.31). Because Alwinton is situated east of the high spine of the Pennines that runs through northern England, it lies in the rainshadow of these hills in relation to the main rain-bearing winds coming from the west. Low rainfall (801-1 000 mm, c. 32-40 in pa) occurs over about one quarter of the area in the eastern central sector from Alwinton village to around Windyhaugh. The remainder is in a moderate rainfall zone (1 001-1 200 mm, c. 40-48 in pa). In Smith (1976) the length of the growing season for grass in the upland area of Northumberland which includes Alwinton is given as 200 days (21 April-7 November) at 214 m. Geologically the most widespread rocks of Alwinton are those of the Cheviot igneous complex, although the Cheviot granite itself has only a very small outcrop in the northeast corner. The study area is mainly composed of andesite lavas, with subordinate volcanic ashes in the west, which occupy much of the moderate altitude ground. The high land in the north is of less weatherable rhyolite rocks. The southern quarter of the area, south approximately of a line from Alwinton village west to Brown Law and the ruin of Ridleeshope, consists of Carboniferous sedimentary rocks, mainly hard nut.rient-poor sandstones, but with an area of shales and minor impure limestones around Alwinton v i l l a g e , and a more C O ~ P $ ~ X a s s o c i a t i o n of sandstones with s h a l e s , occasional limestone, poor c o a l seams i n t h e south, A small e x t e n t of S i l u r i a n s h a l e sandstone is mapped i n t h e extreme west, west of Makendon. Drift d e p o s i t s of boulder c l a y a r e mapped along t h e lower Coquet and e s p q c i a l l y along t h e Ridlees Burn and its t r i b u t a r i e s i n southern c e n t r a l s e c t o r west of Alwinton v i l l a g e , and a l s o over e a s t e r n half of t h e a r e a o f Carboniferous r o c k s i n t h e south. Deep p e a t is mapped on t h e northeastern h i l l s and near t h e v e s t p r n boufldary of t h e study a r e a i n t h e south. E! F I From t h e n a t i o n a l s o i l map, except f o r a small s e c t o r dominated' by Brown E a r t h s immediately around Alwinton Village, t h e g r e a t e r t o f t h e study area is mapped a s dominated by Peaty Pod 01s (Stagnopodzols) which are peaty-surfaced, s t r o n g l y leached and a c i d , but moderately w e l l drained soils. These are a s s o c i a t e d Mith very poorly drained Peaty Gleys (Stagnogleys) and poorly drained Gleys, some b e t t e r drained non-peaty Brown Podzolic S o i l s , Ra ers (shallow i ~ m ~ a t u rseo i l s over rock) and Peats. East of t h e Coque a large area including t h e western p a r t o f Kidland F o r e s t is mapped as dominated by Deep Peaty S o i l s . , 7 "1 The a g r i c u l t u r a l land c l a s s i f i c a t i o n map of t h e a r e a shows a i e r y l i m i t e d e x t e n t of grade 4 l a n d around Alwinton v i l l a g e , maps ' o t h e r u s e s r f o r t h e f o r e s t r y s e c t o r s of Carshope P l a n t a t i o n and p a r t of Kidhand Forest, and includes t h e bulk of t h e a r e a i n t h e c a t e of lowest a g r i c u l t u r a l q u a l i t y , grade 5. Figure 1-4 i l l u s t r a t e s t h e topographic c h a r a c t e r o f Alwinton. The limkted spreads of s e t t l e m e n t and of i n t e n s i v e 'agriculture assessed by frequent f i e l d boundaries are almost confined t o ar Alwinton village and along t h e Coquet as far as Windyhaugh. The road and t r a c k p a t t e r n mainly follows t h e v a l l e y s , many r o a d s bping e n t b r e l y or p a r t i a l l y confined t o m i l i t a r y o r f o r e s t r y use ( t a r e a d d i t i o n a l t r a o k s f o r t h e s e uses that are not shown on 1:25 000 OS maps). A s a whole t h e area is now one with a M a l l population and l i t t l e p u b l i c use, due p a r t i o u l a r l y t o its re ote l o c s t i o n and t o its importance as a m i l i t a r y t r a i n i n g area. Upland Landscapes Study (ULS 1979) r e c o r d s a considerable re e n t f o r e s t r y expansion, with 1 415 ha planted with c o n i f e r s between 1967 and 1978 ( P a r t I, P l a t e 1 ). be I given i n The d i s t r i b u t i o n of land types ( P a r t I, 4.11-4.17) Figure 1-5 shows t h e r e t o be a small e x t e n t of upland margin land around t h e v i l l a g e and r u ~ i n gup t h e main valleys. The h i l l and group dominates t h e a r e a , with gteep h i l l prominent i n t h e n t h , and h i l l and high plateau i n t h e south. The v a l l e y s l o p e s i n t h e c e n t r a l and northern s e c t o r s are i n t h e s t e e p upland land Wpe, while upland p l a t e a u , i n a s s o c i a t i o n with high plateau and h i l l , , is prominent i n t h e south-central s e a t o r . C I LAND-USE HISTORY Far from being an empty a r w in prehistoric times, Alwinton was apparently more widely populated then than at the present day (Charlton & Day 1977; Anon. 1978). There is evidence of a comparatively dense scatter of stone houses and field system dating from about 650 BC on the long ridges of the low-lying Cheviot foothills, protected from the prevailing winds and situated well above the wet and wooded valley bottoms. Romano-British field systems survive near Alwinton (Part I, 4.23). Over the centuries, grazing by sheep and goats led to the destruction of originally extensive areas of woodland and to the area becoming more settled. In grants of grazing rights to the monks of Newminster in the 13th century, for example, it is implied that the wolf was then nearly extinct even in the remoter parts of Upper Coquetdale which, from its character in recent times, might be expected to have been then unoccupied and wild. The sheep flocks of the monasteries, and the seasonal movement of large herds of cattle, may have accelerated the clearance of any remaining woodland from the fells and screes of Kidland. The hamlet of Alwinton stands at an important junction of drove roads and border tracks, the most famous of which was Clennell Street which ran from the Scottish Border down the ridge between the Alwin tributary of White Burn, and the Usway Burn (Newton 1972). In the 13th and 14th centuries there are the earliest references to such places as Batailshiel on the Usway Burn, Carlcroft and Shillmoor on the Coquet, and Wilkwood on the southern fell land, with evidence also of extensive areas of present day moorland being under some form of cultivation. This prosperous phase came to an abrupt end in the 15th and 16th centuries, as a result of warfare across the Border (Part I, 4.35). When the grange of Stokershaugh, with its 1 000 acres of pasture, was valued in 1536, it was said to be useless and lying waste 'bycause of the great thefte of the Skottes and outlaws* (Dodds 1940). This site was never re-occupied, but many other farmsteads were repopulated from the late 17th centuries onwards. The fine Georgian farm at Shillmoor has been described as a memorial to the final establishment of peaceful conditions. From the Napoleonic wars onwards, many of the medieval ploughlands on the higher ground were reclaimed, and some further moorland included in the then arable area. Hardy (1887) for example described how land on Hosedon Burn, to the north of Alwinton, was held by 2 brothers, with spits of land "laid out on a plan, James and Thomas alternatively". Tracts of common land were at this time subdivided into holdings owned by individuals, although later disputes over trespass make it clear that physical boundaries were seldom erected. Most of t h e area however f e l l within l a r g e estabes, from which the individual stock-farms were leased. when sed Lordship of Kidland was off$red f o r s a l e i n 1830, i t was advert a s "almost a ring-fence e s t a t e w , w i t h 7 farms 'let t o BOst respectable and s u b s t a n t i a l t e n a n t s q , covering an w e g a t e 22 000 acres (c.8 900 ha). Each farm was c h a r a c t e r i s t i c a l l y made up of "20 t o 30 acres of Old Sward Meadown, and "over 2 000 a c r e s of rbugh grazing landn. The s a l e catalogue claimed that the e s t a t e abounded i n grouse and black game, and included streams famous f o r W e i r trout. Ithe I During the 18-19th centuries coal was worked i n mall p i t s around Wilkuood (Part I, 4.37) giving a minor i n d u s t r i a l supplement t o the main stock-farming a c t i v i t y of the area. I The Ordnance Survey carried out its first l a r g e scale SWVSY of Alwinton i n the 1860s, with revisions i n the subsequently. Figure 1-6 based on these maps supported by a i r .M ~ h d t o ~ r a ~shows hs the d i s t r i b u t i o n of moorland core, flagoS r i n g e and The extent of unmodified moorland farmland (see Part I, 4.47-4.55). ( t h e moorland core) has been determined a s 12 365 ha (80s of t h e area), and the moorland f r i n g e (land which a t d i f f e r e n t periods has bedn recorded a s both farmland and moor) a s 2 279 ha (1'5%), ou of the t o t a l area of 15 525 ha (Figure 1-6). O f t h e Qinge, 1 7 ha have been afforested since 1953, and a f u r t h e r 100 ha have improved agriculturally. 43% of the f r i n g e f a l l s i n the upland land type w i t h about 20% each i n steep hi'll and up and margin, giving a r e l a t i v e l y high representation i n t h e steep uphand and upland margin i n r e l a t i o n t o the extent of t h e 3 types in Alwinton (22, 43 and 5% respectively (Part I, Table 4-3b)). dD f I I About 100 ha of improved land have reverted t o moorland since t h e 1850s. A i r photography provides evidence that a further 350 h of present day moorland were once cultivated, of which 290 ha e r e pldughed a t some period a f t e r 1800. These areas may represent the extension of ploughland i n response t o high a g r i c u l t u r a l p r i c e s during the Napoleonic wars and t h e i r aftermath i n the e a r l y '19th century, referred t o e a r l i e r i n t h i s section. Data i n ULS ( 1 79) show an increase i n crops and g r a w between 1863 and 1978 from R.45 of the area t o j u s t under 5% and an increase i n mod and fopest from 0.5 t o 17.5%. No parish s t a t i s t i c s f o r the period 1900-11965 were available t o include i n Figupas 4-4 t o 4-7 of Part I. F I VEGETATION The frequencies of vegetation c l a s s e s a t t h e 80 main s i t e s recorded i n t h e Alwinton study a r e a &uring 1978 a r e given i n Figure 1-7. Figure 1-8 shows t h e l o c a t i o n s of t h e s e s i t e s ( t h e i r g r i d r e f e r e n c e s a r e l i s t e d i n Appendix 1) and t h e i r vegetation c l a s s a t t h a t time. The very low proportion of improved p a s t u r e s (62 o f recorded s i t e s ) is a marked c h a r a c t e r i s t i c of t h e sampled vegetation, t h e s e sites occurring only i n t h e immediate v i c i n i t y of Alwinton v i l l a g e and along t h e Coquet. Rough p a s t u r e s a r e more widespread (28% of recorded s i t e s ) and t h e s e a l s o mainly occur along t h e v a l l e y s where t h e farmsteads a r e found. One rough p a s t u r e c l a s s , Festuca/Agrostis grassland, c l a s s 8 ( P a r t 1, 3.14), a t 232 o f t h e sites, is t h e most frequently recorded vegetation c l a s s a t t h e main s i t e s . Grassy h e a t h s (352 of recorded sites) occur widely, w h i l s t shrubby heath s i t e s (31% of s i t e s ) are more concentrated, occurring mainly i n 2 bands along t h e northern and southern borders o f t h e area. The most f r e q u e n t heath c l a s s e s a r e , among g r a s s y and heaths, Festuca/Vaccinium heath, c l a s s 14 ( P a r t I, 3.16) Festuca/Nardus/Vaccinium heath, c l a s s 15, with among t h e shrubby heaths, Eriophorum/Calluna heath, c l a s s 11. Semi-natural woodland is l i m i t e d t o small s c a t t e r e d woods. The e x t e n t of woodland is lower i n Alwinton than i n a l l o t h e r study a r e a s (ULS 1979 and s e e P a r t I , Table 3-11). The 10 woodlands i n which vegetation was recorded by ITE a r e a l l c l a s s i f i a b l e as upland a c i d woodlands. Most occur on r a t h e r w e t flushed sites. Although a l l appear damaged by n e g l e c t o r t h e i r m i l i t a r y u s e , r e g e n e r a t i o n was recorded i n 6 of them. The extensive coniferous p l a n t a t i o n of Kidland Forest dominates t h e n o r t h e a s t e r n s e c t o r o f ' Alwinton, and accounts, with p a r t of Usway Forest i n t h e north and t h e c e n t r a l Carshope P l a n t a t i o n , f o r apparent gaps i n t h e d i s t r i b u t i o n of vegetation main s i t e s on Figure 1-8. Table 1-1 shows t h e a s s o c i a t i o n between v e g e t a t i o n c l a s s e s a t main s i t e s i n Alwinton and t h e land types i n which t h e s e Sites are s i t u a t e d . Figure 1-9 g i v e s a sketch (with a map'based on F i g u r e 1-51 of t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p between vegetation groups and land groups. Three of t h e 5 improved p a s t u r e s i t e s occur i n t h e upland margin land type. Rough p a s t u r e and grassy heath s i t e s a r e concentrated i n t h e s t e e p h i l l and s t e e p upland land types while t h e shrubby h e a t h s a r e mainly divided between t h e s t e e p h i l l and h i l l land types. POTENTIAL VEGETATION CHANGE I Alwinton can be considered a$ an island of open moorland largely surrounded by extensive afforestation. The military ranges dicaate present land-use policies over most of Alwinton so that the tragitional management of the Border country for livestock has een From a donservation viewpoint this has maintained (Plate 1 ) resulted in sustaining ecosystems which might otherwise have been lost to afforestation. While military use remains, the potentrial for major change must be limited. The extensive open moorland persist as open country, and pressure for further afforestat on, other than for local shelter belts, is likely to be resisted. Although the area is within the Northumberland National Park, tpeir Policies for Alwinton, allied to the presence of the ranges forestry, aim to limit public recpeational pressure in this se of the Park. . 1 p1 ULS analysis (1979) based on ADAS hill land classification crit indicates that almost two-thirds of the rough grazing area "generally not improvablen though mostly this is "of some existing grazing valuen. Of the remainder, 10% is considered "improvablew and the rest suitable for limited improvement. As the area h a s large farms with generally low stocking densities the structkal basis for some improvement is there. One farm now tenanted by the Northumberland College of Agriculture may become a focus for demonstrating the potential for change in farming methods. Looking beyond the restrictions due to military needs, and ignoring the opportunity that any relocation of these needs would give for forestry expansion, the kinds of gradual vegetatidn change hat could occur can be predicted by applying the general princi les discussed in Part I, 5.74-5.78 and Figure 5-4 (summarised hare in Appendix 2 ) to vegetation recorded at the main sites in 1878. Improved pasture sites are few but Lolium grassland, class 2 the most frequent. In considering possible change, it is that these improved pastures would be maintained, whether agriculture expanded or declined. The most prominent rough paspure clqss is class 8, Festuca/Agrosti$ grassland. Intensified use uld direct change in this class towards the improved pastures X i l e under declining agriculture it could move towards a grassy heath composition. The prominent grassy heaths, Festuca/Vacciniun hekth, class 14, and Festuca/Nardus/Vacqinium heath, class 15, agriculture intensified, respectively move towards drier (Pestuca/Agrostis and Agrostis/Jmcus rough pasture classes grasslands, classes 8 and 51, while if agriculture declined would show a trend towards a shrubby heath vegetation of a ra her drier class than those now most frequent (VacciniudCalluna h th, class 10). The principal shrubby heaths (Eriophorum/Calluna hehth, class 12, and Nardus/SphagnudCalluna heath, class 1 1 ) are likely to persist in most conditions leading to gradual change, class 1 1 could move towards grassy heath (Festuca/Nardus/Molinia heath) if grazing management were intensified on it. k P" I Figure 1-7 includes the altered balance of vegetation classes which would result from the predicted changes at recorded sites under generalised assumptions of a poderate level of intensification or decline in agriculture land-use. Figure 1-8 includes the potential alterations in vegetation classes at individual main sites. With that the caution amplified in discussion in Part I (5.78-5.81) these predictions follow a standard application of trends of change and are not able to take account of physical or management conditions at particular locations, it is estimated that an intensification of agriculture to a moderate degree could lead to increases in both improved pastures and rough pastures, the former from 6 to 34% and the latter from 28 to 35% of the sites recorded. These increases would be counter balanced by losses in both gFassy heaths and shrubby heaths, the numbers of recorded sites with these vegetation groups falling from 35 to 14% and from 31 to 17% respectively. The predicted outcome of a moderate decline in agricultural use would be for the proportion of improved pastures to remain at its present 6% of the recorded sites and for the disappearance of rough pasture vegetation. Grassy heaths would fall slightly (from 35 to 28% of sites) while shrubby heaths would increase to occupy 66% rather than the present 31% of recorded sites. In considering the overall impact of these predicted changes on the landscape, agricultural intensification would involve a change in vegetation group at 76% of the recorded main sites, whilst agricultural decline would involve a change of vegetation group at 63% of the sites. Figure 1-9 includes predictions of change in the frequency of vegetation groups at sites in each land group. The sites in the small extent of upland margin would not change. Sites in the upland could swing from their present 50:50 pasture:heath balance to being almost entirely pastures or entirely heaths. The hill land would be less affected but pastures could go from their present frequency of about 20% up to around 50% or alternatively could disappear. Figure 1-10 reproduces the Upland Landscapes Study vegetation map of Alwinton (ULS 1979). To allow comparison of the ULS mapping units (based on visual cover of species) with the ITE vegetation classes at sites (based on species presence), Table 1-2 correlates the ITE class for the main sites recorded in 1978 and the additional sites recorded in 1979 (Part I, 5.66-5.67) with the ULS unit in which each site is located. Appendix 1 gives the overall correlation between ULS vegetation map units and ITE vegetation class for 1 1 study areas (no vegetation map was appropriate for Monyash). It also considers in outline some limitations to the correlations, and their interpretation. Rough pastures occur mainly in the 'smooth grassland' and 'coarse grassland/Nardus' mapping units; shrubby heaths in the 'coarse grassland/Molinial, 'sedge and rush moorland' and especially the 'sub-shrubs/heatherst units. Grassy heaths occur more widely in a. range of ULS mapping units. Table 1-3 shows the changing balance of vegetation groups at s tes in each ULS unit that resqlt from the standard predictions of vegetation change outlined above. For example the 'smdoth grassland* unit that now seems dominated by rough pastures With grassy heaths could on agricultural intensification dominated by improved and rough pastures or, following decline, change almost entirely to being a heath unit. 1 1 CONCLUSION Alwinton is an area where the requirements of the Ministry of Defence have created a situation in which change may be lim ted over the next 10-20 years. However, the Upland Landscapes S udy indicates that there is increasing co-operation between different land users. This could assist intensification of agricultural use on the large holdings where pressures for ohanges are limited at present. If the maximum opportunity for change was taken but forestry did not expand, almost half the present heath sites cpuld become pastures on intensification of agriculture. Forepry exppsion is clearly a strong option, but would be influence by National Park policies. Calculations based on simple considerat ons (Part I, Table 5-19) suggest that forestry could occupy 581 of Alwinton against its present 8 If agricultural land-use w a s allowed or required to decline in response to external econ mic pressures or competing uses then shrubby heaths could expand and rough pastures retreat, in the absence of a forestry takeo9er. General stability or substantial change in this area largely hi es on whether the military ranges are maintained under a re ime similar to their present management, and would also be stro ly affected by considerations of whether forestry should expand, in this part of the National Park. 1 f t E I REFERENCES ANOPYMOUS. (1978). Otterburn. Current Archaeology, 6, 152-155. CHARLTON, D.B. & DAY, J.C. (1977). An Archaeological Survey of the Ministry of Defence Training Area. Otterburn. Northumberland. Unpublished manuscript, Northumberland Record Office, pp 14 DODPS, I.H. (Editor). (1940). History of Northumberland. Rlid, Newcastle, Vol. 15, 405-453. I HARDY, J. (1887). Berwickshire Naturalists' Club, Vol. 12, 39. NEWTON, R. (1972). The Northumberland Landscape. Hodder and Stoughton, London, pp 256. I - . SMITH, L.P. (1976). The Agricultural Climate of England and Wales. Tech. Bull. 35, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, I HMSO London. UPLAND LANDSCAPES STUDY. (1979). Alwinton Parish Report. Unpublished report to the Countryside Commission, April 1979. TABLE 1-1 CORRELATION OF VEGETATION CLASSES AND LAND TYPES - ALWINTON Upl-d V s c e t . t l o n Group an6 C1.a. Steep Upl-d (5) -- lmprovad P a s t u r e s 1 2 3 4 Shrubby Heath. B 10 - -- 6 12 1s :A * numberpof a i t e c o f each T e g e t a t m c l a m *at& itt- ~ Land type numbers a s uaed on cmputer mapa, Figure 1-5. L land L type- (?) Upland P1.te.u (8) TABLE 1-2 - ALWINTON CORRELATION OF ULS VEGETATION MAPPING UNITS AND ITE VEGETATION CLASSES ITE Vegetation Class ULS Mapping Unit Number of ITS Sites in Area of ULS Unit Rough Pastures Improved Pastures 1 2 3 4 1 5 Shrubby Heaths Grassy Heaths 8 14 15 16 3 19 8 7 1 6 7 Smooth Grassland 39 Coarse ~rassland/Nczrdus 18 5 5 3 3 Coarse Grassland/&~in& 10 1 1 2 1 2 3 1 1 1 2 1 Bracken Sub-shrubs/Heathers 7 18 9 10 11 12 13 Sub-8hruba/Bilberry Sub-shrubs/Gor~e Sedge & Rush Moorland 7 Farmland 4 As number of recorded 1 1 1 4 sites in each ITE vegetation class that are located in each ULS unit I TABLE 1-3 PREDICTIONS OF CHANGE I N TAB BALANCE OF VEGETATION GROUPS AT SITES LOCATED IN ULS MAPPING UWITS - ALWINTON ITR Vegetation Group. A smooth Grarrland 1 Coarse ~rarrland/lVardus Coarre Grar r land/Mo l ink Br~cken Shrubby Heathr Rough Parturer Improved Parturer ULS Mapping Unit A B C A B as 1 aa ie 16 10 10 6 6 a 10 2 a 3 3 a a 1 a 5 5 4 4 5 1 a 2 Sub-#h~bll/Heather~ C B A C B C aa 16 8 2 s s 3 a 5 14 8 18 4 1 6 Sub-rhrubr/Bilberry Sub-#hr~b~/GOr~e 1 Sedge k Rurb Moorland - -- - - -- - 4 Farmland 4 1 - - - -- 1 - - -- . -- 4 I A nwb- -- of r e o r d e d x i t e n f a l l i n g inp.ch f P L ~ e g e t r t i o np t rituation u recorded B predicted balance Of vegetation i f a g r i c u l t u r a l we i n c r e u e d , 10+ yrr L ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ * A .rc l o c u d i n OUCLULS WLS 1 0 - - + - ~ - FIGURE 1.2 ALTITUDE SECTORS - ALWINTON . 0 0000 0000 00000 0000 00000 00tOUO OOOt4tOO 000 00001 (000 0001000000004000 0 0000 OOOO 00000 OOGG 00000 000000 00000000 000 000000000 0000000000000000 00000000000000000 000 OOOOOtOOOOOOOOOoOoOoooo o o o o ~ o o o o o ~ o ~ ~on0 ooo OOOOOOO*t*O1tOOOOOOO000 O O O O ~ ~ ~ O I ~ I ~ ~ ~ O O O ~ O O O ~ ~ O O ooo~oooo~~ooooooooooooooo 0 40100itt4tt4t1t000*0Ottt(O OtttO~lttttttttt4ltOOlttltttOO 0l041004t14414~1tl1l400tttt4000 O4t4414ll1lt4tlllttttOttttll1too 4llt11tl4ttl4t~it14~0011Ii1lt 0 00000000000000000000000000 300000000S00000000000000000000 UJOOOOOOGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 003C03C00C000000000000000000000 00JSOGG0iO~00~3~0000OOOOOOOOO GOOOO0GOGGJGOOJOOOOOO0OOOOO OOPO4t10ttO111t11tt4000044~ 00441~00404041143t1ttOOttt 0300U00005000005G0500OOOOO 00~tOOiil41ttltllttl~tt1itt 0O30OCOOO3OCDCOOOGCOO30COOOOO OGOOJOOOOOOCOGOOOGOOOOOG 00000000000GOG0000030000000 OOG000JGOOOOOOOOOI4OOOOOO OOOOOOOOGOOOOOOOOtOGGO~ 000000000300000040004~44 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~ 4 4 ~ ~*tat t~~4~ 00000003000W0ttt0tt C G000OOOOOC0000lt04 000GO0OOOOO001t101 00 OOOOCOOItlt4t 00030t1441t 40000041414 0000000000 0Oc'oOOooo + Dominantly Altitudes 4 244m(800ft) 00014004tttttttl4ttlIltl 4ItCO4lliilOttttttlttttltt~ 0004tt4tttt4ltlt1~OtItttt 04t44tIi4tl1~1tt~Ott(10 O4ttltti1tt~tt~tOtttOOOO Ot~tttttt4OOOOOOOOOO0000 OtttttttttttttOOOtOO 0 tlttttttttltttOOt0 *44***4tttttt000t0 It ~1ttt*t000000 tt1 14000000 Ot~ittOOOOO ettttttttt tttttttif + Dominantly Altitudes 24t+-427m(800-1I+OOft) * - *1*4 8144 tt4tt 41tt 11411 t1044+ **loo014 It4 1t1400444 441041#411410144 ttt4ottt~4oaoo4ia 411 *t41t*tOOO*OO**t~tlt*** ~ ~ ~ ~ o o o ~ o o o o o o t t1 1t o ~ 1 ~ o ~ 4 0t0*t0000000000*t*0*400004 40001000000000000004400000004t $040041000000000000004400000114 t00000000000000000000*00000001t OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOttOOOOOOO +~t40001004000000000t1~1000 t4OOOO1tOtOlOOOOtOOOO~~OOO ~100tt000D00000000000000000 tt~004tOO000000000000000 0404~0000001000000000000000 tt1OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO tOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO000 tOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO tOCOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 0000 40000000000000000000 0 000000000000000000 000000000000000000 00 0000000000000 00000000000 00000000000 0000000000 000000000 + Dominantly Altitudes >427~1(1400ft) 0 **** O**O* ooo*o oto* OOOO* 000000 00000000 000 000000000 0000000000000000 00000000000000000 000 00000000000000000000000 ****** **o 00000000000000000000000000 #******* ****OOO** *00000***0*000** 4 *0 ~ ~ ~ 0 0 0 0 ~ 0 0 ~ 4 0 0 0* 0 **0000*000*0000000**0*0 ~00*00000004000000l(D00000 ***0**00000**000*00**00*00 * 0*00*000000000*0000*0000000000 0~00000000000000000000000000000 *0**000**000000*000000000000** *0**0000**000000#00000000000000 0000000000000000000000000000000 00000000000000000000000000000 ***00000000000000000**00000000* **0**00000*000000000**0000000 OIOOODORROOOOOOOQPDOOOOOOOO lOOOOODOMbOOIOOOOOOCIC~OOO *000*00***00000000000****0 ****00~******0000000*0*0000 00000000000000000000000000 000000000000000000000000000 000000000000000000000000 ***40**0********0000OOOO 000000*00~00000000000000000 000~4~0~00000000000000000 00t00000000000000000000 ***O**O**O********O~O*****O ***000*0***~*~#410~0~~tOO **0***;*********000((0( t*~L*******~~****~0000*0 00000000000000000000000* 0**000~0*0000000000*loo* *0**00**000000000000 ****00*00**00*0000 0000OOO*~~O*H0000 $1 000~*****0000 0~00000***0 OO*O*O**OO* **00000000 *0000000* Dominantly Gentle Slopes - ( <s o ) 0000000000000*******0*0**** 0000*00000000000******~* 000*00000000000000*D*000000 0000000000000000000~000*0 000000000000000000*0000 000000000000000000***000 00000000000000000000 0000 000000000000000000*0 0 000000000000000000 000000000000000000 00 0000000000000 00000000000 00000000000 0000000000 00000M00 O*******O Dominantly Moderate Slopes - - 0000~$~$l4~0~~00100~~~~0 000*00*****00***0~*00**0** 00000**00*0***00***00*******00 0 0 0 0 ~ 1 ~ ~ 0 0 ~ 1 1 ~ ~ ~ 0 0 I ~ 4 ~ I ~ ~ ~ # I I ~ oooo******0*********oo*t******o 00000*tt*00**0***1**00**I**** 00**$4+*4tOt+O*t**++W*t* 0***01000010********00000* 0 *00***0*00***0*00000 0 * * 0 0*00**00**********0* 0 0000*00**00*~0***0' *001***000*000***0 00 *44000000*1~* *0*****0000 **0*0*00**0 OO******** * - 0000 00000 0000 00000 000000 00000000 OO* 0000**000 0****0000*0**000 O ~ ~ O ~ O t $ O O O000 ~ ~ ~ O O 00****0***0****0*000(0( *O*O ****O OOrlOOOOOOOOOOOOOIO00OODOO - ooo* o**o 0000 0 * 0 *ooo - -- (5-11°) - Dominantly Steep and Very --. Steep Slopes ( > 11°) - - FIGURE 1.4 TOPOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS - ALWINTON , 0 0000 0000 00000 0000 00000 000000 O**OOOOO a00 000100000 0~1000000040~000 00~1000000114t000000 0000*000000**0000000000 00000410000410100000000~ 0 0000 0000 00000 0000 00000 000000 00000000 000 000000000 0000000000001000 00000000000004000 000 00000000000000000000000 0000000000000000000000000 00000000014000000000000000 0 0000 0000 00000 0000 00000 000000 00M0000 000 000000000 ~~00000000000~00 000000M000000000 000 ~~000000000000000000000 0000000000000000000000000 0 00~000000000000000000000~~ 000000000000*00000000000000~~~ 0 000000~~01~~0l~4*00000000~ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 i ~ l ~ 0 0 4 ~ 1 1 ~ 0 0 0 * * 0 ~ * ~ 000004000000*00004000~00000000 00000000001****00*000*0004*t**0 0000000000*0000000000000040*000 ~ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~ 1 0 ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 0 0 * 0 0 0 0 * * 0 0004000000000l000000000000000000 0 0000000~00~~~1~10004*000*000 00000001400000140000000000000 00000~000000000100000000100 00000000000000~00100*0*1*0 ~004~~000000000000*l(100*4 **01*0000000000*000*0*040** 01001000000000l**100(I(0 ~~00000000000l0*~*04~00040 ~00000000000004~!*!00000b '1000000000000**0**00000 000~~10000001000t0~~10~b 0 ~ ~ 0 0 & # 1 8 ~ 1 * 0 4 ~11(* 41** 110~*~*1000000000000 ~~0000~~L000000000 *00001*11000000000 40 ~ 0 b ~ 4 ~ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 00*00000000 0**000000** 00000004*4 000*1*000 * ~~~~0~~00000000000000000000o~~~ 0~~00~0000000000000000000000~~0 0~~~00000000000000000000000~~ ~0000000000000000000000w00 0000000000000000000000000~ OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO(0 Q00*0000000000000000000*000 0~000000000*00000000000000~ 0000000000000000000000~~ 0000000000000*00000000000~~ ~0~0~000000000e0000000000 000000000000001000000000 000000000000000040000000000 00000000000000000b4000000 00000000000000000000000 0~000000000000000000000 000*000000000000000000t4 ~0000000000~000000000((( * 00000i0000040004040~4000 00000000000000000000 000000000000000000 01000000000000*000 00 0000000000000 0000W00000 00000000000 0400000000 000000000 00000000000000010001 1000 ~000000000000001t000 # 000000000004000000 000000000000000000 00 0000000000000 00000000000 00000000000 0000000100 000000w0 C 9 Roads Present r Buildings Present Frequency of Field Boundaries Score>lO, on scale 0-25 - FIGURE 1.5 - ALWINTON -- - LAND TYPES ....I ....-.* ..... ............................rs..-'---. . ......:..r. ...,. ...,..... ..--, ............r.....s ......>.r.,..... .......).............5 .--..--.....,.. ..........................a..,...........,, ......,,. .....,., ... +,--.1. .........5,,>........ -.l:.,5,.r,-:.-:$.---------5,~:::--,---,---~~.r.-. ....5, 5,5,. ..,>.,)s 5. .......,....,..., ......,,,,....... .. .-,...,...---.. --.--.----,-... sD ,,.. -------$5,---,-rD------ ---,-ss----,,-,-,-,::--, ).1--. 8 -1-.::,,..,.::..-:--s..L.-,-.,.r),.'.. ,,-',.,(..,,.-..---,-----,a- -I..-.,...., ,.-I UPUVD PARGIN - UND GRCUP - 6 U P ~ ~wM g l n - F I G U R E 1.6 -- KOORLAIGD CORE, FRINGE AND FARKLAND n a CORE - ALh'lfiTOP; -FRINGE REVERTED 1940-1959/76 FRINGE RECLAIMED 1896-1940 AFFORESTED MOORLAND 1863-1896 FARMLAND p o s t 1800 1976 Date Of Last Revis- a ? ,;:; P r e 1800 1 Map Data Air Photo Data FIGURE 1 .8a LOCATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF VECETATIOIJ Piill4 SITE: ALWlNTON ;.<> h . . .?-T /:. I$ ... .. ..:. ... .......... ...... ........ : A" ........... .. . . ... ................ .. 1978 Overall Frequencies of Vegetation Croups , FIGURE 1.8b LOCATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF VEGETATION MAIN SITES f - ALWINTON ..:" '. ..l;J: : '%/: L-\ "..r:. :U' . ... .... ...' : ... .. -- - Predicted if Agriculture Increased Predicted if Agriculture Decreased Overall Frequencies of Vegetation Croups ~ p ~ -~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ - ~ ~ -- -- - ~p~ ~ ~ -- ~ - ~ ~ ~ KEY TO FIGURE 1.8 Group 1. 'Improved Pastures Croup 2. Rough Pastures Group 3. Grassy Heaths Group 4. Shrubby Heaths Class 1 : Lolium/~olcus/Pteridium Class 2 : Loliurn Class 3 : Lolium/~rifolium Class 4 : Herb -.rich Lol>um Class 5 : Agrostia/Juncus Class 6 : Festuca/Juncus Class 7 : Agrostis/Holcus Class 8 : Festuca/Agrostis Class 14: Festuca/Vaccinium Class 15: Festuca/Nardus/Vaccinium Class 16: Festuca/Nardus/Holinia Class 'Class Class Class Class 9 : Calluna/Molinia/Vaccinium 10: Vaccinium/Calluna 11: Nardus/Sphagnum/Calluna 12: Eriophorum/Calluna 13: Calluna KEY TO FIGURES 1.8 AND 1.9 FIGURE 1.9 LAND CROUP-VEGETATION CROUP ASSOCIATIONS - 4Lk'INTON I I VEXETATION GROUP FREQUENCIES AT SITES I N LAND GROUPS PHEDICTED CHANCES AT MAIN SITES Hill Upiand Margin ~ I SM30TH GRASSLAND f escuel bents COARSE GRASSLAND Nardus ,, Molinia BRACKEN bracken SUB-SHRUBS heathers ., bilberry gorse E l cotton grass SEDGE & RUSH MOORLAND deer sedge Juncus (all) Sphagnum L bog myrtle mj WOODLAND (Map by Geoffrey Sinclair, Environmental Information services) LUNEDALE LUNEDALE - PLATE 1 View from the B6276 road towards Selset Reservoir. A roadside verge in the foreground is a contrast in its ungrazed condition with grazed rushy rough pasture (~estuca/Juncusgrassland class 5 ) , seen beyond the boundary wall. This landscape is affected by the combined influences of the water catchment, lowintensity agriculture, amenity tree planting and grouse production. (Photo by J. Dale) STUDY AREA 2: LUNEDALE, DURHAM PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT The study a r e a of Lunedale covers 93 lan2 of t h e Northern Pennines It lies west of region in County Durham (Figure2-1). Middleton-in-Teesdale between t h e headwaters of t h e Rivers Lune and Tees. Crossed by t h e B6276 road between Middleton and Brough, Barnard C a s t l e t o t h e southeast i s t h e n e a r e s t c e n t r e of any s i z e . Lunedale is a r e l a t i v e l y high a l t i t u d e a r e a , with no ground below 244 m (800 f t ) and 75% above 427 m (1 400 f t ) , i t s highest p o i n t reaching 790 m ( 2 600 f t ) on Mickle F e l l . V i r t u a l l y t h e whole a r e a i s dominated by moderate o r g e n t l e s l o p e s (<11°) ( P l a t e 1 ) . C l i m a t i c a l l y , i n r e l a t i o n t o t h e o t h e r study a r e a s , Lunedale is cold and wet ( P a r t I, 2.32). It is t h e only study a r e a which f a l l s e n t i r e l y i n t h e c l i m a t i c a l l y sub-marginal category o f Parry (1978). January and October mean temperatures are estimated a s 0.2 and 7 . 1 ' ~ r e s p e c t i v e l y . The annual average of d a i l y sunshine hours is 3.0, and t h e average number of days a year f o r which snow l i e s is high, at 60 days. A s t e e p east-west r a i n f a l l g r a d i e n t g i v e s a wide r a i n f a l l range w i t h i n t h e study a r e a (Figure 2-2), thou* most has f a i r l y high or high r a i n f a l l (1 201-1 600 mm, c. 48-64 i n , and 1 601-2 200 mm, c. 64-88 i n pa). I n Smith (1976) t h e l e n g t h of t h e growing season f o r g r a s s i n t h e region t h a t includes Lunedale has been estimated a t 189 days (25 April-31 October) a t an average a l t i t u d e of 315 m. Some short-term l o c a l temperature and humidity d a t a a r e a v a i l a b l e i n a study of t h e p o s s i b l e influence of t h e water s u r f a c e presented by t h e S e l s e t Reservoir on t h e s e c l i m a t i c f a c t o r s i n an upland s i t u a t i o n (Gregory h Smith 1967). Geolo&ically, almost t h e whole area is formed of rocks of Carboniferous age. North of t h e Lune a sequence of limestone, s h a l e s and sandstones occurs, including many t h i c k sandstones and one prominent limestone t h a t runs approximately east-west a c r o s s t h e area j u s t north of t h e Lune Valley. To t h e south of t h e r i v e r a r e hard sandstones with s h a l e s , i n t h e Millstone G r i t s e r i e s . The o t h e r important rock type is t h e d o l e r i t e (an i n t r u s i v e b a s i c igneous rock) of t h e Whin S i l l , i n t h e northeastern p a r t of t h e a r e a around Cronkley F e l l . Locally t h e r e l a t i v e l y n u t r i e n t - r i c h d o l e r i t e and outcrops of limestone or metamorphosed limestone adjacent t o t h e d o l e r i t e support a d i v e r s i t y of p l a n t s p e c i e s of e c o l o g i c a l importance. This is recognised by t h e Upper Teesdale extends i n t o the area i n the National Nature Reserve which northwest, but i n g e n e r a l throughout t h e a r e a t h e r e is a cover of peat over t h e s o l i d rocks. The formation of t h i s p e a t has been encouraged by high r a i n f a l l , and low temperatures, moderate t o gentle slopes, and t h e preponderance of nutrient-poor slow-*eathering sandstone and shale soil parent materiy Boulder-clay, mainly derived from t h e s e sandstones and s h a l e s , occurs along t h e v a l l e y s of t h e Lune and its t r i b u t a r i e s . A t tile s c a l e of t h e n a t i o n a l s o i l map, a mapping u n i t dominated by poorly-drained mineral and peaty-topped Gley S o i l s occurs i n thede d r i f t a r e a s , and a l s o i n t h e north between Cronkley F e l l and t I Tees, but t h e g r e a t e r p a r t of t h e a r e a i s mapped a s dominated Deep Peaty S o i l s with a s s o c i a t e d Peaty Podzols. A g r i c u l t u r a l land c l a s s i f i c a t i o n maps r e f l e c t t h e c l i m a t i c and s o i l c h a r a c t e r of t h e area. Only a small a r e a o f grade 4 land is i n the southeast between L a i t h k i r k and Wemmergill, while majority of t h e a r e a is c l a s s i f i e d i h t h e lowest grade, 5. Topography is i l l u s t r a t e d i n Figure 2-3, which shows t h e l j m i t e d road and settlement p a t t e r n and t h e small e x t e n t of land i n i n t e n s i v e a g r i c u l t u r a l use, a s assessed by field bounda y frequency. l o a d s , buildings and s e c t o r s with frequent f i e l d boundaries a r e a l l concentrated along t h e l i n e of t h e Brough o Middleton road, n o r t h of t h e S e l s e t Reservoir i n t h e e a s t of t h e area. Mapped r o a d s (though t h e 1:25 000 Ordnance Survey map dotis not include t h e s i g n i f i c a n t r e c e n t extension of e s t a t e accegs t r a c k s t o t h e grouse moors) occur i n only 20% of t h e g r i d which comprise t h e a r e a , b u i l d i n g s a r e l i m i t e d mainly t o a c l o s e l y comparable t o t h a t with frequent f i e l d boundaries some mine b u i l d i n g s occur more remotely, and thi, s e c t o r with frequent f i e l d boundaries is only 13% o f t h e a r e a . I The d i s t r i b u t i o n of land types is given i n Figure 2-4. Eighty p r c e n t of t h e a r e a f a l l s i n t h e h i l l land group, mainly t h e h i l l a d high plateau land types. The remainder is divided almost equal y between upland and upland margin land, t h e l a t t e r o c c u r r b g p r i n c i p a l l y along t h e Lune Valley. Low temperature, high r a i n f a l l , high a l t i t u d e and peaty s o i l s a l l i n t e r a c t t o make t h e upper p a r t s of Teesdale, with which Lunedale may be included, marginal f o r farming. I n t e n s i v e a g r i c u l t u r e tias only been p o s s i b l e l o c a l l y a s a r e s u l t of e s p e c i a l l y favourab e, and o f t e n temporary, combinations of economic, social environment f a c t o r s . The western d a l e s of t h e Northern Penni e s seem t o have had l i t t l e occupation u n t i l t h e Norse invasions of Uhe 10th century, Lunedale having been one of t h e i r a r e a s of s e t t l e m e d t , g i v i n g r i s e t o i t s names of Norse o r i g i n . Subsequently t h e Norwns jnd and t h e i r successors used t h e a r e a a s a r o y a l deer * f o r e s t 1 , with 'above 400 red deer' recprded i n Teesdale F o r e s t i n 1673 ( R a i s t r i c k , 1968; Ramsden 1961). Woodland and s c r u b on lower ground probably survived u n t i l t h e beginning o f t h e 18th century. Farming and s e t t l e m e n t followed t h e presence of minerals, l e a d mining possibly first having been c a r r i e d o u t i n Roman times, and i r o n having been recorded a s smelted i n t h e F o r e s t of Lune i n t h e 13th century. The peak of l e a d mining a c t i v i t y occurred i n t h e mid-19th century when 'nine-tenths of t h e population of Teesdale were connected with t h e mines' (Hunt 1970). Because mining provided a market f o r produce, a s well a s p a r t time employment, t h e r e was an a s s o c i a t e d i n c r e a s e i n t h e number of f a r m holdings between 1803 and 1851, but t h e population i n Lunedale never became concentrated i n a hamlet o r v i l l a g e . Farming concentrated on l i v e s t o c k breeding, mainly of sheep (Swaledales) with some c a t t l e t o sell t o lowland farmers f o r f a t t e n i n g . Each holding had winter land i n t h e v a l l e y meadows and upland grazing on t h e commons, but, by t h e 19th century, s t o c k i n g r a t e s on t h e s e common g r a z i n g s had become s o high t h a t animal numbers had f o r t h e f i r s t time t o be limited. I n 1823 however, 1 215 ha (3 000 a c r e s ) of Lunedale F e l l were converted from common t o s i n g l e ownership r i g h t s . By t h e time t h e Ordnance Survey (0.3) prepared i t s first l a r g e s c a l e maps of t h e a r e a i n t h e 1850s, mining p r o s p e r i t y was f a l l i n g . Animal products a l s o declined i n value from t h e 1880s a s a r e s u l t o f competition from imported meat and wool. Although ULS (1979) shows t h a t t h e land under crops and managed g r a s s f e l l from 11% of t h e a r e a i n 1854 t o 6% i n 1968, l a r g e l y due t o r e s e r v o i r c o n s t r u c t i o n , t h e a g r i c u l t u r a l i n t e n s i t y of use as measured by s t o c k numbers has been r e l a t i v e l y unchanged i n t h e a r e a during t h i s century. C a t t l e and sheep numbers (Figures 4-5 and 4-6 i n P a r t I ) show l i t t l e change between 1910 and 1965. Figure 2-5 shows t h e e x t e n t of moorland core, f r i n g e , and farmland i d e n t i f i e d from successive e d i t i o n s of OS maps, r e c e n t air photographs, and t h e 1 s t Land U t i l i z a t i o n Survey of County Durham (Temple 1941). Moorland core covers most of t h e a r e a (86%) with farmland occupying only 9% and moorland f r i n g e 5%. The f r i n g e a r e a s a r e highly concentrated i n t h e small e x t e n t of t h e more favourable land types, 50% of t h e f r i n g e a r e a being i n t h e 11% of Lunedale c l a s s i f i e d i n t h e upland land group and 40% i n t h e 9% c l a s s i f i e d a s upland margin. Other than the relatively limited area of farmland and the continuance of mining at Clogehouse Mine, now for barytes rath r than llead (Part I, Plate 2), the principal land-uses in Luneda e are water supply (reservoirs occupy 1.6% of the area), manageme t of the moorland as a sporting estate for grouse shooting, and the conservation interests on Cronkley and Mickle Fells. The Grassholm Reservoir was built in 1915 and the Selset Reservoir (Plate 1 and Part I, Plate 3 ) was constructed during the late 1950s d completed in 1960, both of these water bodies causing a loss farms, farmland and population. Subsequent creation of replacem t pastures by improving agriculturally poorer vegetation has been concentrated in the vicinity of the reservoirs and the lost land. The particular impact of grouse m w r management on vegetation lis through a regular burning regime on the heather moors in an approximately 10-12 year cycle, in order to favour young heath r growth, since this is the necessary food for grouse (see Part 4.29 and Plate 2). Conservation management aims particularly at protecting the rare limestone flora and regenerating juniper on tne dolerite-influenced areas of the moor by control of grazing and burning management and of public pressure. Gilbert (1980) gives a recerbt account of the Teesdale juniper. 6 $ 1 , VEGETATION Figure 2-6 includes the frequencies with which vegetation occurred at the 79 main sites recorded in Lunedale in 1978. 2-7 plots their locations and shows the vegetation class each of these sites. Shrubby heath is the most widespread vegetation group, account$ng for 671 of the sites recorded. The remainder are grassy hea hs (2051, rough pastures (12%) and a single site with improved pastu 0 . This improved pasture site lies near the reservoirs, and the ro h pastures also mainly follow the valley of the Lune. Managementlof these as hay meadows by traditional methods adds considerably to the interest and character of this part of the Lunedale landscape. The grassy heaths are particularly found in the northwest. How ar their location there near the valley of the Tees results ffom environmental influences such as a soil contrast perhaps related to the presence of Whin Sill dolerite rocks, and how far fi-om management contrasts between this area and the greater part of Lunedale, has not been considered. t I In the dominant shrubby heath group, the principal class is og Erio~horum/Calluna heath, class 12 (Part I, 3.181, a blanket community on wet deep peaty soils. This class has its mbst prominent occurrence in Lunedale of all the study areas. The most frequent grassy heath class, Festuca/Nardus/Vaccinium hea class 15 (Part I, 3.16 and Plate 32) is also apparently characteristically northern class in relation to the range of st areas. Most rough pastures are of Festuca/Agrostis grassla class 8 (Part I, 3.1). The limited semi-natural woodland along the Lune Valley is concentrated mainly in the neighbourhood of Wemmergill Hall. Here the woodlands seem to be hetween 25 and 80 years old, and regeneration is only moderate, being observed in half the 10 woodland sites. Eight woodlands are classified as upland acid woodlands (Part I, 3.24-3.311, the other 2 as lowland basic woodlands (Part I, Table 3.41, these perhaps being influenced by local limestone outcrops. Table 2-1 relates vegetation class at the recorded main sites in Lunedale to the land type of the grid squares in which each site is situated, while Figure 2-8 shows the relationship of vegetation groups identified at main sites to the land groups of grid squares in which these sites fall, illustrating land group distribution by a sketch map based on Figure 2-4. Sites in the hill land group are mainly heath vegetation, with a few rough pastures. The upland group sites are equally divided between pasture and heath classes, while the small extent of upland margin in this area has more heath than pasture sites. POTENTIAL VEGETATION CHANGE ULS (1979) concludes from an analysis of the potential of rough grazings in Lunedale for improvement, using the ADAS hill land classification criteria, that 90% is agriculturally 'generally unimprovable' though mostly of 'some grazing value' and that 'the agricultural keynote of Lunedale is stability'. It considers that, while grouse moor management is maintained (by the Strathmore Estate which owns about 90% of the parish) with the present heather-burning cycle and level of grazing, the vegetation of the moorland core is unlikely to be substantially modified over the remainder of this century. Only a small amount of reclamation, concentrated on very local areas of bracken, was planned by individual farmers. There could however be a slight increase in the extent of improved grass in the small sector of farmed land in the east and around the reservoirs. More important from an ecological viewpoint would be if the style of management of the rough pasture areas was to change to include the application of herbicides and other measures that would alter their old meadow and hayfield grassland character and composition. As noted above, the most frequent vegetation classes at the recorded main sites in this parish are Festuca/Agrostis grassland, class 8, in the rough pastures; Festuca/Nardus/Vaccinium heath, class 15, in the grassy heaths; and Erio~horum/Calluna heath, class 12, in the shrubby heaths. The general trends of change of Figure 5-4 of Part I (summarised in Appendix 2) suggest that Festuca/Agrostis grassland could, in a declining use situation in 1 northern environment, move t o Festuoa/Vaccinium hea h, c l a s s 14. The t r e n d with i n t e ~ s i f y i n gmanagement of grassy heath of c l a s s 15 could b e towards Agroatis/Juncus grassland, c l a s s 5. Considering change of t h e grassy heaths i n a d e c l i n i n g yse s i t u a t i o n , Festuca/Nardus/Vaccinium g r a s s y h e a t h would change filtst t o \Faccinium/Calluna heath, c l a s s 10, and, because s u r f a c e wetn SS i n c r e a s e s a s peat accumulates, t h i s could slowly move through t o t h e Eriophorum/Calluna heath, c l a s s 12, which now t y p i f i e s dhe moorland of Lunedale. I n general t h i s shrubby heath c l a s s i s u n l i k e l y t o change i n any d i r e c t i o n while some degree of n a t u r a l o r impoeed burning and t h e present l e v e l of grazing s u s t a i n s h e a t e r regrbwth. this 1 f Although economic and social considerations suggest that s u b s t a n t i a l change i n t h i s a r e a may not happen, it is p o s s i b l e t o a s s e s s what proportions of v e g e t a t i o n could occur a t t h e r e c o r ed s i t e @ i f t h e s e c o n s t r a i n t s d i d not apply. Figure 2-7 i n c l u es p r e d i c t i o n s of t h e vegetation c l a s s e s t h a t might, on ecologi a1 grounds, develop through gradual change a t t h e recorded main sites, under assumptions of a g r i c u l t u r a l i n t e n s i f i c a t i o n o r d e c l i n e discussed i n P a r t I , 5.74-5.78 and Figure 5-4. The consequ n t changes i n t h e proportions of vegetation c l a s s e s t h a t would res it from t h e s e p r e d i c t i o n s a r e included i n Figure 2-6. The hypotheti a 1 vegetation c l a s s changes which might occur a t i n d i v i d u a l sites and i n t o t a l f o r t h e study a r e a follow t h e g e n e r a l p r i n c i p l e s of change discussed i n P a r t I , and not any c o n s i d e r a t i o n of l o c a l land land management c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s . ! ! With t h i s r e s e r v a t i o n , t h e p r e d i c t i o n is t h a t i n c r e a s e d i n t e n s i t y of a g r i c u l t u r a l use i n t h i s area could l e a d t o estimated o v e r a l l i n c r e a s e s of s i t e s which have improved p a s t u r e vegetation ( rom 1 t o 12%) and of s i t e s with rough pasture vegetation (from 1 t o 20%) with f a l l s i n grassy heath s i t e s from 20 t o 9% and i n shru by heath sites from 67 t o 58%. The p r e d i c t i o n s f o r a d e c l i q i n g a g r i c u l t u r e s i t u a t i o n e l i m i n a t e rough p a s t u r e s a t t h e recorded s i t e s and decrease t h e proportion of g r a s s y heaths from 20 t o 12% of t h e recorded main s i t e s , w i t h a consequent i n c r e a s e i n s h r bby heaths from 67 t o 87% of s i t e s . I i i Under t h e s e hypotheses of moderate expansion o r c o n t r a c t i o n i n a g r i c u l t u r a l land-use, i n t h e increased a g r i c u l t u r a l use S i t u a i o n 41% of s i t e s a r e estimated a s changing t h e i r vegetation g r up, while 32% would change i n t h e d e c l i n i n g a g r i c u l t u r e s i t u a t on. Though d i f f e r e n t l y l o c a t e d and of d i f f e r e n t c h a r a c t e r , ttiese o v e r a l l changes would be of a s i m i l a r s c a l e i n t h e i r e f f e c t on t h e present landscape. However Lunedale would under e i t h e r hypothesis r e t a i n a s u b s t a n t i a l a r e a t h a t would be l a r g e l y unchanged i n vegetation c h a r a c t e r , t h i s a r e a being t h a t dominated now by Eriophorum/Calluna shrubby heath. i The sketch of Figure 2-8 shows the predicted changes in the balance of vegetation groups in each land group. The hill land group would be least affected, shrubby heaths dominating throughdut. The upland sector has the greatest potential for change, with alternative end results of 75% pastures at sites in this land group, or about 90% heaths. The ULS vegetation map of Lunedale is reproduced here as Figure 2-9. Their mapping units based on field assessments of plant cover differ from the vegetation classes based on analysis of lists of species present that are discussed in this Report (see Appendix 3). However it is possible to consider the main sites recorded by ITE (including the additional sites sampled in 1979 (Part I, 5.66-5.67)) as sampling points within the mapping units used by ULS. The classification in 1978 of these ITE 'points' falling within each ULS unit is given in Table 2-2. 'Farmland' is dominated in Lunedale by rough pastures rather than improved pasture classes. Shrubby heath classes occur mainly in the sub-shrubs/heathersV mapping unit though about 25% of the main sites in this unit are grassy heaths. 'Sedge and rush moorland' is dominated by Eriophorum/Calluna shrubby heath. Table 2-3 shows the changes in the balance of ITE vegetation groups at sites in ULS mapping units that could result from the predictions of the outcome of agricultural intensification or decline discussed above. Little impact would be caused to the 'sedge and rush moorland'. The other prominent mapping unit, 'sub-shrubs/heathers9, could become about 25% rough pastures on agricultural intensification. CONCLUSION The natural environment of Lunedale is such that, among the studied areas, it is one of those in which potential vegetation changes are least likely to be extensive. This situation is reinforced by land management policies. Over most of the area these concentrate on the sporting resource and have as a main purpose the maintenance of shrubby heaths, since heather is essential food for the survival of grouse. Conservation objectives locally favour the particular vegetation of the moorland around the dolerite outcrops and the old meadow character of vegetation in some of the valley fields. These policies are unlikely to encourage any major expansion of agricultural effort or extensive forestry planting, the natural potential for which is in any case limited through most of the area. Only 12% of the area has been assessed as having forestry potential in a simple analysis in Part I (see Table 5-19). Thus it is probably that dominance of shrubby heaths will persist in Lunedale over the rest of this century with only small changes at most from the present frequencies of vegetation groups at the recorded sites. e., GILBERT, O.L. (1980). ~ u n i ~ e rin Upper Teesdale. J. 68, 1013-1024. GREGORY, S. 6 SMITH, K.E. (1967). Local temperature and humidity contrasts around small lakes and reservoirs. Weather, 22, 497-505. I HUNT, C.J. (1970). The Leadminers g the Northern ~ennides. Manchester University Press. PARRY, M.L. (1978). Climatic Chan~e, Agriculture and Dawson-Archon Books. RAI~TRICK,A. (1968). The Pennine Eyre Methuen, London. RAMSDEN, D. (1 96 1 ) UpDer Teesdale. Dalesman Publishing ~omp$ny, Clapham, Yorkshire. SMITH, L.P. (1976). The Agricultural Climate Tech. Bull. 35, Ministry of HMSO London. TEMPLE, A. (1941 ). County Durham, in The Land of Britain, edited by L.D. Stamp, Part 47, 1st Land Utilisation Survey, 189-229. Geographical Publications, London. (1979). Lunedale Parish U P U N D LANDSCAPES STUDY. Unpublished report to the Countryside Commission, 1979. . w. I TABLE 2-1 CORRELATION OF VEGETATION CLASSES AND LAND TYPES L m d Grovp LUNEDALE Typo Upl.r~d Bill Vegetation C r m p .ns Cl... Stssp 6111 (1). Improved Pa-turem -a - "11 (') Blgh p l a t e a u (4) Steep ~ p l m d( 5 ) Up1md (') Vp1-6 ~1.tc.u uplmd margin ( 6 ) (8) 1 2 3 1 4 Rough P u t u r e s 5 6 1 r 2 1 7 Gram., 8.sths 8 3 1 14 1 1 8 3 15 2 16 Shrubby Uesth. 1 1 1 9 10 1 11 1 1 3 12 1 19 21 13 A s number of a i t e s of each vegetation c l a s s located i n each land type. Land type numbers M uaed On computer maps. Figure 2-4. * 1 1 1 a TABLE 2-2 - - CORRELATION OF ULS VEGETATION MAPPING UNITS AND ITE VEGETATION CLASSES LUNEDALE -- ITE Vegetation Class Number of ITE Sites in Area of ULS Unit ULB Mapping Unit Rough Pastures Improved Pastures 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 4 1 5 1 6 9 1 0 1 1 1 2 1 3 1 3 1 1 Smooth Craeeland 6 Coarse ~rassland/Nardua 4 1 1 1 56 2 1 10 1 ShNbby Heaths Grassy Heaths Coarse ~rassland/MoLinia Bracken Sub-shrubs/Heathers 2 1 4 36 1 0 Sub-shrubs/Bilberry Sub-ahruba/Gorse Sedge & Rush Moorland 12 - ~~p ~ Farmland . I - 1 13 ~ ~ ~- ~~~ As number of recorded ... ~~~p~~~ ~ ~ 1 ~ 6 5 -- ..1 - - p ~ ~ mite, in each ITE vegetation class that are 1 o c a t e d T e a c h VLg.EETt ~~ ~ 1 ~ TABLE 2-3 PREDICTIONS OF CHANGE IN THE BALANCE OF VEGETATION GROUPS AT SITES LOCATED IN UL8 YAPPING UNITS - LUNEDALE ITE Vegetation Groups Improved Pasturer UL8 Mapping Unit A B Rough Pastupem C A B Grassy Heaths C A B Shrubby Heaths C A B C smooth Grassland a 2 3 3 1 a 1 4 Coarse Grassland/Nardus 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 3 2 13 13 S a 41 36 54 1 1 1 1 1 10 S 11 1 11 1 Coarae Graaaland/Mo~in&? Bracken Sub-shrube/Heatherm Sub-shrubs/Bilberry Sub-rhrubs/Gorse Sedge k Rush Moorland Fanland As number of recorded A B C 1 1 la I 11 sites falling in each ITE vegetation group that u e located in each WLE unit -- predicted situation u recorded balmce of vegetation if agricultural use increased, 10r yrm - predicted bal.nce of vegetation if agricultural ume decreued, lo+ Yrm 1 FIGURE 2.2 RAINFALL SECTORS - LUNEDALE r I * 0 0 00000* 000000 ooooo* 000000 00 0000000 00 oooooo* 00000030000000 0OOOOOOOOOOll~ 00000000000000 0000000000000* 000000000000000 000000000000000 0000000000000000 0000000000t 00000 0000000000 1000 00000000000000 0000000000000 00000000001100 000000000000 000000000000 00000 00000000000000000000000 0000000000000********** 000000000000~*~****~**ttM00000 O ~ ~ 0 ~ M 8 8 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~ + ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0000000000***********I:*oOOOOo 000000000000000000000000****** 000000000*************00r~']o0 0000000000000000000000****** oooooooo0*********t**oooooo 000000000000000000000****** 000000000********I*00000 0000000000000000000***** 0000000*********00000 0000000000000000***** 000000*********0 000000000000000* 000000******* 0000000000000 000000***** 00000000000 000000*** 000000000 moo*** 0000000 00000 0 *****o *****o ** ******o *************o *************** **************** ************** ************* ************ 00000 *****1****1000 ***** *************0000000000 *1~1~1~1~~1~000000000000000000 **********000000000000rJ0000000 *********0000000000000000000 *********oOOWo00o00oowwo *********000000000000000 *******00000000000000 ******0000000000 ******0000000 ******00000 ******OOO ****ooo ***** * r Xoderate * Rainfall Fairly (1001-1 200mm, 40-48in pa) - - - High 00000 0 Rainfall r High (1201-1600mm 48-64in pa) - - - Rainfall (1601 -2200mm 6&-8ain pa) -- ~ ~- - - - -- FIGURE 2.3 TOPOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS - LUNEDALE I 0 100011 00000* 10 1000000 11110000000000 000000~lb00111 0000000101 11410 000000000l100000 00000000000000 0000000000000 ~ ~ ~ ~ o o o o o oOOOOO oo 00000000000000000000000 00000000000000000000000000*~*** 00000000000000000000000111~~** 0oo000000*000000000000~~1*1O 0000001111~00000000000*1~** 000000001~t0004~~~111*~~ 0 00000* 0 000011 OOOOO+ 00 0000000 00000000000000 0000000100000U ooooo* 00 ooooo*o 00000000000000 00000000000000 000000000000000 0000000000000000 00000000000000 0000000000000 POOOOO~OOO~OOO 000000000*000000 OOOOOOODOOOUOO 0000000000000 000000u00000 00000 ~~oo~oo~o~~~nnnno~~oooo 00000000000000000000000000010t* OOOOOOO00000000(1001~0000*fl**b 00000000010000000000000100 0000001000000000000~00~~~t* 0000000000000001t**000** *o OOOOOOOI C010**1 OO*OU* 000010~C1 ***0*i4 001 l 1 t0000000 00000000000 000000000 0000000 00000 0 00000000*1***110*00w 0000111*11*00000 011~~0000000 01000000000 000000000 0000000 00000 0 I * Roads Present +. Buildings Present +Frequent Field Boundaries Score>lO, on scale 0-25 FIGURE 2.4 LAND TYPES - LUNEDALE FIGURE 2.5 I*;C)ORI&ND COKE, FRINGE AND FkRTs:LAND - LUIJEDALE - .-.-.- .I . ' ' ' ' . ' . ' . ' . 1950 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Miles 1976 u 2 0 FRINGE REVERTED CCg igi4-ig5ohs CORE 1892-1914 FRINGE RECLAIMED 0 1850-1892 FARMLAND EB post -.-.- Edge Of Larl Revision 1976 Date Of l a s t Revision Rcrervoir. 1800 , FIGURb 2.6 VEGETATION CLASS FREQUENCY AT R A I N SITE; rm - I LUhiDAljE I FIGURE 2.7 LOCATION AND CLASSlFICATION OF VEGETATION MAIN SITES LUNEDA LE KEY TO FIGURE 2.7 Croup I. Improved Pastures I Croup 2. Rough Pastures Croup 3. Cras~syHeaths Croup 4. Shrubby Heaths Class I : Lolium/Holcus/~teridium Class 2 : Lolium class 3 : Loliurn/Trifolium .rich Lolium Class 4 : Herb - Class 5 : Agrostia/Juncus Class 6 : Festuca/Juncus class 7 : ~~rosti;/~olcus Class 8 : Festuca/Agrostis Class 14: Festuca/Vaccinium Class 15: Festuca/Nardus/Vaccinium Class 16: Festuca/Nardus/Molinia Class Clhss class Class Class 9 : Calluna/~olinia/Vaccinim 10: Vaccinium/Calluna II: ~ a r d u s / ~ ~ h a ~ n u m / ~ a l l u n a 12: Eriophorum/Calluna 13: Calluna KEY TO FIGURES 2.7 mbby@R;zG Heachs Grassy Heath ..... ..,... .... ..-.... ..-..-. ... pasture .- --. ... .-- P=tm AND 2.8 FIGURE 2.8 LAND CROUP-VEGETATION CROUP ASSOCIATIONS-LUNEDALE VEGETATION CROUP FREOUENCIES AT SITES I N LAND CROUPS PHEDICTED CHANCES AT MAIN SITES Hill Upland Upland Margin pgq c.rZ I SMOOTH GRASSLAND COARSE GRASSLAND Na&s 9, BRACKEN SUB-SHRUBS henthers ,, bilbt/rry ,, I e d SEDGE & num L bog I myrtle WOODLAND e (Map by Geoffrey Sinclair. Environmental Information S rvices) --- 1 1 SHAP - PLATE 1 South western end of Haweswater Reservoir. Closely grazed Festuca/Agrostis grassland, class 8, occupies the foreground. Scattered deciduous trees that occur along old field boundaries cut by the shoreline are also found in the narrow tributary valley in the background. Rock outcrops above with scree below and thin soils throughout typify the steep slopes above the road. The trial conifer planting shows how the landscape could be changed by afforestation. (Photo by P.Ainsworth) FIGURE 3.1 I THE STUDY AREA OF SHAP RURAL AND S?!AP Crown Copyright Reserved STUDY AREA 3: SHAP RURAL AND SHAP, CUMBRIA PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT The parishes of Shap and Shap Rural (Figure 3-11 are situated in Cumbria on the eastern edge of the Lake District region and cover 113 km2. The area falls partly within the Lake District National Park, with on the west the large parish of Shap Rural inside the Park and on the east the small parish of Shap outside it. The study area boundary in the northwest runs through the enlarged lake that is the reservoir of Haweswater (Plate 1). The village of Shap is about equidistant on the main A6 road from the towns of Penrith to the north and Kendal to the south. Altitude zones are shown in Figure 3-2. A small sector with altitudes mainly below 244 m (800 ft) occurs along the shore of Haweswater and near Rosgill. The eastern and northern parts of the area are dominated by moderate (244-427 m, 800-1 400 ft) while altitudes in the altitudes southwestern third of the area are mainly above 427 m (1 400 ft), with the highest point, at High Street on the western border, reaching 828 m (2 715 ft). Slopes are dominantly gentle to moderate (4110) over much of the area, but are mainly steep and very steep (7110) in the highest ground in the west and centre (Part I, Plate 5), that runs westwards from around the head of Swindale and the course of Mosedale Beck. Climatically, in relation to other study areas, Shap, like Lunedale, can be considered cold and wet (Part I, 2.321, with January and October mean temperatures estimated as 0.7 and 8.0oC. The annual average of daily sunshine hours is 3.0 and the number of days of snow lie around 35, but there is a strong contrast between colder conditions on the high hills in the west and a somewhat better climate on the limestone plateau in the east (see Rainfall varies temperature considerations in Part I, 2.31). substantially across the area, with rainfall sectors running approximately northwesterly to southeasterly (Figure 3-3). The eastern third has fairly high rainfall (1 201-1 600 mm, c. 48-64 in pa) and the southwestern third very high rainfall (2 201-3 200 mm, c. 88-120 in pa). The length of the growing season for grass in the region including Shap is given in Smith (1976) as 190 days (26 April-2 November) at an average altitude of 341 m. Geol~gically the area is sharply divided into a smalier northeastern sector, approximately east of a line from Rosgill to Shap Wells, and the remaindeq of the area. In the northeast dre rocks of the Carboniferous Limestone Series, mainly limestones but with a conglomerate at the base. Most of the remainder of the a ea is occupied by a complex of Ordovician rocks, principally volcan c. The most widespread rock types are andesitic lavas and ashes of the Borrowdale Volcanic Series, a group of rocks that dominates 6 e central Lake District. Mudstones with interbedded ashes, now called the Eycott Croup but formerly classed with the Skiddaw Slates, present in the 'Bampton Inlier', which extends along and west the boundary of the Carboniferous rocks in the north for some 4 around Tailbert, with a width up to c.2 km west of Rosgill. qhe southern tip of the area, south of a line from Wasdale Head to High House Fell, is occupied by rocks of Silurian age in the Stockda e Shale group, again mudstones and shaley and slaty sediment y rocks. Northeast of these is the industrially important Shap Granite intrusion of Shap Fells and Long Fell. The southern +d eastern third of the area is mapped as mainly covered by glacihl drift but with some shallow soils over limestone in the east, peat in the south. The central and western parts are shown as dri t free but the high valleys (eg Mardale) include glaciated landform and minor drift deposits while shallow peat occurs particularly bn gently sloping areas. From the national soil map, the area bf limestone gives, in the extreme northeast, east of Shap village, a mapping unit dominated by poorly drained mineral soils, Clew, Wihh associated Brown Earths on glacial drift. The remainder of the limestone sector has soils of a unit dominated by Brown Earth with associated shallow soils and limestone pavement. The great r part of the area, off the limestone rocks, is mapped as dominat by moorland soils, mainly Peaty Podzols, with associated Gleys, Rankers and Peats. I The agricultural land classification map shows grade 4 land in the northeastern quarter of the area, east of the River Lowther frmm Rosgill to Sleddale, with extensions westwards to ~aweswateb, Swindale and into Wet Sleddale, with a very small extent of the higher quality grade 3 in the extreme northeast. The remainder f the parish, including the southeastern sector of Hardendale Fe 1 although this overlies Carboniferous rocks, is in the quality class, grade 5. I T 1 1 I 1 I I 1 I I I I I I 1 I I I Td e, t "t" Topographic characteristics are outlined in Figure 3-4. network is concentrated in the northeastern third of the area, The wi h a r m s running alongside Haweswater and into Swindale and Wet Sleddale. Buildings have a similar distribution, concentrated bn Shap village and Rosgill, but also present in Swindale and Wet Sleddale. Intensive agriculture, as assessed by Sectors frequent field boundaries, is seen to be particularly north of Shap village and westwards through Rosgill to the mouth Of I Haweswater. I 1 I I 1 1 l I I 1 Land types, as classified for the study areas as a whole, (Part I, 4.11-4.17) have distributions in Shap that are shown in Figure 3-5. Upland margin land is only ac minor element, mainly present around Rosgill and in the lower parts of Swindale and Wet Sleddale. The upland land group occupies the Carboniferous Limestone area of the northeast and the valleys of Haweswater, Swindale and Wet Sleddale. On the limestone, upland plateau is prominent, while the valley sectors are mostly steep upland. The hill land group covers most of the southwestern half of the area, with steep hill most important in the west, and the hill land type widespread in the east (Part I, Plate 4). In its extent of steep hill, the most 'montane' land type (Part I, Plate 5), Shap is second only to Alwinton (Part I, Table 4-36). LAND-USE HISTORY Remains of late prehistoric and Roman period hut-circle complexes occur in the southeast on the shallow soils typical of the granite outcrops, showing there to have been early settlement in this upland area. Agricultural effort in medieval times rested largely on the activities of Shap Abbey, founded in 1150, associated with which there was cultivation around Shap village and the creation of sheep farms on the lower hill land. During the 16th to 18th centuries freehold farmers with small holdings and grazing rights on the moorland typified Lake District farming. These farms in Shap were being gradually amalgamated into larger estates, such as that of the Lowther family who acquired Rosgill and Shap Estates in the late 17th century. The sheep flocks on the hill farms then were usually owned by the landlord, who let them with the farm, the tenant having to leave a specified number of animals bred in this flock on the farm at the end of his tenancy. In this way, the Herdwick sheep characteristic of the area remained on the traditional rough grazing of their own farms through many generations (Darley 1964). High agricultural prices during the early 19th century, gradual improvement of communications to market centres, (the turnpike road over Shap dates from 1753 and the railway from 1846) and enclosure of commons were responsible for considerable improvements in land management especially on the Lowther Estate which had the resources and will to implement improvement programmes. As well as their limited extents of enclosed land, many farms depended on access to commons over which farmers had the right to graze unlimited numbers of stock. Most commons were on the higher moors and fells, but some occupied lower ground. They were exploited for fuel, and regulations were often introduced in an attempt to control the manner and rate at which peat was taken. A high priority of the Lowther family, particularly in the first quarter of the 19th century when wool p r i c e s were high, was t o enclose t h e commons i n order t o i n c r e a s e p r o d u c t i v i t y of t h e rough p a s t u r e s and thus r a i s e stock numbers a s well a s t h e q u a l i t y of t h e sheqp flocks. Management on t h e lower f e l l ground was accordingly i n t e n s i f i e d . Walls o f up t o 4 f e e t 6 inches high were e r e c t e d , and a t t e m p t s were made t o improve s o i l drainage on t h e f e l l s i d e s . I n t h e s p r i n g a f d e r draihage improvements had been c a r r i e d o u t t h e vegetation was paded from t h e ground, burned i n heaps, and t h e r e s u l t i n g ashes, miked with lime were spread over t h e exposed s o i l . P u b l i c lime k i l n s were b u i l t i n Shap and elsewhere t o supply lime f o r such reclamatiods. When g r a i n p r i c e s were particularLy high, some reclaimed land 4as sown with a succession of g r a i n crops. When y i e l d s f e l l too low ftor p r o f i t t h e land was l e f t t o grass. Even where a green crop, such as t u r n i p s , r y e , clover o r potatoes f o r seed, was sown after each corn crop, t h e r e was a tendency ' t o keep t h e plough going t o qhe I u l t i m a t e d e t e r i o r a t i o n of t h e land' (Garnett 1912). I Mardale and Wet S l e d d a l e were described i n t h e 19th century a s narrow s t r i p s of productive p a s t u r e i n an area otherwise made up of s t e r i l e , t h i n a c i d i c s o i l s , supporting only rough pasture. 0 n accoqnt of t h e i r high r a i n f a l l and poor drainage, many of the p a s t u r e s had t o be managed i n t h e form of long leys. If l e f t fior more than a few years, t h e g r a s s became 'over-mastered' by mOSSe8. A t such times, i t was t h e p r a c t i c e t o plough them up and p l a n t crops o f corn u n t i l t h e moss had been destroyed, whereupon t h e lapd was allowed t o r e v e r t t o grass. 1 Much of t h e reclaimed land r e s u l t i n g from t h e Lowther Estake a c t i v i t y e a r l i e r i n t h e 19th century f e l l i n t o d i s u s e soon a f t e r 1870 and any f u r t h e r i n t a k e s from t h e moor were on a q u i e i n s i g n i f i c a n t s c a l e . During t h e present century, d a i r y i n g h s become i n c r e a s i n g l y important and, by 1955, accounted f o r 75% bf f a r m income i n Westmorland. Nevertheless, sheep r e a r i n g remained t h e most important farming a c t i v i t y on t h e higher ground, and the c h a r a c t e r of t h e upland vegetation continued t o r e f l e c t t h e p a t t e n of sWeep grazing. Owing t o r i s i n g labour c o s t s and t h e d i f f i c u l y of r e c r u i t i n g shepherds, sheep have been allowed t o grazed m0fe f r e e l y , with t h e r e s u l t t h a t they s e l e c t and over g r a z e more p a l a t a b l e s p e c i e s , and leave c o a r s e r herbage, thereby l e a d i n g t o a marked i n c r e a s e i n Molinia, Nardus ahd bracken. k t The e x t e n t of t i l l a g e over t h e 1900-1960 period peaked i n t h i s a r b around 1920 and has f a l l e n s i n c e ( P a r t I , Figure 4-41. Cattle and sheep numbers dropped a b r u p t l y between 1935 and 1940 ( P a r t I, 4-45 and Figures 4-5, 4-6) a s a r e s u l t of d i r e c t l o s s of farmsteads a d farmland t o t h e Haweswater Reservoir, and t h e i n d i r e c t reduction f s t o c k on t h e higher land t h a t t h i s l o s s brought about. ULS (1979) c a l c u l a t e t h e t o t a l area of crops and g r a s s t o have hardly changad between 1859 and 1978 (26.2 t o 25.6% of t h e a r e a ) , while t h e ar a of woodland has gone up s l i g h t l y from 3.0 t o 3.6% between t h e e same years. ! 9 This area was surveyed by the Ordnance Survey first in 1858-59 and their large scale maps were revised in 1897, 1913 and between 1962 and 1976. As shown in Figure 3t6, about 7 600 ha (671 of the area) have been identified from these maps as moorland pore (See Part I, 4.47-4.55). The moorland fringe covers 644 ha (6% of the area) (Part I, Table 4-6) of which 78 ha represent moorland that has been afforested. In Shap, moorland fringe is widely distributed in relation to land types, 24% in the hill land group, but 601 in the upland land group, with relatively the highest amount in steep upland (311 of fringe in 13% of the area). 26 ha of moorland have been reclaimed for agriculture. 540 ha of moorland reclaimed in the 19th century have subsequently reverted to moorland again, particularly in Wet Sleddale. The remaining 27% of the area is farmland, except for a few tracts of long established woodland, including Naddle Forest in a subsidiary valley south of Haweswater, scheduled by the Nature Conservancy Council as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) . Considering land-uses other than agriculture, the area became a minor tourist centre in the early 19th century and continued so through the early 20th century, starting with the Shap Wells Hotel opened in 1820, and expanding due to the convenience of the railway and main road for access and the consequent further provision of hotel and other accommodation in Shap itself. It still has this interest, with the A6 road and Haweswater as access and main attraction respectively but most through traffic has now gone to the M6 motorway and thus bypasses the village. Pressure on this peripheral part of the Lake District is much less than on the more famous central lakes and valleys of the National Park. Industrially, the Shap granite quarries remain active, producing mainly crushed rock as roadstone (Part I, Plate 41, while limestone quarries produce lime and limestone for agriculture and the steel industry. Finally, water supply is a prominent use of the area. As well as Haweswater, purchased by Manchester Corporation in 1925, the enlarging of which to a reservoir between 1927 and 1941 (Part I, 4.40) destroyed the farming community of Marsdale, Wet Sleddale also has a much smaller reservoir. VEGETATION i The frequencies of vegetation classes at the 115 main sites recorded in 1977 are shown in Figure 3-7 and $he locations qnd vegetation classes of these sites are given in Figure 3-8. I Vegetation in the northeastern corner of Shap differs sharply frbm that elsewhere in the study area. In this upland plateau sector, with Gley and Brown Earth soils associated with glacial drift a d limestone outcrops, the vegetation at the recorded sites principa ly consists of improved pastures (present at 19% of recorded sites tn the area as a whole). Rough pasture sites, which are 14% of the total recorded, are more dispersed. Agrostis/Holcus grassla class 7, sites occur south and east of the village. Plate 43 n Part I shows a contrast between improved and rough pasture at a management boundary in Shap. Rough pastures of class,5 (Agrostis/Juncus grassland) occur at sites along the valley f l o ~ r of Swindale, probably reflecting the poorer drainage of Peaty 01 y soils frequent here in contrast to the typically better drain d soils over limestone in the northeast. d "& , a Moorland vegetation is characteristic of most of the area, the @ore rounded hills (fells) to the south and on the craggy Lake District mountains in the west. Heath vegetation wbs present at almost two-thirds of the recorded sites in 1977; Festuca/Nardus/Molinia grassy heath, class 16, at 24% of sites, Nardub/Sphagnw/Calluna shrubby heath, class 1 1 , at 2of sit",r were almost equally prominent. A further 17% of sites hhd vegetation of 5 other heath classes. t Woodland is sparse in most of Shap and the visual impression th s gives is emphasized by the general lack of hedges and hedger w trees, most of the field boundaries in the farmland sectbr consisting of dry-stone walls or fences. Ten of the 12 woodlands examined fall in the upland acid woodland category Table 3-4). The other 2 are classifiable as lowland basic and occur on the limestone in the northeast of the parish. 1 Table 3-1 shows the association between vegetation classes at ma n sites in 1977 and the land types in this study area. Figure 3 9 includes a schematic illustration of the relationship between lahd groups and vegetation groups, using a sketch of land group distribution based on Figure 3-5. Only 2 out of 57 Sites in hill land are pastures, while sites in the upland land group about 60% ~astues and only 10% shrubby heaths, and the small area of upland margin land contains 5 pasture sites and one grassy heath site. I POTENTIAL VEGETATION CHANGE In considering the likelihood pf vegetation change in Shap Several stabilising influences are present. The major p q t of the area lies within the Lake District National Park so that the policies of the Lake District Planning Board are bound to have a major impact on land management. For example it is questionable whether a welcome would be given to large scale afforestation, which is a potential land-use over the lower hill ground in the centre and south of the area. Common land and conservation considerations also act against substantial forestry here, although on simple assumptions in Part I (see Table 5-19) the land with forestry potential is assessed as 421 of the area. In spite of this, immediate future tree planting is likely to be on a small scale for amenity purposes or for wind-breaks. Another influence is that of the Lowther Estate which manages the fells to the southeast of Shap as grouse moor, so that in this sector, as long as the current burning regime is maintained, shrubby heaths will survive. In the northwest there is the Haweswater water catchment area. Here the management policies of the North West Water Authority are for stability in land-use, and conservation interests have a similar objective. In the ULS report on Shap (ULS 1979) farmers interviewed as part of the social survey indicated that they were content to operate their farms along established lines for the foreseeable future, thus adding a further factor suggesting general stability against major change in the area. The ULS analysis of the rough grazing sectors, using ADAS criteria for hill land classification, records 75% as generally not improvable though mainly of some grazing value, and only 17% as 'improvable'. The vegetation changes that could occur on ecological grounds, if social, landscape, and other considerations tending to stability were overridden or changed, and agricultural land-use intensified or declined, can be assessed in a uniform way in accord with the general principles of change discussed in Part I (5.74-5.77 and Figure 5-11) and summarised in Appendix 2. In Shap, grassy heath class 16 (Festuca/Nardus/Molinia heath) and shrubby heath class 1 1 (Nardus/Sphagnum/Calluna heath) are the most frequently occurring vegetation classes. Under a reduced level of agricultural activity Festuca/Nardus/Molinia grassy heath would move towards Nardus/Sphagnum/Calluna shrubby heath in wetter situations or to class 10 Vaccinium/Calluna heath where soils were more freely drained. The continuation of this trend depends substantially on soil drainage. In wetter sites change could continue to Eriophorum/Calluna heath, class 12, but on better drained soils it would be unlikely that this stage would be reached, the vegetation probably holding at Vaccinium/Calluna heath. Intensified I agricultural management would probably cause a trend away from grassy heaths towards rough pastures of class 5 (Agrostis/Jun us grassland) and class 6 (Festqca/Juncus grassland). Existing si es of Nardus/Sphagnum/Calluna heath, class 11, co~lld show a reverse towadds trend to that discussed above, with a move Festuca/Nardus/Molinia heath, class 16. It is not expected that the improved pastures of class 4 (herb-rich Lolium grassland) at sitles I locahed in the north of Shap would be allowed to deteriorate. 4- y Figure 3-8 gives maps illustrating the changes predicted at sites on purely ecological grounds, without consideration of lo 1 environment or management factors, as a result of moderate levels of gradual intensification or decline in agricultural land-usle. Figure 3-7 includes the differences that these predicted changes would produce in the frequency of vegetation classes at record d main sites. Remembering that local factors have not been consider d in making these generalised predictions, and that ownership, statbs and farmer's intentions all tend to stability, it is estimated fr m these predictions of what can be thought of as maximum probab e changes on ecological grounds that intensification of agriculture to a moderate degree in Shap could lead to an overall increase /Ln the proportion of rough pastures at the recorded sites from 14 to 33%. A small increase in the proportion of improved pasture sites (19 tlo 23%) and small decrease in the proportion of grassy heath sites (33 to 30%) could also occur. These changes would be balanced by a sharp decrease in the proportion of shrubby heaths at t e recorded sites from 34 to 4%. Moderate decline in agricultural u e would produce falls in the proportions of all vegetation groups except shrubby heaths. These would be expected to increase frdm their present occurrence at 34% of recorded sites to 672 of sites. Grassy heaths would show the largest proportional decrease, from 33 to 116, followed by rough pastures with a fall from their prese+t occurrence at 14% of sites to only 5%. Improved pastures could be expected to remain relatively unchanged (from 19% of recorded sit S to 1 In considering the overall impact of these predict d vegetation changes on the landscape, the predictions following an increase in agricultural activity involve a change in vegetatign group at 75% of the recorded main sites, while a decline in agricultural activity would involve change at &%of the sites. r g ! t I Predicted changes in the proportions of vegetation groups at main sites in each land group are included in Figure 3-9. sites in In t e hill Land group remain mainly heaths under both predictions. upland land group, pastures could expand substantially under intensified agriculture, while in the upland margin, shrubby heat S 'l could become prominent if agriculture declined. Table 3-2 correlates ITE vegetation claases (at main sites recorded with in 1977 and at additional sites from 1979 (Part I, 5.66-5.67)) the ULS mapping units in which ;they occur, the distribution of which is shown in the ULS vegetation map reproduced here as Figure 3-10. There is rather more divergence between 'these vegetation assessments than is the case in most other areas. In general the prominent ITE classes occur in a range of ULS units while these units include a spread of ITE classes. Some situations are readily explained. For example class 1 1 , Nardus/Sphagnum/Calluna shrubby heath, occurs almost equally in the ULS units of 'coarse grassland/Nardusl and 'sub-shrubs/heathersl, a consequence of these 2 units representing a judgement on the degree of cover of 2 species which are both of high constancy in the ITE class. Table 3-3 shows how the balance of vegetation groups in each ULS mapping unit would alter if vegetation change followed the predictions discussed above. Because of the complexity of relationships between ULS units and ITE classes in this area no clear cut picture is possible of contrasts between the character of the units now and as they could be predicted to become. CONCLUSION Extensive major agricultural or afforestation changes from the present quite sharp farmland-moorland contrast appear unlikely in Shap, in part because of its environment and also because of its 0 ~ e r S h i p and National Park status. Land management policies are likely to be directed towards maintaining the present status quo. In an economic and social climate that could accept lessened agricultural use and more emphasis on recreational and conservation aspects, then shrubby heaths could expand at the cost of the present grazed grassy heaths and ultimately even of some of the rough pastures. In the eastern part of the area agriculture would be sustained at its present level. Forestry is an option over much of the lower hill ground, if landowners wanted this and landscape conservation interests found it acceptable or were overruled. The scale of potential change predicted on standqrd ecological grounds is unlikely to be achieved or even approached in practice if the present management policies are maintained. REFERENCES (1964). The Agrarian Economy of Westmorland. DARLEY, T.C.F. Dissertation, pp 196, (held in Kendal public Library). M.A. 39 I , L l i GARNETT, F.W. (1912). Westmorland Agriculture. Wilson, Kgndal, PP 302. SMITH, L . P . (1976). The Agricu;LCural Climate of England and ales. Tech. Bull. 35, Ministry o f Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, H M O London. UPLAND LANDSCAPES STUDY. (1979). Shap and Shap Rural Parish R Unpublished report t o the Countryside Commission, J nUarY 1979. -i".. 1 I ! 1 I , 1 1 ~' , ! , 1 '1 II 1 I I i i I I I I I I I I 1 i 1 I I i I , 1 i I TABLE 3-1 CORRELATION OF VEGETATION CLASSES AND LAND TYPES V e g e t a t i o n Group and C l u # I L-6 - SHAP Group and Type Upland Bill Bteep B i l l (I)* t3) nigh P1.te.u (4) Steep Upland ( 5 ) As number of oites of each vegetation cloao located in each land type. Land type number. as used on computer maps, ~ f g u r e3-5. * (') Upland P1.te.u (8) TABLE 3-2 - SHAP CORRELATION OF ULS VEGETATION MAPPING UNITS AND ITE VEGBTATION CLASSES ITE Vegetation Class ULS Mapping Unit Number of ITS Sites in Area of UL8 Unit Rough Pastures Improved Pastures 1 2 3 4 Smooth Grassland 5 6 7 1 4 2 8 4 1 Coarse ~rasaland/Rardue Grassy Heaths Shrubby He8ths 1 4 1 5 1 6 9 1 0 1 1 1 2 1 3 1 2 3 1 2 1 1 7 1 9 1 3 Coarme Grassland/&?Zinia 1 Bracken 1 1 Sub-shmbm/Heathen, 1 1 2 3 1 1 1 1 7 1 S L 2 Sub-shrubs/Bilberry Sub-mhrubs/Gorse . SedgaCRtMh h+&mfl ~ ~ Farmland ~ ~ ~ ~ ~p~~ ~ 2 6 1 1 1 3 2 4 3 1 3 ~ As number of recorded ~- ~ 5 ~~~~ p ~ ~ sites in each ITS vegetation clsss that are located in each UL8 unit ~ ~ p ~ - ~ TABLE 3-3 PREDICTIONS OF CHANGE IN THE BALANCE OF VEGETATION GROUPS AT SITES LOCATED IN UL8 YAPPING UNITS - SHAP ITE Vegetation Groups Improved pastures ULS Mapping Unit A Smooth Grassland Coarse ~rarsland/NOrdus B Rough Pastures C 7 1 5 1 2 Sub-ehrubs/Heathera 1 2 1 Shrubby Heaths A B C A B 7 6 2 6 3 5 3 4 9 9 10 4 11 3 3 2 3 3 1 2 1 1 4 4 Q 1 10 2 2 1 14 14 14 7 Sub-shr~b~/Bilber~y C C B A Coarse ~rassland/bb~inia Bracken Grassy Heaths 9 1 20 3 4 1 14 2 Sub-shrub8/Goree 1 Sedge & Rush Moorland Farmland As numlmr of recordd A B C 20 34 17 6 7 12 1 14 12 mitea falling in each ITB vegetation group that u e located in each ULB unit *ituatiOn u recorded -- predicted balance of vegetation if agricultural ume increusd, 10* yrs - predicted balance of vegetation if agricultural ume decreamed, lo+ Yrm a 28 7 - SHAP ALTITUDE SECTORS FIGURE 3.2 0 0 0 , 4 0 ~ 1 ~ 0 0 0 0 " " 0 0 ~ ~ 1 0 0 0 ~ 1 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~ ~ ~ 0 * OODOOOOO 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 . 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~ * 0 0 . 0 0 0 0 0 D 0 0 ~ O 0 0 O 0 0 ~ ~ 0 0 0 ~ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~ I 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 I 0 0 0 0 0 . 0 0 0 0 0 O D 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~ 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 O D 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 D 0 0 0 ~ 0 0 0 0 0 0 D C 0 0 0 0 0 D 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 D D 0 0 0 O ' 0 O OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOODOU 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 O O o O ooeeoaDcoooouooooooooooooooooo 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 O 0 0 0 0 O 0 0 0 0 O 0 0 0 0 0 O 0 0 0 ~ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 " 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 OOOOODOOOOOODO 0 0 0 0 D 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 D 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ( 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 o - l l ., 0 ~ 0 0 0 0 0 0 i U D O O O D ~ O O O D D O ( l 4 , l 1 * l o O D O D D o D ~ O o o * O L ~ 0 * 6 1 1 , , , , 0 0 0 ~ ~ 4 0 0 0 ~ 0 4 1 $ l . 0 0 D 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 c . 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 . * ~ . . . o O , . O I . o , l . . o o d a * o ~ ~ ~ ~ . e l o # . ~ C $ a u 0 0 0 0 D 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 o o o O O ~ O D O o O o o o O O O o o c o o 0 ~ * 0 ~ . . , 0 l l l . . 0 , 0 , , . , 0 O ~ * O ~ O * ~ ~ O ~ ~ ~ # ~ + O ~ OO O # O D ~ O el O O O O O O O O O O O O O O 0 3 0 . ~ 0 0 0 l l 0 0 l ~ ~ 0 0 0 . 0 0 , . , 0 0 0 . , ~ 0 D 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 D 1 0 0 * 0 0 0 * 1 * . 0 , . . . . , , o . , , , 0 0 * . . 0 0 0 0 * 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 D D a O o . o . O O , . o . . O o O O O o O O o o o 0 0 0 0 0 0 * 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 . . . 0 . * , , 0 ~ O 8 ~ 0 0 O O O 0 0 0 O D O O ~ O ~ ~ O ~ ,I , ~0 0O 0 0 0 0 0 . . 0 0 0 . l . . . * 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 O o o o o o o o * ~ b e o O e . o . * * . o . I , , o ~ ~ ~ ~ o D o ~ o OOOOO 0 D 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 YL. 0 0 0 0 * 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 I 0 0 0 . . . , . . . , , , , , 0 O 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~ ~ a a 0 O 0 I ~ l ~ 0 0 0 l 0 0 ~ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~ 0 0 o ~ o 0 0 0 0 0 . ~ . 0 0 . . . . . , , 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 ~ ~ 1 4 0 0 0 D 0 0 D 0 0 0 0 . . ~ . 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 . . , , 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 , * , 0 0 0 0 0 D * 0 0 0 ~ 0 0 0 0 . 0 0 O O O * O O O I I.0 I 0.0. 0 I 0 o, 0 0o 0 0 ~0 1 1~ . . l ~l O ,I 0 1~ 1 0 I0 D O ~ O O~ O 0L 0 c ~0 0 * , , D O , o o . . I . o . ~ * O D o o o D o o o o o D , ( , , 1 , . , . . , * l 0 0 0 * . 0 D 0 0 0 0 D a 1 ( ( d 1 a 4 e 4 * + * $ 0 0 0 0 0 , , , , 1 . , , 0 . ~ * . 0 0 0 0 , , , , , . . , . . l . D D 0 0 , . , * . . * . . 0 0 0 0.....0*.. ..O..O.. * 0 0 +,Dominantly Altitudes 4244mm800ft) a . I... O O . . , . , , , OOOD " 0 . ~ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 D + - ~p~ Dominantly ~ ~ I . L O 0 8 . O l D D O 0 0 0 0 .o Altitudes &-mm(BOO-llCOOf~ ~- ~ +Dominantly - -- - Altitudes 1 4 2 ? ~ ~ > ~ -- -~~ * FIGURE 3.3 RAINFALL SECTORS onno * * @ a a*.. 0 0 0 0 0 0 " U n U u O n O n 9 , 1 1 . . . . 1 , 1 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 0 * I 1 0 0 0 0 o u # ~ t ~ o u < ~ n o o o o ~ I ~ ~ O Y O U O U U O D O O O * I * * ~ I , o u ~ O I O O Y Y Y . , , o . * . l . * l ~ * , " * " 0 0 " 0 0 0 0 0 @ ~ . . , . I . ~ . , * . " 0 D 0 0 . 0 0 0 ~ ~ . . , * 1 . * 1 * . ~ ' . 0 0 0 0 0 " 0 0 0 , , . . ~ , , ~ * ~ l * l D 0 0 D O 0 0 0 , . . . 1 ~ l 1 1 . 1 ~ ~ 0 . 0 0 . 0 0 0 1 . . . 1 . . , * ~ 1 1 1 . 0 0 . 0 0 o o o 0 0 0 0 0 0 o o 0 0 0 O 0 n o o o o o o ~ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 . . . . * , 1 , 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~ . ~ , , * O o O o O D O o o D Y D . . , , 0 0 0 0 0 D " D 0 0 0 ~ . ~ , O O o o O o O o D o I , 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 , . 0 0 0 0 0 D 0 , 0 0 0 0 0 ~ ~ . ..,,* *.., , ~ o 3, r ~ U I I U I ~ ~ " o " ( I " c . "I 8I0 D ~ " O U O O 0 O " " O L D O U U D O O 0 0 0 0 D O o " o O o D U " 0 ~ 0 " 0 a ~ o D o O " O D D ~ o D O o " D " " o " O C O 0 0 0 0 0 " 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 " 0 " 0 0 " 0 ~ ~ 1 1 . . 0 O D 0 ~ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 E O ( O , . . a " 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 C 0 1 , . 4 ~ 0 D C 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 " 0 0 0 0 0 8 * * * . , , , * 1 * . * 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 D D 0 0 0 . . ~ 1 1 1 * * ~ ~ 1 ~ ~ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 , ~ ~ ~ l 1 ~ l ~ ~ ~ l l l 4 ~ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ . , ~. , ,~ * O~ o o~ o Oc o ~D ~ n o " " L ( @ ( * * ~ ~ ~ I ~ I I ~ ~ ~ * D D O O O D O 0 * . 1 . 1 , * 1 * ~ , . 0 0 0 0 ~ " . ~ ~ ~ ...,.,,* I . I , , , I I . . I . I I C P P * ~ , I , I * I * ~ * * . L C C I , , , , , * I 4 ~ P O , # , . . 1 , 1 n n . # 4 # 1 . 1 0 , * . , . a n o e o o o 0 0 0 0 0 0 I ' Fairly High Rainfall (1201-1600mm,48-6l+in pa) High Rainfall (1601-2200mrn,64-88in pa) e ,to* " I I U ( I I I I I " 0 I 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 . . ~ l 0 * I ~ * . ~ , 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 * * . ~ 1 * 9 , ~ , , , , 0 " 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 . . l 1 . * ~ ~ , . , 0 0 0 0 " " O D 0 ll ll l. 0 0 0 I, I, I, I 0 0 <, u n G " c4 ,, 0 rt a, u u ~ ~ ~ o o ~ o o n q 1 a * e e + 1 , a 1 1 , . . 1 . 1 , , , 1 o 0 o 0 1 , * 1 . . . . , , , , D 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~ . . 0 . I . . . . . , . 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 . . . . . . . , * , , 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 D 0 0 . 1 . . . . , , , 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 . 0 . . . . . . 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 D 0 0 0 0 0 . . . , , 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 , . . . , 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 . * . , . 0 D 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 . . 0 0 0 D 0 . 0 0 0 0 0 . , . , , 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 , , , * 0 ~ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 D 0 0 . . . * 0 0 ~ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 . * D O O o O 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 O 0 0 ~ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 D . 0 0 0 0 0 . 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 D 0 0 D 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 . , 0 0 0 0 D 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 D 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - SHAP ' Very High Rainfall (2201-3000mm,88-120in pa) 3.4 FIGURE - SHAP TOPOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS 1 ... . , , , . 1 0 1 0 0 ~ * ~ 0 * * , , . , 0 0 0 * * , 0 . + 1 * * . 0 0 . , ~ ~ ~ 9 ~ . , O ~ , ~ ~ ~ @ ' U ~ . , . ~ . ~ " 0 . * . . l . l . L * ~ * o o o , 0 . , D O " . * . ~ : ~ 0 3 . . . . o . ' * o 0 , y O ~ O . . , ' r , " D n n * ~ ~ . * . * ,,,, , , , ~ . G d w * * * o * * * e . 1 0 0 0 0 ) 6 U . A i 9 Y 3 1 1 ~ ~ ~ ~ # . 0 O D D O O O O . O O O D 1 l ; ' . , ' ~ J * 1 * * 0 * 0 . * ~ 0 ~ D ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ i ~ 1 0 ~ O O O O O . , 0 3 " ~ 1 3 0 " . , . , I , J ~ i 9 0 * 0 . 8 . O O O D D O O O 0 o O 0 0 . . D O O ~ l l ~ p ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ - -- ~ -~ ~ O O O U Y J O ~ D O ~ O O O ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ O 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 I I 0 00 9 18 0 3 ~~ 0 ~1 0 0 0 0~ 0 0~ 0 0O0 0 O0 ~ I* 0 0~ 0 I~ 0 0* ~ 0 ~ 4 ~ , ~ O O ~ ~ O I ~ ~ ~ ~ I ~ ~ I 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~ 0 0 0 0 @ 0 0 ~ 0 0 ~ 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 n 0 0 0 0 ~ * . * * 0 0 . 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 ~ 0 ' = ~ ~ * @ . 0 0 0 D J 0 ~ 0 0 0 0 0 ~ . 0 O . . D U R O O D O O . . . . 0 . . D " 0 , 0 0 9 1 . 0 0 0 * D U 0 0 0 * 0 0 , a " 0 0 0 0 0 " P 0 0 0 O O O O * , 1 0 0 I 0 Roads Present # , O 1 * 0 0 0 . 8 . 0 . , I ....,.,,,~ .'.'*. o * I O O * . 1 0 1 . 0 . 0 1 . . . . 0 0 0 . 1 0 . . * * ~ 0 0 0 * 0 0 0 0 1 , 0 , 0 0 . 0 0 1 ~ . 0 0 0 D 0 0 . 0 0 D 0 0 . 0 , 0 0 l * 0 0 0 0 ~ * 0 0. 0 0 0 0 0 . 0 0 0 0 0 ~ 0 l ~ 0 0 * 0 0 0 ~ 0 0 0 0 0. 1 ~ ~ 0 0 ~ ~ ~ 1 6 0 0 0 0 . 0 0 0 ~ 0 0 * . 0 0 0 0 0 0 * # ~ ~ 0 O ~ . O O 0 0 . 0 0 ~ 0 0 0 D 0 0 0 . 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 D , . 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 I ,,,*,,...@ * a , *.. . 0 1 . 0 0 0 O D .I.....'** D,,.,....* O OOOYi; 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 O D 0 0 . 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ODDO..OOOOO.**~O 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 . 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 O D 0 0 0 0 0 0 ooooooo ODDDD 0 0 0 0 0 0 . -- Buildings Present -~ -~ ~ - ~ p o o e ~ ~ 0 ~ 0 O 0 I 0 O 0 O0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~ o o o o o ~ o o ~ ~ o ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ C O ~ O O ~ D O ~ O D D O O O D D O O ~ O O . I , 0 , 1 ~ ~ ~ 1 0 . D . 0 . D oL L O ~ ~ ~ o ~o o ~ * o o ~ ~ o o o o ~ ~ o 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 ~ 0 0 0 . D ~ ~ D O D O O D O O O O O O O O D O O O I O D O O D ~ o ~ O ~ o o Oo o o o o ~ o o o o o o o o ~ n~ eo~mo oa~n 9~~ oooo o~~~ oo ~ oo ooo oO o o o o o c o o o o o o ~ 0 0 . 0 . 0 0 . 1 0 , , . , , 0 0 0 0 D 0 0 . . 0 0 , , , . , 0 0 0 0 0 . 0 0 0 , 0 , * . . , 0 , 0 0 D 0 0 0 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 . , . , , ~ , b 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 ~ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 D 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 . , l . 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 J 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 . * . 0 0 0 0 0 ~ l D 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 , 0 #. ~p~~~ p O O o O o , ~ " o ~ O D o O 0 . D O o O 0 . 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 0 0 l 0 0 0 O O D O D . ~ , O D D O D O O D O OO.OOO.OOOO~DOOO O O 0 0 D 0 0 0 0 0 D 0 / o O o O 1 ~ C n l D O O O I C U 3 0 O O ~ U O O O O D I O E D O * . 0 0 Frequent Field Ro.;r.d~r;Les~~ Score >lo, on scsl..! 5-25 ~ -- ! I ~p ~ - ~~ 3.5 FIGURE LAND TYPES ----- -- --- --- --- --- -- --. -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- -- -- - SHAP -' 1 \ 1 1 1 - - 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 . - 1 t - - - 4 U - - - - - , I > I ! L I l I l L I I I I I I - - l - 1 . - - I : 4 1 I I . 1 8 1 ,LI-'LI.114 1 1 1 1 1 4 1 3 I I L l l . 3 1 , 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 4 3 1 1 1 111,,1---1 1 1 3 + 1 3 - - 1 ~ 1 1 1 1 . - a 1 1 1 - - - 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 - .. ---------.; - . -,s-----a-,----ma*.,, - l - - - - - l a - - - - - - ~ , , , , a , as,------ 1-,#*0,7 La-,- - - I, ,I HIU UND GRCUP t steep HILL I ::::;;:!;!::; --.. s-- - - - - - - ¶ - - ,-.-.a-.-.-. ------I--.-----; - - - - - S , - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- ¶--IS,)-. -1.-1--11.1- - - - - - i - - - - - _ 1i 1 -_ - - . ._ ,a, _ ---a------------,c,l - - - - - - - - - - - - -..----..--------, ¶ --------,--a ---- - -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - - - , I - -.A,-------h b b - - - - b b - - - - - - -----b.--.------.. -- -- - - - - - , . - - - . - - - - - --------l.bb--.*.----- - - - - - - - - & - - - - - & - - - - - - ----------.--_____ --L----------_____.___ -----------------.----- -- - -- -- -- --.----.---.-----_- _ -_.__ - -- - -- --- -- - -- --- -- - _- - ._ _-_-__________ -----b--------..------. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I - - * - - - - - - * - - - - - -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - - - 6 . - - -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- ------- - -- -- ----. - ---- -a -.-- - -- ,as-- 5 - steep upland 3 HI11 7 UPlMd' 4 = H I & PlaLaol 8 = Uplsm P ~ A C I U I . 6 --- 4 1 a 1 1 1 i 1 111,1.1 7 1 8 7 2 * 0 # 7 , # . l l l - - l - - - - - - - - - - - - - - . 1 1 1 1 1 1 - 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 , - - - . - 1 1 - - - - 3 ---- ---- --- -- - -- -- -- -- -- -- - e aa-,.,,OI, 7 - - - 7 S n a 7 # > 0 5 7 1 0 - - 7 1 0 7 . 0 1 % s - ~ a a - - - 7 - - a e z 7 a 7 ~ ~ s s - - ~ - - - a s a 1 - 1 a 7 m 7 7 ~ , --10-3-1--17--0.77.. - - t - - - l - - - q - - - - - - - - - - 1 1 - 1 4 - - - - . - - - - . - - - 6 - - 1 1 4 1 1 - - - 1 1 1 1 - - - - - - 4-.l.l,--,,,4,1------! 1 1 3 1 - - - 1 1 1 1 3 1 - 4 - - - - - 1 1 4 1 1 - - 1 1 1 4 4 4 - - - - - - - - - ( I l l l l - - - l l l I - L , 1 4 1 1 1 - - - - . - 4 - - - 2 7 7 7 ,UPUND MARCIN WID ORCUP 6 . U P ~ Mw ~g i n I F l G U R E 3.6 MOoRLAND CORE, F R I N G E AND FARMLAND n CORE FRINGE RECLAIMED AFFORESTED MOORLAND 0FARMLAND RESERVOIR - SHAP I FRINGE REVERTED "913-1962/76} 1897-1913 I Map 0.1. 051-9897 Post 1800 I l r Photo b.1. FIGURE I 3.7 VEGETATlON CLASS FREQUENCY AT MAIN SITES - SHAP I I I FlCURE 3 .Ba LOCATlON AND CLASSlFlCkTlON OF VEGETATION M A ] N SITES SHAP ~ .. .. ...... .. .. ...... . .. I, ., , Ii 1977 Overall Frequencies of Vegetation Croups I ! FIiURE3 .8b LOCATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF VEGETATION MAIN SITES - SHAP KEY TO FIGURE 3.8 Group 1. Improved Pastures I Class 1 : Lolium/Holcus/Pteridium Class 2 : ~ o l i u m Class 3 : Lolium/Trifollum Class 4 : Herb -rich Lolium - Group 2. Rough Pastures Croup 3. Grassy Heaths Croup 4. Shrubby Heaths Class 5 : Agrostis/Juncus Class 6 : ~estuca/Juncus Class 7 : Agrostis/Holcus Class 8 : Festuca/Agrostis Class 14: Festuca/Vaccinium Class 75: Festuca/Nardus/Vaccinium Class 16: Festuca/Nardus/Molinia Class Clhss Class Class Class 9 : Calluna/Molinia/Vaccinium 10: Vaccinium/Calluria 11: Nardus/Sphagnum/Calluna 12: Eriophorum/Calluna 13: Calluna KEY TO FIGURES 3.8 AND 3.9 Heaths Grassy Heaths 0 0 FIGURE 3.9 LAND CROUP-VEGETATION CROUP ASSOCIATIONS- SHAP VEGETATION CROUP FF~~OUENCIES AT SITES I N LAND CROUPS PHEDICTED CHANCES AT PAIN SITES Hill Upland Margin 'i aa .>y .?.: :>?:: . :+::.. .:-.:.:..;.::x:?c:: ...... --. :. :;:;:. ::::.;... .............. >. ...:......... ............ ...:...... ... :..;-..-... ...::.::.::;. .: ........ -..:;. :::;:..... @ =. lj ... ..... ::: -- 3;;:. :::.:. 2 . - .-... : ..:: ..::,.. .:::. .... ::: BRANS DALE BRANSDALE - PLATE 1 General view along Bransdale. Farmlands along the valley floor carry improved pastures. The head of the valley is infilled by a conifer plantation. On the higher ground of the moorland ridges Vaccinium/Calluna heath, class 10, is frequent. Bracken-infested rough pastures of Festuca/Agrostis grassland, class 8, occupy the foreground. (Photo by J. Dale) FIGURE 1 4.1 THE STUDY AREA OF BRANSDALE Crown Copyright Reserved STUDY AREA 4: BRANSDALE, NORTH YORKSHIRE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT The study area of Bransdale (Figure 4-11, covering 32 km2, is c e n t r a l l y s i t u a t e d i n t h e North York Moors r e g i o n and lies e n t i r e l y w i t h i n t h e North York Moors National Park. The n e a r e s t town is Kirkbymoorside t o t h e south, on t h e Thirsk-Pickering road (A170). Bransdale is an enclosed wide floored v a l l e y ( P l a t e 1 and P a r t I, P l a t e 6 ) drained by t h e Hodge Beck, t h a t is a l i g n e d approximately north-south between Cockayne Ridge and Ankness Ridge. Long moorland c r e s t s f l a n k t h e v a l l e y on its e a s t e r n and western s i d e s . The v a l l e y f l o o r l i e s mainly below 244 m (800 f t ) and t h e f l a n k i n g moorland r i d g e s a r e g e n e r a l l y below 427 m (1 400 f t ) , except f o r a small s e c t o r near Cockayne Head i n t h e n o r t h (Figure 4-2). Gentle and moderate s l o p e s dominate t h e area, with narrow bands of s t e e p e r s l o p e s p a r t i c u l a r l y prominent near t h e v a l l e y head. C l i m a t i c a l l y , r e l a t i v e t o t h e range i n t h e study areas, Bransdale is moderately cold and dry ( P a r t I , 2.32). The annual average of d a i l y sunshine hours is 3.5, with January and October mean temperatures estimated as 1.5 and 9.0oC, and ah annual average of 20 days with snow lying. The study a r e a is s p l i t i n t o 2 d i s t i n c t r a i n f a l l s e c t o r s . The southern h a l f has low r a i n f a l l (801-1 000 mm, c. 32-40 i n pa) and t h e northern h a l f has moderate r a i n f a l l (1 001-1 200 nun, c. 40-48 i n pa) (Figure 11-31. I n Smith (1976) t h e l e n g t h of t h e growing season i n t h e d i s t r i c t which i n c l u d e s Bransdale, a t an average a l t i t u d e of 172 m is given a s 230 days ( 6 April-22 November). Bransdale is s i t u a t e d e n t i r e l y on rocks of J u r a s s i c age. Within t h i s g e o l o g i c a l system, L i a s rocks, mainly non-calcareous s h a l y sediments, occupy t h e v a l l e y f l o o r . The upper v a l l e y s l o p e s and t h e ridge-top s e c t o r s o v e r l i e s i l i c e o u s ' g r i t s ' (hard sandstones) of t h e Lower O o l i t e (Great O o l i t e S e r i e s ) . The study a r e a is mapped as d r i f t f r e e except f o r p e a t cover over t h e moorland p l a t e a u a t its northern end. The c e n t r a l v a l l e y f l o o r and its lower s l o p e s , approximately between Moor House Farm and Cockayne, have been mapped on t h e n a t i o n a l s o i l map a s dominated by Gleys (poorly drained m i n e r a 1 , s o i l s ) with a s s o c i a t e d Brown Earths. The remainder of t h e a r e a is shown a s dominated by Peaty Podzols. The s h a l y J u r a s s i c rocks on weathering produce f i n e grained s o i l m a t e r i a l which l i m i t s t h e p e r c o l a t i o n of r a i n water and accounts f o r t h e r e being a high proportion of poorly drained s o i l s i n a r e l a t i v e l y dry a r e a . R e l a t i v e l y low temperatures reduce t h e l o s s of water by evaporation and t h i s s e r v e s a l s o t o i n c r e a s e water r e t e n t i o n i n these soils. On the national agricultural land classification map the floor from near Cockayne southwards to almost the study area beyohd Ankness is mapped as gqade 4. The remainder, apart from s 'other use* land of woods and plantations, is classed in the lowbst category, grade 5. I b, Topolflraphically, although Figure 4-4 suggests a widespread r d network, many mapped roads lead only to individual farms. The through road pattern is one of a circuit of minor roads on the valley floor (Part I, Plate 29) lieached by limited access eit er direbtly from the Kirkbymoorside direction or over the moors Helmsley. The absence of any road outlet to the north is ale although an unmetalled track along Rudland Rigg on the east$rn boundary of the area leading towards Stokesley was an Import t throbgh route in earlier times. I Figure 4-4 also emphasises concentration of habitation and intensive farming in the cent a1 valley. & fe I A Land type distribution in the area (Figure 4-51 follows he physiographic and settlement pattern previously outlined. A cent a1 sector of the upland margin land type (accounting for 282 of the area) is flanked by land in the upland group (covering 422 of area), particularly of the steep upland type in the west,and up1 plat&au in the east. Hill land is concentrated on Cockayne Ridge the north and around Shaw Ridge in the east. LAND-USE HISTORY ~ The natural vegetation of the North York Moors region was woodlaod, which would have been thinner on higher ground and therefore easily cleared by early man, such clearance beginning in the Bro ze Age. Together with subsequent grazing and oultivation, woodlbnd clearance led, as a result of increased removal of plant nutrienb, to further impoverishment of inherently relatively infertile so is over the Jurassic sandstone which is the basis of the moor1 nd ridges. Forest thus became confined to the lower parts of the da es relatively early in the history of this area. The succeas$ve retreats from higher ground that were forced on farmers as ts proddctivity declined began to credte economic and social pressu es for the clearance of valley woodland, pressures which varied through Iron Age and Roman times. flowever the dale floors in general remained heavily wooded or became re-forested. Rievziulx Abbey was founded in 1145, each dale was described st 11 as a' trough avoided by the traveller, more or less impenetrable in its lower levels, thinly farmed on the flanksn (McDomell 1963). 'In early surveys of Bransdale a clear distinction was al5IayS betwden the east and west sides of the valley, separated by groutid with tangled wood on the valley floor. This sitUati0n "1" 1 t "t" barrier that caused parish boundaries to follow the stream courses. The present boundaries of Bransdale running along the ridges were not established until the 19bh century, when the valley floor had become a unified central focus of settlement. The economic value of the dale woodlands is reflected in a grant of the bark of trees growing in the Forest of Bransdale that Was given to Kedholme Priory in the mid-12th century. Rural life depended on supplies of fuel and timber as much as on locally produced food crops. Because of this interest in maintaining woodland productivity no village community developed in the dale. It was recorded in 1282 (Waites 1957) that the population was scattered among small clearings in the wood, engaged in animal rearing, some cultivation and perhaps also in iron smelting. By Elizabethan times, there were strident criticisms of the inroads being made into the woodlands of the North York Moors by a metal smelting industry based on the iron-bearing Lias rocks which occurred in many outcrops around the deeply cut dales. Farming emphasis then was still concentrated in stock rearing from farmsteads high on the dale sides. The dissolution of the monasteries may have led to a decline in the intensity and regularity of grazing of the higher moors, and a greater concentration on valley resources. Chapman (1961) has described in detail the "gradual creeping outward of each individual farm, whose occupier was possibly immune from criticism because his neighbours were similarly engaged and his works added to the rent of his landlordn. William Marshall (1788) commented that there had been no need to jealously guard the common moor or to introduce any form of stinting (control on stock numbers), because the number of grazing animals on the moor in summer was severely controlled by the amount of fodder that could be given them on the lower ground during winter and early spring. Earlier clearings in the wood have survived as small fields, enclosed by hedges, in the dale bottoms. Larger fields from later enclosures, bounded by stone walls, occur surrounding these and on the higher slopes. Because of the subsistence nature of most farms, little effect resulted locally from agricultural booms and depressions until the late 19th century, and therefore there was comparatively little change in farm layout, size and land-use over a couple of hundred years. By the mid-19th century, the moorland edge in many of the dales reached 244-290'10 (800-950 ft) and very little woodland remained. Farra (1961) estimated that about 100 ha of moorland were cultivated or otherwise improved in Bransdale between 1750 and 1850. Some plantations were established. The pattern of land-use in the 19th century is illustrated by the Tithe Commutation Survey of 1848 (Figure 4-6) and an estate survey of 1870 (Figure 4-7). 1 * Mining of poor quality coal frob shallow pits was a featur of actiivity in Bransdale (Part I, 4.47 and Plate 7) over a long pe iod from at least the early 18th century to the 1920s; Now the its which resulted from the later phases of this mining ard a conspicuous industrial archeaology feature in the southeast of the parksh. The area was mapped by the Ordnance Survey first in about 1850, and subsequently revised by them on at least 4 occasions. From t ese surkeys and a consideration of rlecent air photographs, Figure 4-8 shows the distribution of moorland core, moorland fringe and farmland over the past 150 years or so. About 1 900 ha (almost 60% of the area) consists of moorland core, and 375 ha (12%) 1 is moorland fringe, of which 185 ha are afforested. The extent of improved land that has reverted to moorland since 1950 is s lar to that which did so in the previous century. In the sectors aldays mapped as moorland, air photographs suggest, from the evidence of visible plough ridges, that a very small extent (some 50 ha) has beem subject to cultivation disturbance in the past. The non-afforested moorland fringe in Bransdale is nainly associ ted with upland margin and steep upland land types. These contain respectively 43 and 38% of the fringe, though comprising 28 and 161 of the total area. h 4 1 Agricultural statistics for 1900-1965 given for many areas Part I are not available for Bransdale. ULS (1980) calculate a in the area of crops and grass frbm 25% of the area to 22% bet 1848 and 1976 and an increase in woodland (including fo plantations) from 3 to 9% of the area over the same period. in all een est 4 In Bransdale 88 vegetation main sites were examined in 1977. Figure 4-9 shows the frequency of vegetation classes at t sites, and Figure 4-10 plots site locations and vegetation classe Vegetation sites on the tops of the flanking ridges in Bransdale are mainly shrubby heaths. Vaccinium/Calluna heath, clas 10 (Pat+t I, 3.18 and Plates 37, 38) is the most frequent, accoun ing for 35% of all recorded sites. This together with class 11, Nardus/Sphagnum/Calluna heath (Part I, Plates 39, 40), at 6% of sites, and class 12, E r i ~ ~ h ~ r u m / $ a lheath, l ~ ~ at 2% of si es, makes shrubby heaths 43% of the vegetation sites recorded in Bransdale. A further 34% of sites carried grassy heaths (Par I, and 3-61, mainly Festuca/Vaccinium heath, class 14, Festuca/Nardus/Molinia heath, claas 16 (at 18 and 15% of 8 resgectively). The grassy heaths have a diffuse distribution the valley sides in comparison tb a more concentrated 1 J the shrubby heaths, whilst rough pastures (Part I, 3.14) (at 1 1 % of sites) and improved pastures (Part I, 3.12) (at 12% of sites) are to be found in the valley vttom. The rough pastures were all of one class, Festuca/Agrostis grassland, class 8 (Part I, Plates 25, 26, 29). As far as the moorland ridge crests are concerned, their landscape is dominated by heather, Calluna vulgaris, a major species of the 3 shrubby heath categories recorded. The steep valley sides have a high proportion of bracken, an important visual element among the species which comprise the grassy heaths here. , Woodland recorded at 15 sites in Bransdale is almost all (14 sites) upland acid woodlands, with a single example of a lowland acid woodland. Table 4-1 gives the association between vegetation classes at main sites in the grassland-moorland range and the land types in Bransdale. Figure 4-11 shows the representation of vegetation groups at the recorded sites situated in each land group, with a sketch of land group distribution based on Figure 4-5. Heath vegetation is prominent in all land groups, with grassy heaths particularly frequent in the upland margin sectors, and shrubby heaths in the upland and hill sectors. POTENTIAL VEGETATION CHANGE In the Upland Landscapes Study report (ULS 1979) Bransdale is described as enclosed farmland with surrounding moorland, the latter being considered most vulnerable to change. Rights along sheep 'strays' (the access routes between farms and 'moor) are said at present to be falling into disuse, jeopardizing the balance within the present system of moor management aimed jointly at stock grazing and grouse rearing. Revitalization of the sheep stray rights is said to be in the mutual interest of the major land owning bodies (The National Trust and the Feversham Estate), in order to conserve the Bransdale landscape of contrasting farmland and moorland in something like its present form through an equitable balance between farming and sporting interests. Almost all the moorland is potentially suitable for afforestation. Simple assumptions of forestry and agriculture potential in Part I (Table 5-19) calculate the potential farmland as 45% of the area and forest land as 53%. However, apart from the present ownership policies, National Park policies would be important factors affecting this bptiOn for change. In practice, limited additional plantings to those already made may take place around the headwaters of Hodge Beck and its tributary of Bloworth Slack. The greater part of the present rough grazing land is considered by ULS to fall into the 'improvable' or 'improvement limited' categories, with only a minor part 'unimprovable' when classified by the criteria being tested by ADAS as a hill land classification scheme. I hear' shrubby heath vegetation, Vaccinium/Calluna heath, class 10, been previously noted as the most frequent class recorded in Bran$dale. Under conditions of declheased agricultural activity t is class is predicted to remain unchanged, while with more intens ve grazing it could change to Festuca/Vaccinium grassy clas$ 14. At sites which now cariry this grassy heath, under a declining agriculture this trend would be reversed to lead t o VaccinidCalluna shrubby heath. If Festuca/Vaccinium grassy he th is more intensively managed, the trend is for a rough pasture to develop, probably Festuca/A.gostis grassland, class 8. The ot er frequently occurring grassy heath, Festuca/Nardus/Molinia he th (clabs 16) is predicted under a deblining agriculture to change to Nardus/Sphagnum/Calluna shrubby heath, class 11, while agricultu#al intensification would change it towards either Agrostis/Jun us grasriland, class 5, or Festuca/Jqncus grassland, class 6, Po h pasture types not recorded in Bransdale at sites examined during the 1977 survey. Such rough pasture classes might be appejr as at least a temporary phase, perhaps followed, improved, by the establishment of Festuca/A.grostis grassladd, class 8. As in each area account, these hypothetical vegetatqon clasd changes are based on the general principles outlined (in Part I (5.74-5.77 and Figure 5-41 and summarisad in ~ppendi* 2 rather than being the result of consideration of local conditi at eich site. 1 t * Vegetation classes which could develop on these general ecologi groudds at main sites in Bransdale as a result of land-use are shown in Figure 4-10. Figure 4-9 gives the differendes these predicted changes would produce in the vegetation classes at recorded main sites. Intensificat on increases pastures notably and almost removes shrubby heaths, while grassy heaths would be unaltered in proportion but change th location. A declining agriculture is predicted as leading substantial increase in shrubby heaths and a fall in all Other groups, as8uming no spread of scrub woodland or forestry planti g both likely options in the event of a decline in agriculture.~~n considering the overall impact of these hypotheses of graddal chance as a result of expansion or contraction in intedsity of land-use, on the increasing agriculture hypothesis of the recorded sites in Bransdale are estimated as changing thQir vegeoation group, while in a declining a g ~ i ~ u l t u Situation, ~e of sites would change. iof The impact of these predicted changes on the balance of vegetat groups in land Broups in the study area is illustrated Figure 4-11. Intensification of agriculture in Bransdale is predicted to lead to the extinctiod of shrubby heath vegetation lin the upland and upland margin land groups and to a substantial reduction of this vegetation group in the hill land sector. She counterbalancing effect would be overall increases in improved pastures and rough pastures at the recorded sites. Agricultural decline could make shrubby Qeaths a more prominent component of both upland and upland margin vegetation. The ULS vegetation map of Bransdale is given here in Figure 4-12. Treating the ITE main sites (with those additionally recorded in 1979, Part I, 5.66-5.67) as sample points within these units, Table 4-2 shows the relationship of site classification to mapping unit. A particularly prominent ULS mapping unit in this area is 'bracken'. Because bracken can be associated with a wide range of other plant species, it is seen that the ULS 'bracken' map unit includes substantial representations of one rough pasture class, 2 grassy heath classes and one shrubby heath class. 'Farmland' as a unit appears to include a wider range of vegetation classes in this area than it typically does, 22% of them heath sites (the overall picture for the 12 study areas is tabulated and problems of correlation discussed in Appendix 3 ) . Table 4-3 shows the balance of vegetation groups that would occur in each ULS mapping unit if the changes took place that are predicted above on general principles following agricultural intensification or decline. For example the widespread 'bracken' unit, now from the ITE classification dominantly a heath category, could become mainly a pasture unit in the agricultural intensification prediction. CONCLUSION It is probable that in Bransdale the policies of the National Park Authority, The National Trust and the Feversham f state will combine to sustain the present situation of a sharp moorland-farmland contrast. Resolution of the present problem of declining use of the sheep-stray rights for access between farms and moors is said to be in the interests of all 3 bodies as one means of conserving the vegetation character of the present landscape. Management, rather than inherent physical conditions, is the key to the existence of the present vegetation pattern in this area. If current management is not maintained, in a prosperous agriculture situation heaths will largely disappear through cultivation and increased grazing pressures, or, in a declining upland agriculture situation, heaths could expand but afforestation of the upper slopes and ridges would be a likely alternative option. In either event, changes could be substantial because environmental limitations to change are relatively unimportant. -- CHAPMAN, J. (1951). Changing ,Agriculture and the Moorland the North York Moors. Unpublished M.A. thesis, University of London, pp 341. FARRC, M. (1961). A Study of the Lgnd-use Changes of the North Y rk I Moors. Unpublished M.Sc. thesis, University of Lond n, pp 284. MARSHALL, W. (1788). Rural Economy of the Northern Countits. Vol. 1, pp 67-69, Nicol, London. MCDOVNELL, J. (1963). A Historr g Helmsley, Rievaulx Distri t. Stonegate Press, York. SMITH, L.P. (1970). The Agricultural Climate of England and ~a+. Tech. Bull. 35, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, HMSO London. SPRATT, D.A. & SIMMONS, I.G. (1976). Prehistoric activity I environment of the North York Moors. Journal Science, 3, 193-210. WAITES, B. (1957). The Monasteries and the Mediaeval Develoment Northeast Yorkshire. Unpublished M.A. thesis, University o f London, pp 470. UPLAaD LANDSCAPES STUDY. (1977-79). Bransdale and ---- ---f - +- Unpublished reports to the Countryside Comission, 1977 ind October 1979. UPLAND LANDSCAPES STUDY. (1980). Landscapes Study: the Countryside Commission. TABLE 4-1 CORRELATION OF VEGETATION CLASSES AND LAND TYPES I BRANSDALE Lond Group and TJPM Upl-d 8111 V . ~ . t . t 1 0 ~ Croup m d clams Steep 8111 (1). Improved Pamture. - (3) nigh P1.te.u (4) up1-d Margin (6) up1-6 Steep Upland ( 5 ) (I) P1.te.u (8) 1 1 2 Rough P.mtuTes 3 2 2 4 1 4 8 6 7 3 8 GTUSI neath* 14 1 1 2 5 5 6 1 1s 16 Shmbhy neath8 2 1 1 s 2 0 a (I 1s 2 4 1 S 10 3 5 11 11 1 1 1s As number of sites of each vegetation class located in each land type. * Land type numberr as used on computer maps, Figure 4-5. -4BLE 4-3 SITES LOCATED IN ULS MAPPING UNITS PREDICTIONS OF CHANGE IN THE BALANCE OF VEGETATION GROUPS AT - BRANSDALE -- ITE Vegetation Croups A B C Shrubby Heaths Grassy Heaths Rough Pastures Improved pastures ULS Mapping Unit A B C A B 3 3 2 1 2 5 7 22 22 15 7 15 37 1 6 6 17 1 19 A B 1 C C Smaoth Grassland 1 Coarse Graseland/flardus Coarse ~rassland/Mo2ink Bracken 1 8 1 1 Sub-shrubs/Heathers 2 . 25 Sub-shrub#/Bilberry Sub-rhrubs/Gorse 4 Sedge k Rush Moorland Farmland As number of recorded A B C 10 14 5 4 3 5 3 1 4 4 4 1 4 sites falling in esch ITE vegetation group that u e located in each m8 unit - Situation as recorded -- predicted balance of vegetation if agricultural ume increased, 10, yrs predicted balance of vegetation if agricultural use decreased, lo+ Yrs 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 00000000 00000000000 000000000000 m 0, '0 1 C, 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0000000000000000 000000000000000 00000000000000 -*.- 1 X 0 rl 4J ( 6 m: t- o**oooooooo Y O 0 0 n Y Y O 0 Y Y * Y O O 000 * Y Y Y * *Y * Y * * Y O O O O * * Y * Y ~ * + o ~ o o * * Y * Y **** **Y ****0000 + 7 rl I C, t- 4 0 0 * * 0 0 0 0 0 0 * o ****000a0000** *Y* 1 0 0 d f C, * Y O O O ~ O O O Y Y * Y Y * * * * * Y * * * * Y Y Y O O Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y z * w O* I + o* oooo* * * a 0, Y r l + 0 0 0 0 0 * * Y 000000000* 000000000 Y Y * 3 + d v 0000000**** 00000 000 *4* Y) 9** -** 0 c N 000oooooooooo 0 O O O O O O O O O D 0 0 . Y O 0 0 0 .-I 0 0 0 0 6 Y * Y Y Y Y ~ O O O * 00000****** - 0 0 P + - - FIGURE 4.4 ** 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 # 0 0 0 0 0 # OO#.* t 0 0 0 0 * TOPOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 # O * * t # * # O t * O * * # # O * * # * * O * # # # t # O O * * 0 3 + 0 0 $ * * # # t # O # O O # 0 0 # 0 # O I 0 # O 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 # # # * t o o * # # * O # # O * t # O O * * # # t o o * $ # * * O # # O # # # 0 t O O O # 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 O O O 0 0 i 0 0 0 0 # # 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 $ 0 0 # u Roads Present 0 0 # O # * # # * 1 # O * 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 O O D I I t * # # # 0 0 0 O # # * # # * # * 0 0 0 0 0 0 O O O t O # # O * O # * # # * * BRANSDALE 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 O O O O # 0 0 O O 0 0 0 0 # 0 O O O * # # O O O * # # O O t * * # # * - * Buildings Present 0 O O O 0 0 # O O * 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 O O O O 0 # 0 0 0 # # 0 0 0 # # O O O O # * 0 0 # # 0 # # # # 0 0 0 * 0 # # 0 0 0 0 0 # 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Frequent Field Boundaries Score > 10, on scale 0-25 1 - - - - - - - - - -- FIGURE 4.5 LAND TYPES - BRANSDALE d - -- 8---- -- -- -- -- 8 --555-5-75 - 4 4 4 3 4 4 4 1 4 4 4 1 3 3 4 1 1 3 1 - - - 1 I - - - - - ------ - 4 - - - - 4 4 - - - - - 4 4 - - - - - 4 1 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 - --------- -- -- -- -- -- - - - - - - - -- - I - - - - - - I - - - - - 4 - - - - - ----- - HILL UND 1 3 4 - GRCUP sf.@p11111 8 - 5 5 5 5 5 8 8 5 8 8 8 - 5 8 - 5 - 8 - - 8 - 8 - - 8 - 8 8 - 5 - 5 - - 8 - - 5 8 - 5 - - - 7 - - 5 - 8 7 8 8--8-8. 8 8 - - - 8 - - - 5 - 5 8 - -- 8 7 8 8 - - 8 5 = steep u p l ~ d Hlll 7 H I & elataau 8 - - UplaM' U p l d Plataau - - - ------ 6 6 6 6 6 - 6 - 6 - 6 - - --- 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 - 6 6 6 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 6 - 6 6 6 6 - 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 -- -- - -- -- - ,UPLAND rMCIN UID GRCUP 6 = upld wgln F I G U R E 4.6 LAND U S E A T T H E T I T H E COF'WTATION SURVEY O F BRANSDALE a a ARABLE GRASSLAND WOODLAND P -1 1.- J MOORLAND CORE FIGURE 4.7 LAND USE AT AN I870 ESTATE SURVEY a ARABLE GRASSLAND a c -.a ROUGH PASTURE WOODLAND MOORLAND CORE - BXANSDALE FIGURE 4.8 NOORLAND COXE, FRINGE AND FAMLAND a a I I I BRANSDALE FRINGE RCVtRTED lap I : n99s0-1975 CORE ~RINGE - I 9910-1950 RECLAIMED (890-1910 AfFORCSTED MOORLAND FARMLAND 1850-1890 Efl post 1600 A i r Pl,alo 0 . 1 . 1.1.t.11011 PW Cl". vuv a r.gle. In.01vlly lnrenslrlutlon ol . s l = u l t w . Cl-rr 16. r..tuolNmlumollnl.. r ~ u l a..ow. I~.M. .I~D.~ c l a m 5. morrlrlJulrus. or ID. c1os.U r . 1 . 1 ~ C l u s 6. r.sluc.lJuncw. S l ~ l h - u .mlrn r m ~ t l o nin YI. ~r . ~ l c u l l v . l u l l v l v . C l u . 3; b l l W t r l l 0 1 h . could .or. r a m s C1m. I . . ~ c . r l . I ~ a l . u v c1.u 0. r..nrd -CIS. n*ro u . 1-1c.w on ID. r.r.v*nr =el.I uu h l s t o p n )r ih. u r n y u . FIGURE 1 4.10 LOCATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF VEGETATION MAIN SITES Overall Frequencies of Vegetation Groups - BRANSDALE KEY TO FIGURE Croup 1. Improved Pastures Group 2. Rough Pastures Croup 3. C r a s ~ yHeaths Group 4. Shrubby Heaths Class Class Class Class 4.10 1 : ~,olium/~olcus/~teridjum 2 : 1,olium 3 : Lolium/Trifolium h : Herb - rich Idolium Class 5 : ~ ~ r o s t i s / ~ u n c u s Class 6 : Festuca/Juncus class 7 : ~grosti;/~olcus Class 8 : Festuca/Agrostis Class 14: Festuca/Vaccinium Class 15: Festuca/Nardus/Vaccinium Class 16: Festuca/Nardus/Nolinia Class Class Class Class Class 9 : ~alluna/~olinia/Vaccinium 10: 11: 12: 13: Vaccinium/Calluna ~ardus/S~ha~num/Calluna Eriophorum/Calluna Calluna KEY TO FIGURES 4 . 1 0 A N D 4-11 FlClJRE 4.11 LAND CROUP-VE(;ETATION VEGETATION CROUP FREQUENCIES I CitOUP ASSOCIA1 10l:S-ERA! SDALE AT SITES I N LAND CROUPS PREDICTED CHANGES AT MAIN SITES Hill Up1 and Margin I ~ UPLAND LANDSCAPES STUDY V E G E T A T I O N MAP OF BRANSDALE F I G U R E L.12 dominant species SMOOTH GRASSLAND fescue1b COARSE GRASSLAND Nardus Molinia $ 9 BRACKEN bracken SUB-SHRUBS heathers bilberry ma gorse SEDGE & RUSH MOORLAND i cotton grass deer sedge JUWUS(all) Sphagnum bog myrtle WOODLAND (Map by Geoffrey Sinclair, Environmental Information Services) H E PTONSTALL HEPTONSTALL - PLATE I In the mid-distance is the earth dam of Widdop Reservoir on the northern boundary of the study area. Relatively heavily-grazed grassland on the drier embankment contrasts with relatively lightly-grazed wetter rough pasture vegetation in the foreground (Festuca/Juncus grassland, class 6). Around the reservoir is abandoned farmland with a trial conifer plantation. The skyline ridge carries mainly Eriophorum/Calluna shrubby heath, class 12, and other shrubby heaths. (Photo by al ale) FIGURE I 5.1 THE STUDY AREA OF HEPTONSTAU Crown Copyright Reserved STUDY AREA 5: HEPTONSTALL, WEST YORKSHIRE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT The study area of Heptonstall (Figure 5-11 covering 23 h 2 , is situated in the Southern Pennine region between Burnley and Halifax. At its eastern edge the village of Heptonstall is perched above the town of Hebden Bridge (Part I, Plate 8). The parish extends northwestwards over rising moorland (Plate 1 and Part I, Plate 9) to its western edge on the Pennine watershed and the Yorkshire-Lancashire county boundary at Black Hameldon. Altitudes between 244 and 427 m (800-1 400 ft) dominate almost the whole area, with small sectors of lower ground on the eastern nb3rgin and of higher land in the extreme west (Figure 5-2). Gentle and moderate slopes (411°) characterise most of the area (Plate 11, but steep slopes flank the eastward draining valleys of the Colden and Hebden waters which form, or are close to, the parish boundaries in the east (Part I, Plate 8). Climatically, in relation to the localities examined in this study, Heptonstall is classifiable as being moderately cold and wet (Part I, 2.32). The annual average of daily sunshine hours is 3.25, with mean daily temperatures for the area in January and October estimated as 1.5 and 8.70C respectively, while the annual average of days with snow lying is given as 20. Heptonstall falls entirely within the fairly high rainfall category (1 201-1 600 nm, c. 48-64 in pa). The length of growing season estimated by Smith (1976) for the district which includes Heptonstall, at an average altitude of 287 m, is given as 209 days (16 April-11 November). Geologioally, the study area lies entirely on non-calcareous rooks of Carboniferous age in the Millstone Grit Group, a succession of shales and hard sandstones. The only drift cover mapped is a substantial sector with peat over the moorland plateau in the west. In conformity with the geological drift map, the national soil map shows the western half of the study area as dominated by Peat Soils with associated Peaty Gleys and Peaty Podzols. Over the eastern central sector a unit dominated by Peaty Gleys with associated Peat Soils, Gleys and Podzols is mapped, while around Heptonstall village there is a unit dominated by Podzolic Soils with associated Gleys, Brown ~odzolicSoils and shallow rocky soils. A g r i c u l t u r a l land c l a s s i f i c a t i o n maps show t h e bulk of t h e area t o b e grade 5 with only small a r e a s of r a t h e r b e t t e r grade 4 land n t h e e a s t e r n margin. i Road and building d i s t r i b u t i o n and t h e s e c t o r s with Prequent f i l d boundaries are shown i n Figure 5-3. A through road passes c l o s e t o t h e a r e a ' s northern boundary but otherwise t h e moorlands c u t O f f road access from t h e west, t h e road p a t t e r n being concentra ed arouhd t h e s e t t l e m e n t s of Heptonstall, Slack and Colden. B u i l d i a r e s i m i l a r l y concentrated, as is t h e s e c t o r i n which i n t e n s v e a g r i c u l t u r a l use is displayed by t h e f i e l d boundary p a t t e r n . r4 Land types i d e n t i f i e d i n t h e study area (Figure 5-41 are dominan,ly i n t h e 'uplandt group (57% of t h e a r e a ) though t h e r e are h i l l high plateau land types on t h e moorlands i n t h e west, and a upland margin land i n t h e s e t t l e d , farmed s e c t o r s i n t h e east. ~ LAND-USE HISTORY HeptQnstall was h i s t o r i c a l l y a township of Halifax, one of {he l a r g e s t p a r i s h e s i n England (Hanson 1920), i n t h e Manor , o f Wakefield. Early s e t t l e m e n t concentrated on t h e broad s h e l f ar as where massive Millstone G r i t sandstones form a b e l t of gen l y s l o p i n g land between t h e high moorland and t h e deeply i n c u t end o r i g i n a l l y t h i c k l y wooded v a l l e y s l o p e s and f l o o r s . A modest st t t o d g r i c u l t u r a l improvement of the moorland i n t h i s area can be t r a c e d i n r e c o r d s from t h e 12th century, when t h e Lords of Manor o f Wakefield founded 9 c a t t l e t v a c c a r i e s t on h i l l s i d e benc as w i t h a s o u t h e r l y aspect. By t h e 13th century, some of t h e extens ve enclosures made f o r summer c a t t l e g r a z i n g had become subdivided i n t o permanently occupied farms a t r e n d which soon gathe ed mome2ltum. The s e t t l e m e n t p a t t e r n i n t h e Manor of Wakefield was w 11 e s t a b l i s h e d by t h e l a t e 13th century, and concentrated periods of moorland reclamation have been r e ~ o g n i s e d from innnediately bef re 1320 and i n t h e l a t e 15th century (Moorhouse 1979). Woodlands w re c a r e f u l l y managed through t h i s period and a t least u n t i l t h e 17th century s o a s t o s u s t a i n t h e production of timber and O t er woodland products. From t h e 16th t o t h e 17th c e n t u r i e s , Stone t ok over l o c a l l y from timber as a b u i l d i n g material and t h e i)ou walls replaced earlier characteristic stone (Moo~houseop c i t ) . t le - 't 1 1 t hedr 9 A s e a r l y a s t h e 16th century a growing proportion of t h e tounshi 's wealth was derived from home i n d u s t r i e s based on wool ( P a r t I, 4.36). The Halifax Act of 1555 r e f e r r e d t o ' t h e g r e a t *wastst 8ind moors, where t h e f e r t i l i t y of ground is not a p t t o b r i n g f o r t h corn nor good g r a s s , but i n r a r e p l a c e s t , and went on t o descr be how t h e population had c r e a t e d a home i n d u s t r y i n which wool was t" bought in the market and carried 'to their houses, some 3, 4, 5 and 6 miles off, upon their heads and backs, and so to make and convert the same either into yarn pr cloth, and to sell the same, and SO buy more woolt. An increase in population wag associated with the establishment and growth of this home woollen industry, leading to pressure on food supplies and thus to intensification of land-use and management on the more accessible and amenable parts of the moors. On convenient unimproved moorland the farmers claimed rights and privileges including those of sheep pasture, peat cutting, and stone gathering for building and repairs. Exercising their limited rights to enclose the moorland, various Lords of the Hanor increased their income by allowing their tenants to make small enclosures on the moor. According to Crump (1939), the early 19th century was the 'Oolden Age of Halifax farming1, but as the centres of industry shifted from the uplands (Part I, 4.36) their population declined. Not only did hand weaving and combing finally disappear, losing sources of income for the upland settlements, but the small farmer lost both his immediate market for farm produce and a source of employment for his children as the mills and warehouses on the Pennine StFetW closed. The area of land ploughed for oats and potatoes may have reached a maximum during the years up to 1870, after which there was a rapid decline. Although the uplands did not produce wheat, the lower prices for this grain as world wheat sources became available led to the end of oats grown in the uplands as a bread-corn, so that by 1900 hardly any oats were still grown in the Halifax area. Even the more accessible farmland suffered from neglect and the reversion of improved grasslands towards moor. In the 20th century, between 1900 and 1965, the agricultural statistics given in Part I, Figures 4-5 and 4-6, show that cattle numbers have remained essentially unchanged in this area, and that sheep numbers have remained at a similar level since 1920. ULS (1980) suggest a significant fall in the area of crops and grass between 1850 and 1977, probably largely related to reservoir construction , but that no change in woodland extent has occurred between these dates. The survey of farm conditions and farmersf attitudes by ULS (1979) shows that energy and effort are there but farm size and situation prevent almost all the farm units from being truly economically viable as full time businesses, with particular difficulties now facing dairying, their main enterprise. , ~eptonstall was surveyed by the Ordnance Survey first in 1850, a n d revisions of the published maps were made in 1890, 1900, 1934 and 1958. From these sources and,air photographs Figure. 5-5 shows the distribution of farmland, moorland core and moorland fringe s nce about 1800. The moorland core occupies 1 300 ha, and the moor and fringe 110 ha, of which about 20 ha represent those parts of 'the moorland that have been reclaimed for agriculture during the ast 150 years or so. In Heptonstall, the moorland fringe has een concentrated in the upland and steep upland land types. Tbese contain 53 and 271 of the moorland fringe, but comprise 29 and 14% resbectively of the area. 1 4 k Early botanical records investigated by Moss (1900) recorded a rich and diverse local flora than that which exists today. pollution from the Lancashire cotton towns to the west may Have been the cause of losing some species but the chief losses caused hy cultivation, drainage, burning and the reservoir 1 Apart from agriculture in the small farms in the east, a COmple of other land-uses and interests now affects Heptonstall. Houses in the village and its subsidiary hamlets are being bought by pa ple working in, or retired from, adjacent towns so that a resident comknmity not dependent on the immediate locality for its livelihood, but often with a strong interest in its environmenti is developing. From the recreation standpoint the Pennine Way long distance footpath runs approximately north-south across the ce tre of the area, bringing active recreation into the land-use pict re. There are conservation interests directed to protection of the valley woodlands, and also of the industrial and architecture of Heptonstall itself. Use of the moorland as dao?hw ter supply catchment for the Gorple Reservoirs (Plate 1 and see Parti I , 4-32 and Plate 9) is of major importance. Finally, but importan mandgement of moorland by the Saville Estate is concerned maintaining grouse shooting as a sporting enterprise. 1 The plant species present at 70 vegetation main sites were reco ded in 1977 as described in Chapter 3 in Part I of this report. fThe locations and classification of the main sites are given' in Figure 5-7 and the frequency of ve$etation classes at these site shown in Figure 5-6. In Heptonstall a marked vegetation contrast occurs across a boundary that runs approximately from Widdop Gate in the nortd to Clough in the south. West of this line the vegetation is essentially moorland in character, while to the east it is mainly improved and rough pastures. Moorland vegetation is more frequent than past+es a t recorded s i t e s , shrubby heaths ( P a r t I, 3.18) accounting f o r 54% a f u r t h e r 11%. o f s i t e s and grassy heaths ( P a r t I , 3.16) E r i o p h o r d C a l l u n a heath, cgass 12, (27%) ( P a r t I; P l a t e 41) and V a c c i n i d C a l l u n a heath, c l a s s 10, (23%) a r e . t h e most prominent shrubby heath c l a s s e s , o t h e r s i n t h i s group making only a minor c o n t r i b u t i o n . Of t h e improved p a s t u r e s ( P a r t I, 3.121, herb-rich Lolium grassland, c l a s s 4 , (12%) and Lolium grassland, c l a s s 2, (9%) are dominant, and of t h e rough p a s t u r e s ( P a r t I, 3-14), Festuca/Agrostis grassland, class 8 , (7%) i s most frequent. Heavily and l i g h t l y grazed phases of rough p a s t u r e c l a s s 6, Festuca/Juncus grassland, a r e i l l u s t r a t e d i n P a r t I, P l a t e s 27, 28 and 41. Vegetation was a l s o recorded a t 14 woodland s i t e s . These a r e c l a s s i f i a b l e predominantly a s lowland a c i d woodlands ( P a r t I, Table 3-41, which are l o c a t e d along t h e v a l l e y s i d e s of Hebden Water and t o a lesser degree, Colden Water. Dry a c i d oak woodland ( 7 of t h e 14 s i t e s ) i s t h e commonest woodland c l a s s . Two sites are c l a s s i f i e d as upland a c i d woodlands. Table 5-1 g i v e s t h e a s s o c i a t i o n between vegetation c l a s s e s a t main sites i n t h e grassland-moorland range and l a n d types, while Figure 5-8 sketches t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p between vegetation groups and land groups. Shrubby heaths, which were t h e only v e g e t a t i o n c l a s s e s recorded a t s i t e s i n t h e h i l l land group, occur widely a l s o i n t h e Upland land group. Improved p a s t u r e s i t e s a r e mainly l o c a t e d i n t h e upland and upland margin land types. POTENTIAL VEGETATION CHANGE The presence of water supply r e s e r v o i r s has placed c o n t r a i n t s on land-use over t h e adjacent moorland,and caused formerly improved land i n t h e i r immediate v i c i n i t y t o be abandoned. Moorland management has l i m i t e d t h e grazing pressure i n t h e i n t e r e s t s of t h e water catchment, and another f a c t o r maintaining t h e moorland is t h e management requirement t o ensure good heather regrowth f o r grouse. These management a s p e c t s , coupled with t h e n a t u r a l environment of a Peat cover over t h e western p a r t of t h e study a r e a under a F e l a t i v e l y high r a i n f a l l , have s u s t a i n e d a sharp c o n t r a s t between t h e western moorland and e a s t e r n farmland vegetation elements. Ninety per c e n t of t h e 'rough grazing' i n Heptonstall is considered by ULS (1979) t o f a l l i n t h e g e n e r a l l y unimprovable category and about 40% has 'some grazing value', using t h e c r i t e r i a f o r h i l l land c l a s s i f i c a t i o n developed by t h e A g r i c u l t u r a l Development and Advisory S e r v i c e Resource Planning Group. Only small f o r e s t P l a n t i n g trials have taken place i n t h e area. Simple assumptions of f o r e s t r y p o t e n t i a l ( P a r t I , Table 5-19) g i v e a high proportion of t h e a r e a (50%) a s of f o r e s t r y p o t e n t i a l , even a f t e r 40% is a l l o c a t e d t o a g r i c u l t u r e . Without n e c e s s a r i l y accepting a p o t e n t i a l Of t h i s s i z e , i f t h e F o r e s t r y Commission t r i a l s show a i r b o r n e Dollution t o be no longer a l i m i t a t i o n t o c o n i f e r growth, then t h e r e is c l e a r l y an option f o r f o r e s t r y expansion. d Herb-rich Lolium grassland, class 4, in the improved pasture gr up, is the most frequent vegetation class in the essentially agricultural southeast. VaccQniWCalluna heath, class 10, Erio~horum/Calluna heath, class 12, are, as noted above, the frequently represented at the recorded sites. Trends of predic ed vegetation change discussed in Part I (5.74-5.77 and Figure 5-41, summarised in Appendix 2, propose that under a declining agricultjre the improved pasture of class 4 and the shrubby heaths 'of classes 10 and 12 would remain unchanged. Under an intensificat~on of pgricultural management with increased stocking rates he shrubby heaths of class 10 would tend to move to grassy hea h, possibly Festuca/Vaccinium heath, class 14, whilst the wetder ErioOhorum/Calluna heath of class 12 would not be affected. pastores would be most vulnerable, moving towards improved past RO&* e grassland under intensified management or to grassy heath with declining agricultural input. These predictions give freqhencies of vegetation classes that are included in and changes at individual sites shown in Figure 5-7. $ i 1 In making these predictions of thg outcome of moderate levels of agricultural intensification or decline on the vegetation clas es at recorded main sites, local factors which could modify the general trends have not been able to be taken into considerati n. With this reservation, the broad predictions for a maximum level Of vegetation change through gradual management modifioation are that intensification of agriculture in Heptonstall could impraved pastures at the recorded sites from 25 to 35% and gra sy heaths from 1 1 to 272, these changes being offset by halving the sites with shrubby heaths from 54 to 272. Rough pastures wo ld probably remain substantially unaltered in frequency but wo ld occur at different locations. In a situation of agricultural decline, downward trends would occur in improved pastures (from $51 of Ilecorded sites to 2121, rough pastures (from 10 to 521, grasJy heaths (from 1 1 to 9%). The shrubby heaths would from 54 to 652 of sites. t incret" ! On the intensified agricultural use predictions, k7% of ihe recorded sites would change their vegetation group, while inl.a declining agriculture situation, 26% of sites would change. increase in agricultural intensity leading to gradual vegetat on change is predicted therefore as likely to have a more widesprdad landscape effect on this area than deoline would. This is a res of the already substantial frequendy of shrubby heaths and pastures which would mainly be unaffected by agricultural decline. i^" The relationships between these predicted changes and land group distribution are included in Figure 5-8 (sketched from the detail of Figure 5-4). With an inte,nsification of agriculture, main Sites in the hill land sector are predicted as becoming approximately half grassy heaths and half shrubby heaths, rather than entirely shrubby heaths as at present. In the upland land, shrubby heaths would also decline and other vegetation groups increase, while sites in the upland margin would become around 80% improved pastures. In a declining agricultural situation the predictions would be for no change in the hill sector, and for a slight increase in heaths and decrease in pastures in the upland and upland margin sectors. The ULS vegetation map of Heptonstall is reproduced as Figure 5-9. Correlation of ULS mapping units with ITE vegetation classes recorded at main sites in 1977 is set out in Table 5-2. Both 'coarse grassland/Molinial and 'sedge and rush moorland' are prominent mapping units, and in these the recorded main sites are dominantly or entirely shrubby heaths. Table 4-3 shows the proportions of vegetation groups that could occur at the recorded sites in each ULS mapping unit, if the predictions of vegetation change after agricultural intensification or decline were followed. The overall impact of the predictions is limited in the most widespread mapping units. CONCLUSION The water catchment policies of the Yorkshire Water Authority will continue to be a major controlling factor over the moorland of the Western half of Heptonstall. Here the sporting interests of the Saville Estate will also help to ensure stable management. These factors suggest that the potential predicted changes from agricultural intensification are unlikely to be achieved and that the forestry option will not be pursued over the moorland. Such modification of the present situation as does take place is most likely to occur in the eastern half of the area. There the small agricultural holdings, which ULS indicates are generally under capitalised, will be under pressure due to national agricultural policies and market needs in the 1980s. Pig and poultry enterprises have hadto be abandoned and now milk production is under threat. This suggests a possible general contraction in farm activity so that future farming could be less intensive than at present if the small units remain, or at a similar level if farm amalgamations lead to fewer but larger and more viable units. Farm decline could open up the argument for afforestation on declining farmland and its moorland fringe, with reversion initially moving the vegetation towards rough pastures and grassy heaths. REFERENCES 1 7 W.B. (1939). The l i t , t l e h i l l farm. Halifax Anti Society Papers, no volume nubber, 115-196. HANSON, T.W. (1920). The Story @ Halifax. (reprinted by Publishers, Wakefield, 19681, pp 286. MOORHOUSE, S.A. (1979). Documentary evidence for t h e landscape of t h e Manor of Wakefield during t h e Middle Ages. Lands a e History, 1, 44-58. (1900). Changes i n t h e Halifax f l o r a during t h e MOSS, C.E. Naturalist, June 1900, pp 165-17 century and a quarter, SMITH, L.P. (1976). The A m i c u l t u r a l Climate of England and Walies. Tech. Bull. 35, Ministry of Agriculture, F i s h e r i e s and Faod, HMSO London. (1979). Heptonstall Parish Re rt. UPLAND LANDSCAPES STUDY. Unpublished report t o t h e Countryside C o d s s i o n , Oct ber 1979. UPLAND LANDSCAPES STUDY. (1980). Upland Landscapes Study: ~uLut/unn 1977Spring 1980, Draft F i n a l Report. Unpublished report t o t h e Countryside Connnission. I CRUMP, - 7 qI TABLE 5-1 CORRELATION OF VEGETATION CLASSES AND LAND TYPES I Vegetstlon C r w p and C l a s s L-d HEPTONSTALL Group m d Type Upland Hill 8t.e~ E l l 1 (I)* Improved Pnsturem - H1ll (3) nigh P1.te.u (4) Steep U p l m d (3) 1 1 2 1 3 1 4 Rough P a s t u r e s GIU.~ neath. (7) Upl-d Upland Plate." (8) Upl-d Yargln (6) 3 1 1 8 1 1 5 6 1 7 1 8 1 3 14 1 1 1 1 1 2 13 16 Shrubby neath, 1 8 10 1 11 1 1P 1 1 1 7 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 13 As number of aites of each vegetation claas located in each land type. Land type numbers as used on coaputer maps, Figure 5-4. * 1 5 TABLE 5-2 CORRELATION OF ULS VEGETATION MAPPING UNITS AND ITE VEGETATION CLASSES AT MAIN SITE8 - HEPTONSTALL ITE Vegetation Class l 9 n Number of ITE Main Sites in Area of UL8 Unit ULS Mapping Unit Improved Pastures 1 2 3 Rough Pastures 4 3 6 7 Grassy Heaths 8 Shrubby Heathr 1 4 1 5 1 6 9 1 0 1 1 1 2 1 3 Smooth Grasslmd Coarse ~rasaland/Nardu8 1 Coarse ~rassland/mtinia 1 2 1 1 3 1 1 11 d ! a Bracken 1 Sub-rhrub#/Heathers 3 1 Sub-~hNbs/Bilberry Sub-~hrub~/GOrBe 16 Sedge & Rush Moorlsud - - Farmland -- -- - - - 23 1 - -- 1 - 6 2 - 8 - - 1 -- a -- - 1 ~- 7 8 - - a -- - TIgLE 5-3 PBEDICCIONS OF C M N G E IN TEE U E OF VEGETATION GROUPS AT W I N SITE8 LOCATED IN ULB YAPPING UNITS C - HEmNsTALL ITE Vegetation Groups ULS Mapping Unit I A B C A B Shrubby Heaths Grassy Heaths Rough Pastures Improved Pastures C A B B A C C Smooth Grassland Coarse Grasaland/Nardue 2 2 2 Coarse Gra#sland/M~Zin&Z 3 3 3 2 1 .!i Bracken 1 1 Sub-ehruba/Heather8 2 2 3 2 14 11 17 2 2 2 3 4 1 5 B 16 7 16 Sub-ehrubs/Bilberry Sub-shrubs/Gorse Sedge P Rush Moorland Farmland 17 20 14 3 1 3 1 2 3 2 As number of recorded main sites falling in each ITE vegetation group that are located in each UkE unit A B C -- situation as recorded 1877 predicted balance of vegetation if agricultural use increased, 10+ yrs - predicted balance of vegetation if agricultural use decreased, lo+ yr. 3 FIGURE 5.2 ALTITUDE SECTORS - HEPTONSTALL .-- I 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 # # 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 O O # # 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 I 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 # # # 1 C t O O # * O O O O # # # # * # # 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0# 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 # # # I # * # # * # # O * # # # # # + # # # O o # # # * # # e o r # O O O O O O O O O O O t 0 0 0 0.0 D O U 0 O t O O O O O O O t O O C # I # # # # # I O O # * + # t # t t * O # # # # # # # O # # # O # # 0 0 0 # 0 0 0 # + ,Dominantly ALt:tuc;c:s dz&(ajoft) r~ - # 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 # # 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 *oooo 0 0 0 0 0 0 + p ~ - + Dooinantly Dominantly Altitude's 2~4-4271~(800-140oft) ... ~ ~... . ... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Altitudes > l c 2 7(~1400ft ) ~- ~~~~ FIGURE 5.3 0 O 0 O O O 0 0 0 0 O I I 0 0 0 0 * * # O # * # * # # # # # # # # # 0 0 0 # # # 0 0 0 * * 0 0 0 0 0 * 0 , 0 0 * 0 0 0 0 # # # 0 # + t O O # # # 0 0 0 0 O O 0 0 0 # # # # # # # # # # # * # # # # # # # # 0 0 0 0 O 0 0 0 - Roads Present 0 0 O O O O O O O O t 0 # 0 0 # # 0 0 ~ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 # 0 0 0 # 1 # 0 # t # # * O # C # # # f # # # I I # # # # # # # # - HEPTONSTAU O O # O 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 O O # # # # # TOPOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS Buildings Present 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 O O O t # 0 0 0 0 # 0 0 # # 0 # 0 # 0 # 0 0 0 0 0 0 # # # # 0 0 # 0 # # O # # O # * # # # # t o # # # # # # 0 Frequent Field Boundaries Score >lo, on scale 0-25 - FIGURE 5.4 LAND TYPES - HEPTONSTALL - -5 7 5 -----8 3 3 4 4 4 3 - - 7 7 7 - 5 8 7 3 1 - - - - - - - - - - -- 8- 7- 7 7 7 5 5 5 7 7 3 3 3 - - - - - - - - 7 7 7 - 7 5 7 - 4 4 3 4 - - - 4 - - - 88 87 8- 7- 88 88 77 5 4 4 4 4 - - - - - - - -------8--5 4 4 - - -------- --877 - 7 7 7 5 5 5 - - - - - -- 7 - - 5 -- 3 3 1 - - - H 1 U WID 1 GRQlP 8 U w Hlll 5 -- 7 UPlW' 4 8 -- - - - - - - 6 - - - - - - - - - - - - _6_6 - - - - - - 6 - - - - 6 6 6 - 6 6 - 6 - - - - - , 6 - 6 6 - 6 6 ---- .uPwD Steep UplYId 3'. 11111 nigh PkCepl -- -- - ------ - -- -- -- -- -- -_ - - - _ M G I N UW GR'QR 6 upland w s l n u p l W rk~au - - - d - FIGURE 5.5 MOORLAND CORE, FRINGE AND FARMLAND 63CORE - HEPTONSTALL FRINGE REVERTED FRINGE RECLAIMED nFARMLAND RESERVOIR 1190-1900 MAP DATA , 1150-1890 Port 1800 AIR PHOTO DATA FIGURE 5.6 VEGETATION CLASS FREQUENCY AT MAIN SITES -HEPTONSTAU KEY TO F I G U R E GI'oup 1. Improved Pastures Croup 2. Rough Pastures Group 3. Grassy Heaths Gfioup 4. Shrubby Heaths i 10: 11: 12: 13: Vaccinium/Calluna Nardus/Sphagnum/Calluna Eriophorum/Calluna Calluna 5.7 I I A A Class 14: Festuca/Vaccinium Class 15: Festuca/~ardus/Vaccinium 1 Class 16: ~estuca/~ardus/~olinia 9 : Calluna/Molinia/Vaccinium 0 0 A I D Class 5 : Agrostia/Juncus Class 6 : Festuca/Juncus Class 7 : Agrostis/Holcus Class 8 : Festuca/Agrostis Class Class Class Class Class I 0 Class 1 : Lolim/Holcus/Pteridium Class 2 : Lolium Class 3 : Loliurn/Trifolium Class 4 : Herb - .rich Lollurn KEY TO F I G U R E S *. 5.7 I '3 1 v % .6 u 03 ( X J E AM) 5.8 I FIGURE 5.8 LAND CROUP-VEGETATION CROUP ASSOCIATIONS-HEWONSTALL VEGETATION CROUP FREQUENCIES AT SITES I N LAND CROUPS PREDICTED CHANCES AT MAIN SITES Hill Upland ""andm Margin El pq c.pc ...... :.:,....... . . .:.:;.:.:>;. ........ : : : ::.I' ....... :.:... .,.....I'.'. ...... ..... ..... ..,.. ...... ................... ............. ............ ............ ............ ........... ......... .............. ...... ... @ +:::.,.<.:;:. .. .:; .;>.::........ .......... .... ;?>?' qmcies SMOOTH GRASSLAND fescue1bemts COARSE GRASSLAND Nardus ,, Molinia BRACKEN bracken SUB-SHRUBS heathen, ,, bilberry 9, g- SEDGE & RUSH MOORLAND i cotton gragl dWf=kP Junurs(all) SPhagmm bog myrtle m im rn ,m - WOODLAND (Map by Geoffrey Sinclair, Environmental Information fervices), MONYASH and HARTINGTON MIDDLE QUARTER -" f I MONYASH - PLATE 1 Farmland on upland plateau on the eastern fringe of Monyash village. Small fields enclosed by stone walls with scattered trees characterise this landscape, with improved pastures dominating the area. (Photo by P.Ainsworth) - FIGURE 6.1 !lHE STUDY AREA OF MONYASH AND HARTINWON MIDDLE QUARTER Crown Copyright Reserved STUDY AREA 6: MONYASH AND HARTINCTON MIDDLE QUARTER, DERBYSHIRE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT The combined parishes of Monyash and Hartington Middle Quarter (Figure 6-11 cover 36 km2. They are situated in the Peak District region in what is knownfrom its limestone rock as the 'White Peakr, and they lie within the Peak District National Park. The main A515 road bisects the area, with Buxton to the north and Ashbourne to the south. Physiographically the area is of plateau character, dominated by altitudes between 244 and 427 m (800-1 400 ft). Gentle slopes (d50) are characteristic (Plate 1 ), but steep and very steep slopes are prominent in a limited part mainly along the western border near the course of the River Dove. Climatically, in relation to the 12 study areas, Monyash is and classifiable as moderately cold and dry (Part I, 2.32 Figure 2-21, with mean daily temperatures for January and October estimated as 1.5 and 8.50C. The average annual number of days of snow lie is 30 and the annual average of daily sunshine hours 3.25. The eastern half lies in a moderate rainfall sector (1 001-1 200 mm, c. 40-48 in) while in the west rainfall is within the fairly high band (1 201-1 400 mm, c. 48-56 in pa). Smith (1976) gives the length of the growing season for the region that includes Monyash (and also Heptonstall), at an average altitude of 287 m, as 209 days (16 April-11 November). Geologically the area is mapped as entirely consisting of Carboniferous Limestone Series rocks, in this area generally well bedded and only slightly impure limestones, mainly of the 'lagoonalr phase of deposition but including some reef limestones. A feature of jointed and bedded limestone is that surface water can percolate readily down through the joints in the limestone. In this part of the Peak District, sub-surface igneous rocks known to occur within the limestone sequence were important in causing such water to be directed so that it emerged at spring-lines in physiographically appropriate locations. Such springs of fresh water, more prominent in the area before modern extraction lowered the water table, were a key factor in the emergence of Monyash as an early settlement. Lathkill Dale, a characteristic Peak District limestone valley that commences its eastward course near Monyash village, is now dry in its upper part, the Lathkill stream emerging lower down the dale. The other impact of the non-exposed igneous rocks has been through their association with metal ores which penetrated weaknesses in the limestones and which have been worked widely in the Peak District, including the study area. No drift cover is mapped over the solid rocks here, though the soils W e likely to have developed from paterial of other origins as well from the insoluble residues remainiqg of the underlying limestone. On the national soil map virtually the entire area is in a mapping unit dominated by Brown Earths, the exception being a narrow Stflip alon$ the southwestern border along the River Dove which is unit dominated by Peaty Gleys, poorly drained moorland soils. In the national agricultural land classification, a sector aro nd a Monyash village is mapped as of quite high quality, in grade 3, though the altitude here would seem to be higher than generally accepted for this grade. Most of the area is classed as grade 4, and only a strip along the western border and a small area to he north of Earl Sterndale in the northwest is given as a complex of grade 4 with agriculturally poorer grade 5 land. '1 1 1 Topographically there is a dense road network, almost all the g id squares containing mapped roads, and the intensive agriculture t at characterises the area is shown by the nearly universal occurrence of frequent field boundaries (Part I, Plate 10). Settlemenit, assessed by the presence of mapped buildings, is scattered wid through the whole area. Land type distribution is shown in Figure 6-2. Upland plateau is the most frequent type, covering 56% of the area Table 4-36), with subordinate uplanld, steep upland in the some upland margin, again mainly in the west. Monyash is study area with no sector of hill land. LAND-IUSE HISTORY There is abundant evidence of prehistoric Bronze Age settlement 'in the limestone country of the White Peak, for example the 'Tumul s1 siteg mapped in the south and the northwest of the study a ea (Figure 6-1). Later the Romans had B civil centre at Buxton and ohe of their roads to this is now followed by part of the southwestem boundary of Monyash parish. Settlements concerned with agriculture and mining became well established so that by the 8th century t e first parish churches were built in the region. Lead mining was a major feature of the economy of the area through Roman, Saxon dnd medieval times, Monyash being an important mining and marbt centre. As a consequence 'Mines (disused)' vie with tumuli in thqir freqyency on Figure 6-1. 1 I' 1 Along with mining, stock rearing has been a mainstay of this region. Between the 12th and 16th centuries, monastic houses outside the district owned much land, for example that of One Ash Grange, near the eastern edge of Monyash parish,. south of Lathkill Dale. Monyash village itself in this period would have been surrounded by open fields beyond which were more distant common lands where the mine workings were situated. The smaller strip-form walled fields near the village and the larger, squarer walled fields of later enclosure further from the village perpetuate this pattern (Part I, Plate 10). The later enclosure fields mainly resulted from an Enclosure Act of 1771. This area falls within a region intensively studied by the Grassland Research Unit of the University of Sheffield (see for example Lloyd, Grime and Rorison 1971). Until the Enclosure Act large tracts of heather moorland persisted on the leached soils over much of the limestone plateau. Around this time, and following it, the reclamation of the surviving moorland was comprehensive and became permanent. Young (1770) remarked on the thoroughness with which reclamation was being pursued at the time of his tour. Semi-natural grasslands in the White Peak are thus now almost entirely restricted to steep dale sides, small sites left by the lead mining industry which was at its height in the first half of the 18th century, or to places currently affected by limestone quarrying. According to Woollacott (1971), the intensification of farming and introduction of more economic but less agile breeds of sheep led to a decrease in grazing pressure on the steep dale side grasslands. This, together with a reduction in rabbit grazing since 1954, has in such situations encouraged the growth of taller grass and the spread of scrub. The consequent accumulation of dead plant material in turn led to an increase in grassland fires, usually in spring before seasonal growth has begun. Lloyd (1968 & 1972) has written of an inverse relationship between the occurrence of fire and grazing intensity. Usually started by carelessness, fires covering many hectares have been experienced in such dales as Lathkill. Their sporadic occurrence may play an important role in delaying takeover by scrub, thereby helping to maintain the rich variety of limestone grassland. In recent times, agricultural statistics for the period 1900-1965 (Part I, Figures 4-4 to 4-6) show that the tillage area and sheep numbers in Monyash have fluctuated without any consistent trend, but there has been a considerable and steady increase in cattle numbers since 1930'. Between 1878 and 1978, ULS (1979) calculate no significant change to have taken place in the extent of crops and grass (92.4 to 9321, and a slight fall to have affected the very small area of woodland (0.9 to 0.72). For a source from which to assess moorland, farmland, and moor nd fri@e distribution over the past 100 years, the first Ordn nce Survey map of the study area,dates from 1876. From analysis of %is and subsequent revisions, Figure 6-3 shows that only 100 ha, modtly in the northwest of Hartington Middle Quarter, han be identified as moorland core. The small area of moorland fringe (180 ha) incl des 120 ha of reclaimed moorland, mainly around old lead workings. his limited extent of fringe is predominantly associated with the steep upland land type, with 52% of the fringe occurring in only 8%' of the area. A further 32% of the moorland fringe is in the 14% of the area classified in the upland margin land type. 4 Mining is not active in the area now but limestone quarries and fluorspar workings nearby are important as local employ rs. Lathkill Dale just outside the study area is a National Na ure Reserve, and the extension of the dale within Monyash is schedhled as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Walking, particularly' in Lathkill Dale, touring by car around a recommended motor route by-ways, and through tourist traffic via the main road are the impacts on Monyash of recreational use of the National Park. ! Species lists at 72 main sites were recorded in 1978 by the wtlPods outlined in Chapter 3 of Part I of this report. Figure 6-4 s the frequency of vegetation clas$es at these sites and Figure includes the location of each site and its vegetation class in 19 I Monyash is almost entirely pastoral (Plate 1 and Part I, Plate 21) and this is reflected in the monotony of the vegetation at the recorded sites. Improved pastures (Part I, 3.12), present at 85 of grassland, class 2, (at 459 of them, fall in 2 classes: sites) and herb-rich Lolium grassland, class 4 (at 40% of sites). The remaining 15% of the sites recorded supported 2 rough pas ure classes (Part I, 3.14): Agrostis/Holcus grassland, class 7 (at 1 1 % of sites) and Festuca/Agrostis grassland, class 8 (at 4% of sites). Woodland in Monyash (Part I, Table 3-4) is mainly lowland in character, the majority of the sampled woods being lowland b sic woodlands (7 out of the 10 sites). Two were lowland acid wood1 nds and the remaining site was upland acid woodland. t k I k Table 6-1 shows the association between vegetation classes at sites in Monyash and the few land types present. In Figure 6-6 relationship between land groups and vegetation groups illustrated. There is no hill land. Improved pastures dominate the land types that occur. Rough pastures occur at relatively sites but are proportionately more frequent in land types o than upland plateau. in the is all few her t POTENTIAL VEGETATION CHANGE Vegetation in Monyash has already been subjected to long established comprehensive modification for agriculture. With only 2 vegetation groups, represented by just 4 vegetation classes, recorded at main sites in 1978, this was the most uniform area of all those studied. Overwhelmingly the recorded sites were of just 2 improved pasture grassland classes. Various factors have combined to account for this. The early local mining economy and the later close proximity of Monyash to large industrial centres of population generated a demand for agricultural products. Relatively fertile soils over a favourable rock type, on land of gentle slopes and ease of improvement and cultivation, were natural features of advantage. The good communications brought about by the local mines and the adjacent towns also made their contribution. Although simple assumptions of agricultural and forestry potential in Part I (Table 5-19) suggest that forestry could be a potential land-use over about half the area, the level of local agriculture is such that there would be no transfer of land from it under any realistic circumstances. The relatively few sites of rough pasture remaining in Monyash, which are Agrostis/Holcus grassland (class 7) and Agrostis/Festuca grassland (class 81, give the only significant remaining option for vegetation change under intensified or declining levels of agricultural management. ULS (1979) however classifies land occupied by the remaining semi-natural vegetation (in Monyash parish alone) as generally not improvable (mainly due to steep slopes) but of some grazing value. If agricultural effort was in fact turned to any less steep remnants then in part at least they might be able to be upgraded, in an agricultural sense, towards improved pasture classes 2 or 4 (Lolium grassland and herb-rich Lolium grassland) and thus rough pastures could disappear altogether. Under decreased management levels the trend would be for a slight diversification of vegetation with the possible ultimate re-emergence, if soil pH levels eventually fell sufficiently and a seed source for the heath species became available, of a grassy heath, probably Festuca/Vaccinium heath, class 14, replacing some rough pasture. Figure 6-4 shows the frequencies of vegetation classes at main sites predicted under intensified or decreased levels of agricultural activity, and Figure 6-5 plots the predicted classes at each site. Such changes are predicted in accord with standard trends discussed in Part I, 5.74-5.77 and Figure 5.4 (summarised in Appendix 2) and do not take account of individual site land and management factors. With this reservation an intensification of agriculture to a moderate degree in Monyash could lead to the elimination of the last remnants of rough pastures and the total d expansion of improved pastures from 85% of sites to Occupy 10 5 of the recorded sites. The predicted outcome of a moderate decliqe in agricultural use would be f o ~a small fall in the proportion of sites which are now rough pastures, allowing 41 of Sites to C to a grassy heath. The long term stability of the agricultura use of this area is such that significant change in this directiOn is quite unlikely. The remnants of limestone grassland on steep sites are of an ecological interest that can be argued to be of gr ater importance (though not perhaps to their owners) than the mall extent of improved pasture they could provide. The overall v sual impact of even the maximum predicted changes on the landscape would be slight, with 14% of sites changing their vegetation groqp if agriculture was intensified and 4% changing if it declined. $.., 1 I I The predicted frequency of vegetation groups in ;elation to land groups, sketched in Figure 6-6, shows that the low levels of cpange oups predicted are likely to be evenly spread between the 2 land present in Monyash. 7' The Upland Landscapes Study used only Monyash rather than the combined parishes as their study area. Its lack of semi-na ural veeetation means that no ULS vegetation map was appropr ate, although in effect virtually all the study area would be class d in the 'farmland' ULS unit, in accord with the recorded ITE aites being all pasture classes. i I CONCLUSION 1 Monyash is in the Peak District National Park and the polici s of the Peak Park Joint Planning Board are directed towards encour ging the? continuance and development of farming along established 1 nes. This policy, coupled with the stated intention of farmer in Monyash (ULS 1979) to carry on with their present enterprises ased mainly on dairy cattle without any major changes of manage ent, suggests a stable future in Monyash and a low potential for vegetation change in the parish. The lack of present vegetational diversity in Monyash means that the potential for ohange is i n any case very restricted. The landscape character of Monyash is controlled by its buildings and its field boundary pattern &her than by a varied vegetation, except very looally on dale sides. i LLOYD, P.S. (1968). ecological^ significance of fire in limestone grassland communities of the Derbyshire Dales. Journal of Ecology, 56, 811-826. LLOYD, P. S. (1972). Effects of fire on a Derbyshire grassland community. Ecology, 53, 915-920. LLOYD, P.S., GRIME, J.P. & RORISON, I.H. (1971). The grassland vegetation of the Sheffield region. Journal of Ecolok?y, 59, 863-886. WOOLLACOTT, W.G. (1971), in: People and Plants Derbyshire, edited by J.P. GRIME. Derbyshire Naturalists' Trust, Sheffield, 59. UPLAND LANDSCAPES STUDY. (1979). Monyash Parish Report. Unpublished report to the Countryside Commission, August 1979. YOUNG, A. (1770). Farmers Tour through the East of England. W. Straden, London. TABLE 6-1 CORRELATION OF VEGETATION CLASSES AND LAND TYPES - YONYASE 8111 UplMd Steep n l l l (1). Rough P u t u r e s (3) Pl.t..u 8t.e~ Upland ( 5 ) (4) "land (') 5 6 Shrubby ieaths 0 10 11 As number of niten of each vegetation clans located in each land type. * Land typenumber. .(I uaed on computer maps, Figure 6-2. - - - - - - Uplmd P1.tc.u (8) FIGURE 6.3 MOORLAND CORE, FRINGE AND FARMLAND i - MONYASH' I I i ! I i I ~ i 623CORE FRINGE RECLAIMED FARMLAND k FRINGE REV RTED (919-1973 1897-190 1876-1897 ~ i II ~ I I ~ FIGURE VEGETATION CLASS FREQUENCY MAIN SITES I. R.cma - NOKYASH n i n rtr.i. 19s ,.-*. 2. RMlCl.6 C M l e S .I N l n i l l r s It I p l r u l l v . 1ncr.un. 1 0 . L R M l r l M crauts a t m ~ sni t e s it w l r u l t v . f*cnu.1. 10 rcr.. . FIGURE 6.5 LOCATION AND CLASSXFICA'~ONOF VECETAT~ON MAIN SITES I MaNYASH I O v e r a l l Frequencies of V e g e t a t i o n $roYJs " 1978 P r e d i c t e d ifAgriculture Increaered I . I P r e d i c t e d if A g r i c u l t u r e Decreased d KEY TO FIGURE 6.5 Group 1. Improved Pastures Class 1 : Lolium/~olcus/Pteridium Class 2 : Lolium Class 3 : hlium/Trifol5um Class 4 : Herb ..richLo1 ium - Croup 2. Rough Pastures Group 3. Grassy Heaths Croup 4. Shrubby Heaths Class Class Class Class Class Class Class Class Clhss Class Class Class 9 : Calluna/Molinia/Vaccinim 10: Vaccinium/~alluna 11: Nardus/Sphagnum/Calluna 12 : Eriophorum/Calluna 13: Calluna KEY TO FIGURES 6.5 AND 6.6 1~~"~ Pasture FIGURE 6.6 LAND GROUP-VEGETATJON CROUP ASSOClATIOKS-MONYASH VEGETATION CROUP FREOUENCIES AT SITES I N LAND GROUPS PREDICTED CHANGES AT MAIN SITES Upland Upland -.=-' w %-pS 6 ............. ..: ji.;;ii: .......... .............. ................ .................. ................. ................ ............... ............. ........... ....... 6O ,, B ..... :..:..:...:%+.:...%.. >:.. ................ ............... >: ............... ........ ........ ....... .............. ..... + + :% .:: Margin ............ .......... :::..:.:.: .:.:.....:. ::$.:.$$: ..:.x..:..:s...c...;:..z.x.z :::.::: ..................... .....::.::.::.:.::..:::...:.... y ?:?.:.:;::.:;:;:.:.............. ............ ..:...... :..:. .. I : ....... : :i;::: .-:.:::.-.. :.-; ..... ;::::.-:: .......... ...?q.... :::::::::::;;;;::: . . . , . ;.::::::k.:. ............ ................. .............. ::::::::::::::;; ..,....... .......... :: :::::::::::. .......... ........ ....... ........-.... .......... . ........... ........ , LLANFACHRETH LLANFACHRETH - PLATE 1 Variety in the Llanfachreth landscape. Rough pasture with bracken is seen in the foreground, then improved pastures and wet rough pastures occur in the left middistance. Beyond the village of Llanfachreth there are woods and conifer plantations and, in the background, the heath vegetation of the hill sector rising towards Rhobell Fawr. (Photo by D.F.Bal1) FIGURE 7.1 THE STUDY AREA OF LLANFACHRETH Crown Copyright Reserved STUDY AREA 7: LLANFACHRETH, GWYNEDD PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT The study area of Llanfachreth, covering 72 km2 (Plate 1 and Figure 7-I), in the Snowdonia region, is situeted just northeast of the town of Dolgelley in the southern part of the Snowdonia National Park. The southern boundary of Llanfachreth parish follows the River Wnion and the A494 road between Dolgelley and Bala (Part I, Plate 121, while the western and northern boundaries follow the River Mawddach. There is a wide altitude range (Figure 7-2). The southern and western boundaries are bordered by a belt of country dominated by altitudes below 244 m (800 ft), a significant part of which is below 122 m (400 ft). A central band lies mainly between 244 and 427 m (800-1 400 ft) while a substantial block in the northeast is dominated by land above 427 m (1 400 ft), reaching 734 m (2 410 ft) at the summit of Rhobell Fawr (Part I, Plates 11 and 12). Slopes are dominantly moderate (5-110) over some 60% of the area, with steep and very steep slopes dominant over most of the remainder, especially in the central mountain block and flanking the valleys in the west. In relation to the 12 study areas, Llanfachreth is classifiable as warm and wet (Part I, 2.32 and Table 2-41. The annual average of daily sunshine hours is 3.5 and the number of days of snow lie averages 2b (though there is a considerable range between shorter periods of snow lie on the lower ground and longer periods of snow lie on the mountains). January and October mean temperatures are 2.6 and 9.40C but again the variation within the area will be high because of its altitude range (Part I, 2.313. Smith (1976) gives the length of .the growing season as 225 days (11 April-22 November) for the region in which Llanfachreth is situated, at a height 'of 299 m. Figure 7-3 shows high rainfall (1 601-2 200 mm, c. 64-88 in pa) to occur over 75% of the area, with very high rainfall (2 201-2 400 mm, c. 88-96 in pa) over the high ground sector around and northeast of Rhobell Fawr. Geologically the western half of the area and a small sector in the east are of Cambrian slaty and shaly sedimentary rocks. South of Llanfachreth village there are chemically similar but rather less hard mudstones and shales of Ordovician age. Moderately siliceous andesitic volcanic lavas of Ordovician age occupy the central sector around Rhobell Fawr while similar lavas, with volcanic ashes, are found in the east around Foe1 Ddu. The drift map shows boulder clay around the village of Llanfachreth and along the 1 valley of the Wnion. Though not given on the geological drift m p, peat cover is a feature of gentler slopes ih the montane sec or (Part I, 2.27). The national soil map places the southwestern half of the area, and a strip along the southeastern border, in a unit dominated by Brown Earths with associated moorland soils, Peaty Gleys and Peaty Podzols. i The agricultural land classification map grades land arodnd Llanfachreth village and along the Wnion as grade 4, with the remainder, apart from the 'other usest classification of forest areas, being grade 5. This area and Lynton are locakities for a more detailed classification of hill land than is =Ong of now available that is being developed by Research Officers Ministry of Agriculture's ADAS (Land Service) Resource planning Group. Their results are not yet published, but ULS (1979) have applied a slight variation 'of their methodology to classify bhe land of the rough grazings in the st6dy areas, as referred to in the sections on vegetation change in each area account. :lt A sharp physiographic distinction between the northeastern mountain sector and the remainder of the area that was noted above is sustained in the topographic features shown in the schematic m ps of Figure 7-4. A dense network of minor roads, a widespr ad distribution of buildings, and a more intensive agriculture as shown by frequency of mapped field boundaries, all characterise the southern and western parts, while the northeast quarter is withqut roads, buildings or frequent field boundaries. t I I The distribution of land types in Llanfachreth is given i n Figure 7-5. The northeastern sector falls in the hill land group. The steep hill land type is prominent around Rhobell Fawr, and the hill land type more frequent in the north. Steep upland is a feature in the east around Foe1 Ddu and along the western valle s, while upland margin dominates the southern half of the area and is also important in the western valleys. 1 LANDtUSE HISTORY Settlement occurred from the earliest times in this climaticaily relatively favourable wooded western upland which has access to the sea but is sufficiently far inland from it for pro",ction from hostile invaders. Permanent settlement dates at least as far bhck as the Iron Age, and the Romans ~ised the valley of the Wnion the route of a road westwards from Bala. Thomas (1965) has emphasised inertia and continuity in the field and farm boundaries of the former county of ~irionethshire, to the extent that 'one is constantly aware of looking at farmsteads that are usually at least 170 years old and at field boundaries that derive basically from the 16th century, if not earlier'. Cattle were the mainstay of the agrarian economy (Howell 1977) and, by Tudor times, a highly organised traffic in animals had evolved, so that, for example, the great summer fair at Eglwyswrw in Pembrokeshire attracted drovers from as far afield as Llanfachreth and the adjacent village of Llanelltyd, with centres like Dolgelley acting as 'local collecting points within the pastoral areas, lubricating the long distance movements' (Thomas op cit h 1967). The pastoral role of the uplands was conveyed by a commentator of 1610, who described the mountains of Merioneth as 'covered with fruitful flocks of sheep, besides cattle that therein do abundantly by reason of the unevenness o$' the soil and the rocks SO graze near to the face of the earth, the plough cannot be drawn, nor Corn prosper ' ... . The families of Nannau and their descendants the Vaughans have been vital to the fortunes of Llanfachreth since Cadwgan built a house at Nannau in the 11th century. The example in pastoral agriculture set by monasteries such as that of Cymmer near Dolgelley were followed by civil landowners. By the end of the 16th century, Hugh Nannau had become virtually the sole owner of Llanfachreth, with an estate that was divided into small farms run by family labour. Irregular and spasmodic extensions were made into the moorland from existing holdings, taking account of locally favourable physiographic and soil conditions. The survival of some tracts of woodland through medieval times is suggested by an action taken against Hugh Nannau in regard to his alleged removal of 30 000 oak trees on Penrhos Common in Llanfachreth between 1588 and 1603 (Nannau Manuscripts). The Vaughan Family came into the estate by marriage in 1775, and built the present mansion of Nannau in 1796. The ownership bf the 2nd baronet, Sir Robert Williams Vaughan, from 1792 to 1843 was the peak of prosperity for Llanfachreth with estate management, roads and buildings all being carefully controlled and developed. Thomas (1965) noted the absence until the late 18th century of detailed inventories of stock, information on land-use, or even farm maps for wide areas of ~erionethshire. As is' also the case with Ysbyty Ystwyth and Ystradgynlais and Glyntawe, it is not possible to construct a land-use map for this area from the Tithe Commutation Surveys of the 1840s. The survey of Llanfachreth only says that 12 136 acres of a total of 15 936 acres (c.4 900 of 6 450 ha) ,were meadow and pasture, and the remainder arable. Llanfachreth and Llanelltyd had been the subject of an Enclosure Act of 1809, implemented in 1821, which covered almost 6 100 ha (15 000 acres). Morgan (1959) has drawn attention to the way in which the boundary of the common land tended to include all and over 305 m (1 000 ft) as well as the steeply sloping hillside at lower levels. In contrast to the small scale and rather raddom shapes of post-medieval fields, the new enclosures were regula~in layout and larger in size. Their main purpose was to create or redistribute proprietory rights, rather than to facilitate ac ual reciamation and cultivation of the waste. Profits from an ma1 rearing, both cattle and later sheep, in some instances encourdged overgrazing. There were frequent complaints of commoners turning out livestock in the summer that had not been over-wintered on their farms, so that the regulation of stock numbers in the suhmer graaings was attempted from time to time. An agreement from as +ate as 1919'may have been representative of many in limiting the nuhber of sheep that could be grazed on a sheepwalk shared by 3 holdings in Llanfachreth. I f f I The presence of copper, lead and gold has been a historic fact04 in the economy of the Dolgelley area. Mining in and immediately adjacent to Llanfachreth became important in the 19th century. The most famous Welsh gold mine, Gwynfynydd, is on the western bounplary of the area and other mines were operated under leases from the Nannau Estate. Gwynfynydd employed over 200 miners around 1890 but declined rapidly after this, to fail in the early years of this century. Now, as another alternative to agriculture, forestry is an important land-use occupying 30% of the study area (ULS 19 9). Plapting by the Forestry Commission started in 1922 and large a eas of Land have been sold or leased to the Commission since then. 1 Llanfachreth was surveyed by the Ordnance Survey first about 1887, with a revision as early as 1899. Thereafter, a 'provisiDna1 edition* was published in the 19509, which incorporated addit ons madie in 1949. Further large scale maps were published w ich indicated changes up to 1959 in the eastern and southern parts of the parish, and up to 1975 for the remainder of the area. Figure 7-6 drawn from analysis of these maps supplemented by air phobographs shows that 3 225 ha comprise moorland core, 1 and 1 860 ha moorland fringe. 1 630 ha of fringe have been afforebted since 1919, and a further 30 ha represent moorland that has been reclaimed. 200 ha of improved land have reverted to moorland, fringe (78%) lies mostly since 1945. The non-afforested predominantly in the 44% of the area in the upland margin t y p ~ ,with most of the remaining fringe in the steep upland type. 1 The pattern of land-use between 1900 and 1965 as illustrated by Figures 4-4 to 4-6 in Part I of this report shows tillage to have fluctuated considerably through the period but to have fallen sharply and steadily since 1940, probably partly due to loss of agricultural land to forestry. Cattle numbers declined from a peak around 1940-1950 to their lowest level in the area over this time span. Sheep numbers were notably high in 1900 but then remained at similar average levels between 1910 and 1965. ULS (1979) calculate that the area of crops and grass has fallen between 1887 and 1978 .from 22 to 17% of the area and that woodlana (including plantation forestry) has expanded from 13 to 33%. Vegetation was recorded at 7'2 main sites in 1978, using the methods described in Chapter 3 of Part I of 'this report. Llanfachreth is one of only 2 study areas in which all 16 vegetation classes were represented at recorded main sites (Ystradgynlais is the other). The frequency of the vegetation classes in 1978 is given in Figure 7-7, and the locations and classification of the main sites are shown in Figure 7-8. A north-central sector with shrubby and grassy heath sites is bordered on the south and west by rough pasture sites in association with more grassy heaths and a relatively small amount of improved pasture. The western side of the parish is largely afforested, forming part of the Forestry Commission forest of Coed-y-Brenin (Part I, Plate 11). There are also further blocks of forest in the northeastern corner of the study area, explaining apparently unsampled sectors on the maps of Figure 7-8. Improved pastures occur at only 11% of the recorded sites in Llanfachreth. Rough pastures occupy 28% of the recorded sites, with class 7, Agrostis/Holcus grassland the most frequent. Plate 24 in Part I illustrates a close up of rough pasture class5, ~grostis/~unc;s grassland, from this area. Grassy heaths occur at 30% of recorded sites, the most frequently recorded class being class 16, Festuca/Nardus/Molinia heath (at 22% of sites). Shrubby heaths are similarly prominent, occurring at 31% of sites, half of which have Nardus/Sphagnum/Calluna heath, class 11. Surviving semi-natural woodland, (much has been lost to plantation forestry), is particularly concentrated in the southern part of the parish. Among 15 woodland sites examined 11 are classifiable as upland acid woodlands, 2 are lowland acid woodlands and 2 lowland basic woodlands (Part I, Table 3-11). Table 7-1 gives the association between vegetation classes at &in sites and the land types in which these site's are situated, while Figure 7-9 sketches the frequency of vegetation groups related to land groups. All but one of the improved pasture sites are in he upland margin sector. Rough pastures fall mainly within the upland margin or steep upland land types. Grassy heath sites are found mostly in the steep upland but also in the steep hill and up1 nd marglin land types. Shrubby heaths are particularly concentrated in the steep hill and hill land types. The variety of vegetation in the upland margin land type is notable, with 13 of the 16 vegetation classes represented. 1 I Viewed from a vantage point' the impression Llanfachreth gives i s of a mmsaic of vegetation units, with forestry, woods, improved and unimproved pastures on lower ground, and forestry extending nto unimproved moor and mountain at higher altitude (Plate 1 ). the development of forestry has been the greatest single recent chahge in Llanfachreth, with afforestation of the western sector by the Forestry Commission on land bought or leased from the Na nau Estate. The parish is wholly within the Snowdonia National Park ut forestry was well established here before the Park was set up 'and the Park authorities have a benign attitude towards it in this part of Snowdonia, recognising the economic and social importance of 1 an integrated agriculture-forestry policy. If arguments national need for greatly increased timber production are acce Of ed they must imply that forestry expansion here cannot be ruled a t . If this were to happen then the pressure for much of the major direct change would be on the land at present under agricult ral use and this would inevitably mead loss of vegetation diversity A simple assessment of land with forestry potential discussed in Part I (5.95-5.100) assesses that of Llanfachreth as about equal' to its present forest area. This is because the assumptions ive priority to agriculture in more favourable land types. Cle rly forestry expansion in the area, on these assumptions, could only be substantially at the expense of land which also has agricultdral potential. The Upland Landscapes Study report (1979) suggests that maintenance of local employment to sustain the social situation as it is at present requires forestry expansion as a matter Of necessity. 4 1 L P 1 i I Omitting from consideration this real possibility of substantial direct change, the potential foR mainly gradual vegetation ch$nge in Llanfachreth may be considered in relation to the pre ent vegetation classes recorded and the general principles discussed in and Figure 5-41, the trends of which are Part I (5.74-5.78 s m a r i s e d in Appendix 2. In the ULS (1979) report on this area, i they have calculated that about 75% of roLgh grazings are unimprovable though mostly these have some 'grazing value and a further 16% have potential improvement limited by physiographic constraints. These estimates are based on application of the criteria for detailed hill land classification that have been developed by the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service (ADAS) Resource Planning Group. The most frequent vegetation classep at the sampled sites were: in the improved pastures, Lolium/Holcus/Fteridium grassland, in the rough pastures, &rostis/Holcus grassland, (class 1); (class 7); in the grassy heaths, Festuca/Nardus/Molinia heath, (class 16); and in the shrubby heaths, Nardus/Sphagnum/Calluna heath, '(class 11). Class 1 could change towards Lolium grassland on agricultural intensification or to Agrostis/Holcus grassland on agricultural decline; Agrostis/Holcus grassland could change to herb-rich Lolium grassland on intensification or Festuca/Agrostis grassland on agricultural decline; the class 16 grassy heath in this area could alternatively change to Agrostis/Juncus grassland under heavier use or to Nardus/Sphagnum/Calluna heath following a declining agricultural use; the class 1 1 shrubby heath could be modified to Festuca/Nardus/Molinia grassy heath with more intensive grazing, or remain unchanged if agricultural use declined. Figure 7-8 includes maps showing the changes which might be expected at recorded sites on ecological grounds as a result of moderate levels of agricultural intensification or decline. The differences which these predicted changes would produce in the frequency of vegetation classes at the recorded main sites are included in Figure 7-7. Individual site factors of environment or management are not taken into account in these generalised predictions. With this proviso, from the general principles of change as uniformly applied to all sites of a particular present vegetation class in all study areas it is estimated that intensification of agriculture could lead to a substantial increase in the proportions of sites supporting improved pastures (1 1-392). Rough pastures would show a small increase (28-301) and grassy heaths a small decrease (from 30% of sites to 27%). Shrubby heaths would decrease substantially (from 31% of sites now to 4%). The predicted increase in improved pastures would particularly involve expansion of the classes of higher agricultural quality in the group, herb-rich grassland, class 4, and Lolium grassland, class 2. Though such changes are theoretically possible, ULS (1979) have recorded that only 7 out of 37 farmers are entirely dependent on agricultural income and that only 10 farms are assessed as viable when run on a full time basis. ULS considers prospects for the future of the present pattern of farming as 'not particularly bright'. In predictions following a declining agriculture, improved pastures would fall from 1 1 to 4% of sites, rough pastures from 28 to 20 of sitles and grassy heaths from 30 to 15% of sites. The numbe of sites with shrubby heath vegetation could double (from 31% no* to 61%). In considering the overall impact of these predicted changes of vegetation class on the landscape, agricultural intensificqtion involves a change in vegetation group at 88% of the recorded sites whilst agricultural decline would cause a change vegetation group at 53% of sites. i" The sketch of associations between vegetation and land groups aiven in Figure 7-9 shows upland and upland margin to be susceptibl to codsiderable change between alternatives of prominent imp oved pastures and a dominance of heaths. The impact of change o n the hill land group is likely to be less, though increased agricultural grazing pressure could supplant most ?hrubby heaths with grjassy heaths. 1 I Figure 7-10 reproduces the Upland Landscapes Study vegetation map of Llanfachreth (ULS 1979), which has mapping units based on assessment of cover of dominant species. Table 7-2 compares the ITE vegetation class at main sites and additional sites recorde in 1979 (Part I, 5.66-5.67) with the ULS mapping units in which the sites are located. As was the case with Bransdale, 'farmland' in this area apparently includes a wide variety of vegetation classes, just over 20% of them heath classes. 'Bracken' as a unit ,also in~ludes a wide range of the vegetation classes in which br cken cad occur as a conspicuous species. Table 5-3 shows the freq ency of vegetation classes that could occur at main sites which fall in each mapping unit. The visual character of the vegetation in most ma~ping units could change substantially under the results of prddictions. I i CONCLUSION Llanfachreth is the study area with the longest forestry trad and the highest proportional impact of forestry as a employer and a visual factor in the landscape. If forestry does not expand then it is said that employment looally will be affecteq. At present many small farms, the majority of them part time, per t a wide range of vegetation classes to persist in the upland q r g i n sector. A more clear cut split between forestry planting in new locations and amalgamated, more intensively farmed land elseehere could substantially reduce the vegetation variety which is a prominent landscape feature of Llanfachreth. Gradual change could affect a very high propofltion of the recorded sites. potential for change is thus great. All depends on Estate, For Commission and National Park policies and attitudes to a stabilized or increased forestry enterprise and the consequent effect this can have on farm structures and economies. Only t'he highest ground in the northeast is reasonably resistant, from its environment and altitude, to substantial change, and, as another influence for stability, this montane sector is not one of easy access and hence has little recreational pressure. REFERENCES HOmLL, D. (1977). Merioneth agriculture and the farming community a century ago. Journal of the Merioneth Historical Record Society, 8, 71-78. HOWELL, D. (1977). and People of 19th Century Wales. Routledge, Kegan Paul, ?&don, pp $07. MORGAN, C. (1959). The Effect of Parliamentary Enclosure on the Landscape of Caernarvonshire and Merioneth. Unpublished M.Sc. thesis, University of Aberystwyth, pp 247. NANNAU MANUSCRIPTS Library of University College of North Wales, Bangor. SMITH, L.P. (1976). The Agricultural Climate of England and Wales. Tech. Bull. 35, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, H M O London. THOMAS, C. (1965). The Evolution of Rural Settlement & Land Tenure Merioneth. Unpublished Ph.D. thesis, University of Wales, pp 260. THOMAS, C. (1967). Enclosure and the rural landscape of Merioneth in the 16th century. Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, 42, 532-162. UPLAND LANDSCAPES STUDY. (1979). Llanfachreth Parish Report. Unpublished report to the Countryside Commission, July 1979. - - CORRELATION OF VEGETATION CLASSES AND LAND TYPES TABLE 7-1 - LLANFACHRETH Lamd Group m d Type Hill Upl.nd 8t.e~ B i l l (1). p1.te.u (4) Steep Uplmd (5) upl.nd Uplmd Y.rgi. ( 6 ) Uplmd p1.te.u (8) (') 2 1 1 1 s h r u b q ilesths - -- -- ~ ~p~ ~ ~p 16 5 0 1 10 1 11 4 -- 12 1 2 1s 1 2 2 1 4 -- -p-~ 4 7 -~ -- ~ ~ 2 1 -er U t e # larch v e ~ i o cn l . l o c a t e d i n e a c h l p g d type.* Land type numbers as used on computer maps, Figure 7-5. ~ -- -~ ~ TABLE 7-2 - CORRELATION OF UL8 VEGETATION MAPPING UNITS AND ITE VEGETATION CLASSES LLANFACERETH ITE Vegetation Claaa ULB Yapping Unit Number of ITE Sites in Area of UL8 unit 1 8800th Grassland 2 3 4 6 6 7 9 Coarse ~rassllad/Nardus 11 Coarse Grassland/Motinia 12 Bracken 16 Sub-shrubs/Iieathera 7 Sub-shrubs/Bilberry 2 Grassy Eeaths Rough Pasturea Improved Pastures 8 1 4 1 6 1 6 2 3 1 2 1 1 2 2 Shrubby Eeathm 1 - 4 1 1 9 1 0 1 1 1 2 1 3 1 1 2 S 3 9 1 2 1 1 2 2 1 Sub-ahrubs/Gorae Sedge k Ruah Moorland Farmland As number of recorded 1 3 26 9 1 1 2 2 1 8 4 1 4 mitea in each ITB vegetation claas that are located in each UL8 unit 1 TABLE 7-3 PRBDICTImS OF CEANGE IN TBB BALUVCE OF VEGETATION GROUPS AT SITES LOCATED IN UL8 MAPPINO UNITS - LLANPACBRETA ITE Vegetation Groups Improved paaturea ULE Yapping Unit A B Rough ~uturem C 3 Smooth Grasslaad A 2 Coarse ~ra8sland/Rardue C o a m e Grasslmd/Ebtinia 1 Bracken A B 3 3 4 3 3 8 9 1 7 2 3 B a a 8 7 6 7 Bhrrrbby Heaths Granly Heath# C 3 Sub-#hrrrbs/Heathere 3 3. Sub-mhrub8/Bilberry 1 1 A C B C 4 7 8 11 a 1 10 4 2 8 2 4 1 7 1 1 1 2 1 2 Sub-#hrub8/Gor8e 7 Farmland - - - - A# number of recorded A B 1 1 Sedge & Ru8h Moorland - 91 - 3 - 15 - 1 1 5 12 - 5 - 1 7 1 - - sites falling in each ITE vegetation group that are located in each ULB unit - nit~ationa# recorded - predicted balance of vegetation e- pr- balm- if agricultural u8e increased, 10c yrm of v o w o n if t g r f c t l 1 ~ - d-ea-d, 1-• -- - - 6 FIGURE 7.2 ALTITUDE SECTORS - LLANFACHRETH . ## 00 tOOOOOOOO 0 000000000000 *00000000000000 4.00000000000000 4:0000000000000U0 4~0000000000000000 4:4:#4-00000000000000 $00000000000000000 *~t:*0000000000000000 4.~~#0000000000000OOI ***~~000000,000000000 ~J:.1.4:00000000000#0~4~ 4#~.(*~(:~oo~oo**~:# # * + . I 4 *U00001*~:* 4:i*914:*+0004.P*# 4:,3*#i)*+***4:4:* Ot+001:~4;~*B4:+ O#~####### 0 ######OOO##O 0I##*#1*#000000 04~*~~~##0000000 0~~~####00000000 0#*#~#~~000000000 0000##~00000000#0# 0##~#940000000#### 0000*1*000000000#### 0000~#~#00###00##0#0 0000#####0~####~### 0000#~###8#~~##0#00 0000000~#####0000 000000#####0000 00000000###0000 0I00~00000000 QOO##OOOOOOOO oooooooo tlP4:3;t+l 0000 00 #. # t. # ** ),Dominantly Altitudes 2l$+111(800ft) + Dominantly Altitudes 244-427m(8OO-I4OOft) 00 000000000 # 000000###001 0000000001#*I#1 00000000###~I#~ 00000000#~#l#~#t 00000000~##*1#### 0000000###1#4#4~04:0 0000000#####l~0003 00000001#1###1*#0000 00000000##000##00#00 000000000*000000000 0000000000000000000 00000000000000000 000000000000000 000000000000000 0000000000000 0000000000000 ooooaooo 0000 00 + Dominantly Altitudes >427m(1400ft) i A FIGURE 7.3 RnINFALL SECTORS - LLANFACHRETH # High Rainfall (1 601-2200mm,64-88in pa) 0 Very High Rainfall (2201-30001m,88-120in pa) 1 FIGURE 7.4 TOPOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS - LLANFACHRETH I ** *t**C*O*t 0 *Ottt0000*00 tOt*O**00000000 t**0**t00000000 tt00***000000000 t*t#***OOOOOOOO00 **t#t*000000*t0001 t#**tt000000#00001 ttt+#Ot0000ttt00000t $$+*00$100****0tC00t **tt000*0010t*t*00$ tt****CIOO*O*~#tttt Ct*tt*ttt***#tttt t#t#t*tOt#tt**t *O+~*t#t*tt*$tt *t**Ottt****t Oll*Olt***ttt tt#*tttt t**t # + ttttttootottttt tO#l*tC$tCll*tt tOtt0lttOCttt 00200tt$tt*t# totttttt tot* $t*t tt * Roads Present 00 tOOttt*Ot 0 *00~#0000000 0*100*t00000000 00000$$*0000000 *01*0$**00000000 t**#0*10000000000 OCO*t*000000000000 00010t000000000000 0*0000t0000000000000 Ot$0000**0000t00000t Ot00ttOt0010tOtZ000 000Cttttt000t#*ttOt 00#**t+t*tt*tttt0 $*0+*$C*$*#*$## O**t*tltOttttt# 00*0***t*+ttt OOOOOCttttttt OIO*#l#l tt COOCtOOOt 0 t00t00000000 $0*000t00000000 0t000tt00000000 tOOOt*OOOOOOOOOO OtttCiOOOOOOOOOOO O*t+tt000000C00000 $O#*OC000000000000 0$*0000000000000000# OtttOOOOOOOOOooOOOo* ttOOOOOOOOOOIOOtOOO 00ttOCt+OOCtt$tt*t* O**tt#t**tiC*#ttO # Buildings Present t* t Frequent Field Boundaries Score>lO, on scale 0-25 FIGURE 7.5 d ---------- 1 ------ 131111 ------- 33333111 LAND TYPES - LLANFACHRETH 55 -55--55-5 C C -,--5 C -- - -c r=c---------ddJJ ------------- ---I--3333331 1 --31---13333311 1111113334 11111-1333111111433--111111133-1111---111-311133--------------11--------- -55 -5-----5-------;--55-5---------5-----5-----5---5 -55.-5-; -..--.- ;;-c-JJJ 5--555;---------5-5 5-...-CC"C JJJJ--555---5--- - rJ4JJJ-------5-555 ccrr C -,J-C 5 5 .------ 5 --------------------------------------------I------------------- -5--5-------5--5---------5 -------~----------------------------------------------- ----- ..-----------------0..--55 -------- 5- - --- --- -.---- - H I L L UND GRUJP ~~~p ~ ~ ~ 1 3 4 - - - p p~ Steep X l l l H111 nigh P k c e a u ~ -----.- ----- .- ~. 5.. - " PIMMdd 7 up1Md' 8 Upland P h C O a u ~ .. - &-A&--&---66------6----66-------6--- 666-------6--- 666---------66--6-----------66666------------ 6--6-6------------66-----------------666--------------66-----6---66-6----66-666---666666-6 66666666666866666 66-666--6666666 6-6666666666666 6-66-66666666 -66--66666666 6-666666 6666 66 ~ .UPlAND ~~~ WJIGIN WID GRCUP p~ 6 - .~~ uv1ru-d nsrgin -- 6 F I G U R E 7.6 MOORLAND CORE, FRINGE AND FARMLAND - LLANFACHRETH Kmr FRINGE REVE'RTED n CORE DATA FRINGE RECLAIMED @ AFFORESTED UFARMLAND MOORLAND 1881-1899 PHOTO DATA -.-.- tdgc Of 1973 Survey FIGURE 7.7 VEGETATION CLASS FREQUENCY AT M A I N SITES - LLdNFACHRETHl FIGURE 7.8 LOCATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF VEGETATION MAIN SITES - LLANFACHRETH ." '.. .-// 1978 Predicted if Agriculture Increased Predicted if-Agriculture Decreased Overall Frequencies of Vegetation Croups\ . , - KEY TO FIGURE 7.8 ~ I Group 1. Imoroved Pastures Class I : Loliun/Holcus/Pteridium Class 2 : ~oliumClass 3 : Lolium/Trifoliurn Class 4 : Herb ..richL o l j m - Group 2. Rough Pastures Group 3. Grassy Heaths Group 4. Shrubby Heaths Class Class Class Class 5 : ~grostis/Juncus 6 : Festuca/Juncus 7 : Agrostis/Holcus 8 : Festuca/Agrostis Class 14: Festuca/Vaccinium Class 15: ~estuca/~ardus/~accinium Class 16: Festuca/Nardus/Molinia Class Clhss Class Class Class 9 : ~alfuna/~olinfa/~accinim~ 10: 11: 12: 13: Vaccinium/Calluna Nardus/Sphagnum/~alluna Eriophorum/Calluna l Calluna KEY TO FIGURES 7.8 AND 7.9 1 F J G U R E 7.9 L A N D GROUP-VECETA'TI 014 GROUP A S S O C l Al'l OIiS-Ll.At<FAC1iRETH VEGETATION GROUP FR~QUENCIES AT S I T E S I N LAND GROUPS PREDICTED C H A N G E S AT MAIN S 2 T S Hill Upland upland Margin h T :\\+ @ :>.$ .::. ,. ....... .:;,;;;:.:;:; ... 2 8 .-...> .:::.::,::. ... ..::... .:.... .... ............... .% :..:..:.,....< :':. .... _. .; __..:_ _.._.. _..:. @ ..<.-..:. ........ 29, .: $.>< .-99 ' FIGURE 7.10 t UPLAND LANDSCAPES STUDY VEGETATION MAP OF LLA FACHRETH SEDGE a RUSH MOORLAND WOODLAND ,'(Mzip;%y,Geoffrey S i n c l a i r . Envirb.nmental Information ~ e h b c e s ) . . I YSBYTY YSTWYTH YSBYTY YSTWYTH - PLATE 1 The plate shows the north western corner of the study area on the edge of the village, looking north eastwards along the valley of the Afon Ystwyth. On the valley sides plantations contrast with fairly extensive deciduous woodland. These give way to moorland on the hill tops in the distance The foreground fields are rough and improved pastures. (Photo by P.Ainsworth) STUDY AREA 8: YSBYTY YSTWYTH, DYFED PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT The study a r e a of Ysbyty Ystwyth (Figure 6-11 i s s i t u a t e d i n t h e yest o f t h e Cambrian Mountains region, about 18 Ian southeast of t h e mid-Wales c o a s t a l town of Aberystwyth. It covers 53 km2, occupying an elongated wedge running from t h e v i l l a g e of Ysbyty Ystwyth eastwards up t o and j u s t a c r o s s t h e watershed t h a t runs approximately north-south through t h e c e n t r e of Wales. Thus it is drained i n p a r t w e S t ~ r d S by t r i b u t a r i e s of t h e River Ystwyth ( P l a t e I ) , and i n p a r t eastwards by streams such a s t h e Elan which e v e n t u a l l y feed t h e Mid-Wales r e s e r v o i r system ( P a r t I, P l a t e 13). The northern boundary of t h e a r e a follows t h e River Ystwyth as it flows pastbthe o l d mines of Cwmystwyth. High grouqd with a l t i t u d e s above 426 m (1 400 f t ) dominates t h e e a s t e r n h a l f of t h e a r e a ( P a r t I , P l a t e 13). Moderate a l t i t u d e s (244-427 m, 801-1 400 f t ) are dominant i n t h e west, and t h e r e is some ground below 244 m along t h e course of t h e Ystwyth (Figure 8-2). Slopes are mainly moderate (5-110) over most o f t h e a r e a but dteep and very s t e e p s l o p e s are important i n t h e north i n a band along t h e southern s i d e of t h e Ystwyth v a l l e y ( P l a t e 11, while g e n t l e s l o p e s are dominant i n t h e s o u t h e a s t e r n t i p of t h e a r e a and Lh a band along i t s southern edge (Figure 8-3). Climatica&ly, r e l a t i v e t o t h e range covered by t h e 12 study a r e a s Ysbyty Ystwyth can be c l a s s i f i e d a s cold and wet ( P a r t I, 2.32). Mean temperatures f o r January and October a r e estimated as 1.8 and 8.80C, t h e annual average of d a i l y sunshine hours i s 3.25, and 20 days a r e given a s t h e average with snow lying. There is of course considerable Variation i n t h e s e q u a n t i t i e s between t h e v i l l a g e l o c a l i t y and t h e e a s t e r n h i l l s ( s e e P a r t I , 2.31 f o r temperature c o n s i d e r a t i o n s ) . I n t h e west, around t h e v i l l a g e , r a i n f a l l is f a i r l y high (1 201-1 600 mm, c. 48-64 i n pa) while over t h e h i l l s s t r e t c h i n g t o t h e e a s t i t is high (1 601-2 200 mm, c. 64-88 i n pa). Geolpgically, t h e a r e a c o n s i s t s e n t i r e l y of s i l t s t o n e s and s l a t y s h a l e s with subordinate sandstones of Lower S i l u r i a n (Llandovery) age. The e a r l y geological maps show it as d r i f t free, but much of t h e h i l l s e c t o r a c t u a l l y has peat cover, many of t h e s t e e p e r s l o p e s have s c r e e and p e r i g l a c i a l head d e p o s i t s mantling them, and some g l a c i a l drifts must occur i n v a l l e y s and depressions. On t h e n a t i o n a l s o i l map t h e western half of t h e study a r e a is mapped i n a u n i t dominated by Brown E a r t h s with subordinate Brown Podzolic S o i l s and Gleys. A narrow band i n t h e c e n t r e of t h e study a r e a arbund Llyn Fyrddon i s mapped a s dominated by Peaty Fodzols i n a s s o c i a t i o n with Peaty Gleys, Brown Podzlic S o i l s , Rankers and Peat. The e a s t e r n q u a r t e r of t h e a r e s is shown as dominated by Peat i i t h subordinate Peaty Gleys and Peaty Podzols. I On t h e a g r i c u l t u r a l land c l a s s i f i c a t i o n map a small area adjoiping t h e Ysbyty Ystwyth-Pontrhydfendigaid road is mapped a s grad 4. Otherwise t h e study a r e a i s a l l .mapped as grade 5, a p a r t from !other u s e s * covering t h e f o r e s t p l a n t a t i o n o f Coed Bwlchgwallterl. I" Topographic f e a t u r e s are i l l u s t r a t e d i n t h e schematic maps of Figure 8-4. Roads and buildings a r e concentrated i n t h e wes o r follow 'the course of t h e Ystwyth. The limited. e x t e n t i n r e l a t vely i n t e n s i v e a g r i c u l t u r a l use is shown by t h e s e c t o r with frequent 1 f i e l d boundaries. 9 The physiographic and topographic d i s t i n c t i o n s between an ea t e r n p a r t and t h e remainder of t h e a r e a are r e f l e c t e d i n t h e d i s t r i b u t i o n of land types. Figure 8-5 shows t h e widespread h i l l l a d group t o be concentrated i n t h e e a s t ( P a r t I, P l a t e 13), w i t h h i l l and high p l a t e a u l&d t y p e s most prominent. The upland land group, p r i n c i p a l l y t h e s t e e p upland land type, f l a n k s t h i s h i l l s e o t o r along t h e northwest margin. Upland and upland pldteau occupies t h e southeastern corner, while upland margin occurs around t h e v i l l a g e and s c a t t e r e d along t h e Ystwyth Valley, I 1 LAND-USE HXSTORY I Ys,byty Ystkyth through h i s t o r y , and probably p r e h i s t o r y been a c e n t r e f o r metal mining. It has a l s o supported a economy t h a t depends on s t o c k movements between lower ground i n wbnter and high moorland grazing@ i n summer, a system t r a d i t i o h a l l y introduced t o .the a r e a i n t h e 12th century by t h e C i s t e r c i a n monks o f S t r a t a F l o r i d a t o t h e south. The p e r s i s t e n c e of t h i s p a s o r a l economy i~ i l l u s t r a t e d by t h e kind of r e f e r e n c e s made t o t h e r o c a l manorial c o u r t during t h e 18th century. These mention t h e need t o r q p a i r ' t h e mountain f e n c e * , prgsumably t o s t o p l i v e s t o c k s t r b y i n g and t o prevent people n o t e n t i t l e d t o common r i g h t s from tukning t h e i r c a t t l e , sheep and horses onto t h e commons. One of t h e most s d r i o u s d i f f i c u l t i e s was preventing t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n by s q u a t t e h s of *new houses and d i t c h e s * . A surveyor f o r t h e Crosswood E s t a t e of some 17 000 ha (42 000 a c r e s ) depcribed i n 1814 how over 100 had been b u i l t by encroachment a n d . r e c o u n t e d how *a great t h e sheep walks on t h i s E s t a t e * had been rendered u s e l e s s because of t h i s 'worst d e s c r i p t i o n of people, t h e very scum of t h i q and o t h e r c o u n t i e s * l I n many cases, t h e s c a l e of s q u a t t i n g r e f l e c t e d t h e l a c k of i n t e r e s t taken by landowners and commoners ilp t h e higher ground. This is borne out by the surveyor's remark that 'the persons that were appointed to show me the estates were very often at a loss to point out the bou..+aries and in many parts of the sheep walks I could not find 'any person who could di'stinguish the boundary from that of other properties' (Crosswood Deeds, manuscript). Turning back to mining, it was only because landowners had again begun to appreciate the potential value of the minerals under their estates after an Act of 1693 gave them, rather than the Crown, the right to profit from mines on their land, that they began to take a greater interest in curbing the activities of trespassers. In opposition to this aim, employment in the mines encouraged more people to come to the area. In some cases squatters were evicted but more usually the threat of eviction was used to persuade them to become tenants paying gn annual rent. This brought mutual benefit. It gave the landowner greater. income and assured him of labour for the metal mines that were being extensively exploited, and it was accepted by the squatters as it regularised their position is a locality that could provide work. Settlement was thus greater than the agricultural resource justified and was only sustained by employment i n mining. This was at a peak in the latter part of the 19th century when in 1871 Ysbyty Ystwyth reached its highest recorded population (941). From this time, the prosperity of the mines declined. Beoause this also coincided with a national fall in thk profitability of upland farming as cheaper world food supplies became available, the population inevitably dropped. In 1931 it was 402 and by the 1971 census it was 227 compared to the 941 peak in the 19th century. No mines have operated in reoent years, but' there is a working roadstone quarry in the western corner of the parish. In the later 18th and early 19th centuries, Ysbyty Ystwyth was on the fashionable tourist itinerary. This resulted from the construction by Thomas Johnes of a mansion at Hafod just north of the Ystwyth. The landscaped Hafod Estate, which extended south of the river within the study area, provided 'romantic' walks and vistas, with planted and architectural features. Landowners in the area were criticised in the early 19th century for neglecting woodlands but Johnes planted substantially, mainly north of the Ystwyth. Deciduous woodlands planted by Johnes have largely been cleared during the 20th century wars and the remnants are now almost obscured by conifer plantations such as that of Coed Bwlohgwallter (Plate 1 and Part I, Plate 30). The agricultural improvements carried out by Johnes also made the estate of public interest but the financial burden of the whole activity was too great and it did not survive Johnes' death. Now the area is not a major recreational magnet. The T i t h e Commutation Survey of 1841, when t h e then P a r i s 4 of Ystiyty Ystwyth was estimated to cover 2 244 ha ( 5 544 a c r s ) , reoorded 1 215 ha ( 3 000 a c r e s ) of common, 810 ha ( 2 QOO a c r e s of meadow and pasture, and 160 ha (400 a c r e s ) of a r a b l e producing b r l e y , potatoes and o a t s (Public Record Office). During t h e EOth century, t i l l a g e area and c a t t l e numbers have f a l l e n , while sheep numbers, though f l u c t u t a t i n g , have remained of a s i m i l a r order between 1900 and 1965 ( P a r t I, Figures 4-4 t o 4-61. ULS (1979) c a l c u l a t e a f a l l of crops and grass from 15% of t h e a r e a i n 1886 t o 13% i n 1978, with an i n c r e a s e i n woodland ( i n c l u d i n g p l a n t a t i o n s ) from 4 t o 8%between t h e same years. 1 Mapping c a r r i e d o u t by t h e Ordnadce Survey first i n 1886 was Uter revised. i n 1901, 1948 and, f o r p a r t of t h e p a r i s h , i n 1964. From these revisions, supported by a i r photographs, Figurq 8-6 a i d d n t i f i e d moorland core aa extending over 3 800 ha, w i t moorland f r i n g e of 568 ha t h a t includes 320 ha of moorland t h a t h a i e been a f f o r e s t e d s i n c e t h e mid-1950s. The non-afforested d i n g e occurs mostly i n t h e upland margin and s t e e p upland land t y p e s (37 and 312 of t h e f r i n g e f a l l r e s p e c t i v e l y i n t o land types dhich occupy 16 and 17% of t h e t o t a l a r e a ) , t h e remainder being i n t h e upland and upland p l a t e a u l a n d . VEGETATION The vegetation at' 75 main sites was recorded i n 1978. Figure 8-7 i n c l u d e s t h e frequency then of vegetation c l a s s e s a t main slites, and Figure 18-8 g i v e s t h e i r l o c a t i o n and v e g e t a t i o n class. : More than half (53%) of t h e s i t e s examined were Shrubby h e a t h s and a f u r t h e r 39% grassy heaths. This s t r o n g moorland element i n t h e f a vegetation c h a r a c t e r i s e s c e n t r a l and e a s t e r n s e c t o r s . E a s t l i h e approximately from Dologau i n t h e north t o Blaen-Marchna t i n t h e south, t h e c e n t r a l moorland sites a r e dominated by s h ubby h e a t h s of c l a s s e s 11, Nardus/SphagndCalluna heath ( p r e s e n t a 23% o f t h e main s i t e s ) , and 12, E r i o p h o r d C a l l u n a heath ( a t 269 of s i t e s ) ( s e e P a r t I, P l a t e 42). It is of i n t e r e s t t h a t t h i s $tudy area was t h e only one i n which evidence of burning as a management t o o l was n o t noted a t recorded heath s i t e s . If t h i s is a p e r s i s t e n t management c h a r a c t e r i s t i c it should have a n impact on t h e c h a r a c t e r and possibly t h e s u r v i v a l of t h e shrubby heaths. P e r i p h e r a l t o t h e s e shrubby heaths is a zone i n which t h e reoorded sites are dominated by grassy heath vegetation, with sites of Festuca/Nardus/Molina heath, c l a s s . 1 6 , prominent south of Llyn Fyrddon =of sites). I n t h e west around Ysbyty Ystwyth ) t h i s c l a s s , with Festuca/Vaccinium heath, c l a s s 14 ( a t 18% o f t h e recorded s i t e s ) , is a s s o c i a t e d p a r t i c u l a r l y with rough pastu e of cLass 8 , Festuca/Agrostis grassland (Part I, P l a t e 30). The 1 I II apparent gap without recorded sites in the north central part of the area on Figure 8-7 is due to the Forestry Cammission plantation of Coed Bwlchgwallter, planted, as previously noted, over the landscaped grounds of Hafod, the 18th century mansion later destroyed by fire. Only along the northern boundary following the Ystwyth (Plate 11, and around the village, are improved and rough pastures, particularly the latter, prominent at the recorded sites. Woodland at 10 sites recorded also in 1978, concentrated along the Ystwyth and in the west, consists of 6 sites classified as upland acid woodlands and 4 as lowland acid woodlands (Part I, Table 3-4). Table 8-1 shows the relationship of vegetation classes at main sites with the land types in which they are situated, while Figure 8-9 sketches the frequency of vegetation groups in land groups, using a map of land groups simplified from Figure 8-5. Upland margin sites were all pastures; upland sites had mainly rough pastures and heaths, while hill sites were dominantly shrubby heaths. Land-uses other than agriculture have major impacts on the present and future of this area. The largest landowner is the Welsh Water Authority, concerned with maintenance of the catchment of its reservoirs to the east. A possible extension of these reservoirs could involve loss of farmland, accompanied by some balancing hill land improvbment (ULS 1979). The status of common lands is being disputed. Forestry is an important employer in the region and could be expanded locally from the existing major planthtion. Simplified which assessments .of forestry potential (Part I, 5.95-5.100), retain more favourable land in agriculture and assume that commercial planting could not extend above 427 m ( 1 400 ft) give 252 of the area. as potential forestry land, compared to the 82 of present forest '(ULS 1979). The conservation aim to maintain a substantial area of little modified and relatively undisturbed moorland is another influence on the future. The Nature Conservancy Council wishes to see the present fairly low-intensity type of agriculture continue in the interests of wild life conservation. It is not possible to predict confidently the outcome of interactions between these major interests. , So far as agriculture is concerned, expansion of effort in the presently farmed area seems unlikely. as the farming structure is based on small fragmented units, with many farmers having other sources than agriculture for part of their income (ULS 1979). On the moorland, changes could be minimal or noticeable depending on resolution of the disputes over common land, and the intentions of t h e Water Authority. ULS a p p l i c a t i o n of t h e MAS (Ministry of Agriculture) c r i t e r i a f o r h i l l land c l a s s i f i b a t i o n t h a t a r e how being developed shows 75% of t h e rough grazing t o be g e n e r a l l y qot improvable, though r a t h e r more than h a l f of t h i s has 'some graz valub'. Only 15% of t h e present rough grazing i s assessed 'impfovable' without s i t e l i m i t a t i o n . Although land holding f a c t o r s could t h u s l e a d t o e i t h e r s t a b i l i t y o r major change, i t is p o s s i b l e t o , p u t t h e s e o p t i o n s a s i d e and \ t o consider p o t e n t i a l changes of vegetation i n t h i s area i n t h e standard way t h a t was been applied t o a l l a r e a s i n t h i s study. Figure 8-8 shows predicted changes o f v e g e t a t i o n class t h a t could occur a t t h e recorded main sites, based on a p p l i c a t i o n of t h e g e n e r a l p r i n c i p l e s of gradual change following agricultural &nd i n t e n s i f i c a t i o n or d e c l i n e s e t o u t i n P a r t I (5.74-5.78 Figure 5-4) and summarised ' i n Appendix 2. The frequencies vegetation c l a s s e s t h a t could r e s u l t fr6m such changes a r e i n c l u i n Figure 8-7. It has been noted previously t h a t t h e most prominent vegetat{on c l a s s e s are shrubby heaths of c l a s s 11 (Nardus/Sphagnum/Call na heath) and c l a s s 12 (Eriophorum/Calluna heath), with grassy he t h c l a s s e s 14, Festuca/Vaccinium heath, and 16, Festuca/Nardus/Molibia heath. The standard p r e d i c t i o n s o r change are t h a t i n t e n s i f i e d a g r i c u l t u r e could cause t h e s e grassy heaths t o change t o r o w p a s t u r e s arid bhrubby heath c l a s s 11 t o move towards grassy heath class 16. Shrubby heath c l a s s 12 is unlikely to chalige s i g n i f i c a n t l y . If a g r i c u l t u r e declined t h e g r a s s y h e a t h s could mdve towards shhubby heaths but i n i t i a l l y a t least t o r a t h e r d r i e r I classes (classes13 0r9, Calluna heath or Moli~ia/Vaccinium heath) than t h e wet boggy moorland are now t h e most common shrubby heaths. i- i The o v e r a l l impact of t h e predicbed changes is t h a t a g r i c u l t u a1 i n t e n s i f i c a t i o n . could involve i n c r e a s e s i n improved p a s t u r e s ( f om 6 t o 17% of s i t e s ) and of rough p a s t u r e s (from 11 t o 30% o f sit s ) while shrubby heaths would f a l l from 53 t o 26% o f s i t e s . Fi-om p r e d i c t i o n s o f change following a g r i c u l t u r a l d e c l i n e , t h e r e would be a s u b s t a n t i a l i n c r e a s e i n shrubby h e a t h s ( t o 83% o f recorded s i t e s ) with f a l l s i n o t h e r vegetation groups. 681 o f sites could ohahge t h e i r vegetation group on a g r i c u l t u r a l i n t e n s i f i c a t i o n and 45% on a g r i c u l t u r a l decline. I The r e l a t i o n s h i p between t h e predicted balances of vegetation groups and t h e land groups i n Ysbyty Ystwyth is included i n Figuhe 8-9. Change would be most obvious i n t h e upland group, w t h pasttares becoming more prominent than heaths a f t e r a g r i c u l t u a 1 i n t e h s i f i c a t i o n , or almost disappearing with a g r i c u l t u r a l d e c l i e. I n t h e upland margin group, heaths would r e p l a c e rough p a s t u r e s a t about a t h i r d of t h e - sites under t h e a g r i c u l t u r a l d e c l i n e predictions. I Figure 8-10 reproduces t h e vegetation map prepared i n t h e Upland Landscapes Study (1979). It i s p o s s i b l e t o c o r r e l a t e I T E vegetation c l a s s e s a t main s i t e s ( i n c l u d i n g t h e a d d i t i o n a l s i t e s recorded i n with t h e ULS mapping unfts i n which 1979, s e e P a r t I, 5.66-5.67) they a r e s i t u a t e d (Table 8-2). Appendix 3 d i s c u s s e s t h e o v e r a l l c o r r e l a t i o n f o r 11 study areas. Most ULS map u n i t s i n t h i s a r e a i n c l u d e a range of grassy and shrubby heaths. The most widespread, 'sedge and r u s h moorland', i n c l u d e s mainly sites of 2 shrubby heath c l a s s e s . 'Farmland' appears t o contain a wide range of vegetation c l a s s e s , around 351 of t h e s i t e s in' t h i s u n i t being c l a s s i f i e d a s heaths. Table 8-3 s e t s o u t t h e proportions i n which ITE c l a s s e s could occur a t main s i t e s i n each ULS mapping u n i t if t h e standardised courses of vegetation change discussed above occurred i n t h i s . area. The 'coarse grassland/Molinia' u n i t i s one which could show t h e r e l a t i v e l y l a r g e s t swings between p a s t u r e s and heaths. CONCLUSION Ysbyty Ystwyth has opposed i n t e r e s t s a c t i n g towards s t a b i l i t y o r change. Conservation i n t e r e s t s wish t o s u s t a i n t h e p r e s e n t low tempo a g r i c u l t u r e and r e t a i n t h e open moorland, while p r e s e n t farm s t r u c t u r e and f a r m e r s ' a t t i t u d e s a l s o tend t o main t h e s t a t u s quo. F o r e s t r y however could expand i f t h e common land i s s u e and water catchment needs were resolved. Water requirements might, by drowning some land and encouraging t h e upgrading of o t h e r moorland i n compensation, a f f e c t t h e vegetation of t h e moorland markedly. I f conservatioh i n t e r e s t s p r e v a i l , then change a s a r e s u l t of impetus from a g r i c u l t u r a l a c t i v i t y alone is u n l i k e l y t o be g r e a t . A t p r e s e n t , Ysbyty Ystwyth has t h e t h i r d l a r g e s t proportion of shrubby heath s i t e s of any study a r e a ( a f t e r Lunedale and Heptonstall) and it is c l e a r l y e c o l o g i c a l l y important a s having one of t h e l e a s t disturbed moorland s e c t o r s among t h e study parishes. The p o t e n t i a l by f o r f o r e s t r y .expansion is considerable and might l e a d , compromise, t o ' i n t e n s i f i e d a g r i c u l t u r e i n t h e west based on fewer l a r g e r f a r m u n i t s . F o r e s t r y o r water developments then could bring about s u b s t a n t i a l vegetation change but on balance, probably t h e p r e s e n t s i t u a t i o n may s u r v i v e l a r g e l y unchanged, a t l e a s t i n t h e s h o r t term. - 1 CR03SWOOD DEEDS Manuscripts in the National Library of Wal s, Aberystwyth. DAVIES, A.E. (1976). Enclosures in Cardiganshire 1750-18b0. Ceredigion, 8, 100-140. GREEN, F. (editor) (1927). Calendar of Deeds and Documents. National Library of Wales, Aberystuyth, pp 478. PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, Manuscript IR 18 14047. SWTH, L.P. (1976). The Agricultural Climate of England and Wales. Tech. Bull. 35, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, HMSO London. Parish ~epoht. UPLAND LANDSCAPES STUDY. (1979). Ysbyty Ystwyth unpublished report to the Countryside Commission, May 1979. - TABLE 8-1 CORRELATION OF VEGETATION CLASSES AND LAND TYPE8 I Vw.t.tlcm Croup U d Cl". Land Croup u d f l p e mill Steep El11 (1). Improved P..turos - YSBYTY YSTWYTH Vplud 0) nigh P1.te.u (4) Steep Vplud ( 5 ) wl-* (') Vplud Pl.t.." (8) Uplud Y.r.1~ ( 6 ) 1 1 a 1 3 4 A s number of sites of each vegetation c l a s s located i n each land type. Land type nunlbers an used on computer maps, Figure 8-5. 1 1 TABU 8-2 - YSBYTY YSTIIYTB CORRELATION OF ULB VEGETATION HAPPING UNIT8 AND ITB VEGETATION CLASSEB ITE Vegetation Clam8 NuBber of ITE Site8 in Area oi ULB Unit ULB Yapping Unit Improved Parture8 l smooth Grassland 7 Coarre ~rassland/N&e 4 as coarse ~ r ~ s l m d / k Z i n i u a 9 1 1 Rough Parturer 4 6 8 7 ~ra8.0 Heath8 8 1 a a Sub-8hr~br/Beather8 Sub-rhrubr/Bilberry Sub-rhrubr/Gorre Sedge & Rluh Moorland - Farmland -- A8 number of recorded -, 1 4 1 5 1 0 a 1 1 3 8 3 1 a e 1 lD r a 1 1 9 4 a7 - 14 9 1 0 1 1 1 2 1 3 .a 1 Bracken Shrubby Heath. -- 1 1 1 a -- 1 2 1 1 5 1 2 3 1 3 - - -- 1 - site8 in each ITB vegetation clarr that are located in each ULS unit 1 8 19 1 -- TABLE 8-3 SITES LOCATED IN ULS MAPPING UFIITS PREDICTIONS OF CHANGE IN THE BALANCE OF VEGETATION GROUPS AT - YSBYTY YSTWYTB - ITE Vegetation Groups Smooth Grassland A B C A B C A B 2' 3 1 1 2 1 2 2 2 Coarse Grassland/&Zinia 4 2 Bracken 1 Sub-sh~bs/Heathers Sub-mhrubm/Bilberry 2 Sub-mhrubs/Gorse 2 1 Farmland A B C 2 @ S 9 2 2 1 1. 1 1 1 2 5 Sedge k Rush Moorland Am number Of recorded 9 4 A C 1 B 2 4 3 8 2 4 12 a g r i c u l t u r a l use increased, 1 W yro a g r i c u l t u r a l use decreamed, lo+ Yra 21 2 1 1 2 1 3 1 1 2 13 27 1 5 22 B 6 1 s i t e s f a l l i n g i n each ITE vegetation group t h a t are located i n each UL8 u n i t - s i t u a t i o n am recorded - predicted balance of vegetation i f - predicted b a l m c e of vegetation i f 4 2 1 5 C 4 4 4 Coarse Gramsland/Nardus Shrubby Heaths Grassy Heaths Rough Pastures Improved Pastures ULB Yapping Unit FIGURE 8.2 I 0 0000000 00000000000 00000000000000 *###000000000000000 #000000000000000000 #*~10000000000000000000 ttOOOOOt3D~OOOOOOOOO #000000000000000000 ~00000000000000000 00000000000000000 00#0000 m0000000 OOO##O 00000000 001 0000000 ## 00000 + , BomhmtYy-AAmtudes - - 4 244~1 (800f t ) # ####OO# 1##00000### ##*000000000## 0000#000000000000** 01#*##000000000000# 00001#######00000000Q*# 00C####1###0#000000 0*#####**##00000000 0#######0000000000 *#######000000000 ##O#### *00000000 ##IOO# 00000000 ##O 0000000 00 00000 + uominantly A l t i t u i e s 24J+-l+2?m(800-1400ft) 0 0000##0 OOO#####OOO 000##t#t####00 00000############00 000000##########~#0 000000000000#########00 OOOOOOOOOOOtO##C### 000000000001####### 00000000########## 00000000###~##### 0000000 O######## 000000 ######## 000 1####t# 00 *#I## - +Dominantly Altitudes >427m(1400ft) I FIGURE 8.3 SLOPE SECTORS - YSBYTY YSTWYTH , 0 OOOOOO# OOOOOOtOOOO 00000#t#O#OO#O 000000000##000#0##0 00000000000#0000#00 0000000000000000#t00000 0000000000000000##0 000000#000000000### 000000000000000#0# 000000000#0000##0 ##*0000 000#00##0 *Cot## OCOOt### 000 OOOO### #I OttOO Dominantly Gentle Slopes # 00000#0 #000000*##0 00#0#000#0##0# OOOOOO#O#OO###O#OO# #00000#####0####0## 0000000###10####00#tOtt O*#~O###t##O###*00# *#~##t000##0#0#*000 ###.###0#######0#0 #########00###00# OOO#### 00#0*000# 000000 00*#0000 ### ###to00 00 #OOlO Domlnantly Moderate Slopes 0 00###00 O*###OOOOOO ##0#0000000000 000###0#00000000000 0#####0000000000000 #~#####0000#00000000000 #000#000000#0000000 0000000#000#0000000 000000000000000000 OOOOOOOOOO#OOOOOO 0000000 0#0000000 000000 00000000 000 0000000 00 00000 Dominantly Steep and Very Steep Slopes (<so) (5-11°) (>11O) L 8.4 FIGURE TOWGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS - YSBYTY Y S m T H " 0 I #000000 ####OO# #tOOOOOOOOO #t000000~0~ #0#00000000000 #Ot#fOOOOOOOO~ 0####00000000000000 #tt#*OOO0000000000~ *#0#*00000000000000 tt####0000000000000 #000##00000#00000000000 ####~###0t###000000000~ #####00000000000000 ###*###t###00000000 ######0000000000000 ##tC#tIt*###0000000 ~ ~~~o~~ooooooooooo #~~~~~#t##tooaoooo *##*#000000000000 #*##f$**#OoO00Mt0 OO##### $#0000000 #t##t## ###to0000 #090#0 00000000 C#l l # # 00000000 ### 0000000 0000000 ##I +# 00000. ## 00000 - # Roads Present . # 0 #000000 O#OOOOOOOOO 00000000000000 ###1000000000000000 O#O##OOOOOOOOOOOOOO #0#000#000#000000000000 0####00000000000000 ####0#0000000000000 ~~+~oooooooooooooo +#*OOOO0000000000 OC#t##O 000000000 00000000 #OOO## 0000000 0## +# 00000 + Buildings Present , Frequent Field Boundaries Score>lO, on scale 0-25 FIGURE 8.5 LAND TYPES -YSBYTY YSTWYTH L ---113--131343-3-1--3444343341333443334344- --------- 11333343333433 --------3--13334433333 ----------- 13313443 ------4---13133444 -------3331333434 -------3341133443 ------- --I433443 -------- 14334444 3333444 -- 34433 - HILL Uh3 1 3 4 - 5 -55---8 -5-----5-5 ~-55--------7 ----5--------------5555--------------5555555-555----------, --7-55-5-55---------7----"'= adad--------7--5--5---------7--7-" J4---------88877-887887 77-8 -------------------------- GRWP auep ~ 1 1 1 5 HI11 7 Hlph PkC*su 8 - win GRCUP steep Uplmd UPlaM' U P ~ W P1ato.u 6-----6---------- - -------------_ 6666-------------- 6------------------ 6---------------------66-6--6-6---------66-666------------6-66-66-----------66-&-----------66 66------- ---------- ------------------ --6 6- U P M D KARCIN UND G R W 6 - U P ~ ~m gM 1 n 6 F I G U R E 8.6 MOORLAND CORE, F R I N G E AND FARPILAND AFFORESTED MOORLAND TUIMLAND - Y S B Y T ~YSTWYTH ~ FIGURE 8.7 VEGETATION CLASS FREQUENCY AT M A I N SITES C - YSBYTY YSTWYTH FIGURE 8.8 I LOCATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF VEGETATION MA N SITES YS5YTY YSTWYTH I Overall Freq encies of Vegetatio Croups Predicted i f 'Agriculture Increased I KEY TO FIGURE Croup 1. Improved Pastures 8.8 Class 7 : Lolim/Holcus/Pter~dium Class 2 : Lolium Class 3 : Lolium/Trifollum Class 4 : Herb ,.richLol-ium - Croup 2. Rough Pastures Group 3. Grassy Heaths Group 4. Shrubby Heaths Class 5 : Agrostia/Juncus Class 6 : Festuca/Juncus Class 7 : Agrostis/Holcus Class 8 : Festuca/Agrostis Class 14: Festuca/Vaccinium Class 15: Festuca/Nardus/Vaccinium Class 16: Festuca/Nardus/Molinia Class Clhss Class Class Class 9 : ~alluna/~olinia/Vaccinim 10: Vaccinium/Calluna 11: Nardus/Sphagnum/Calluna 12: Eriophorum/Calluna 13: Calluna KEY TO FIGURES 8.8 SWUbby@ Heaths Grassy Heatk .... AND 8.9 lmprond .....<:. . ~ a s t k e ..-.-.-.-.. .i..... .--*. ROU& Pastme VEGETATlON GROUP F R ~ E N C J E SAT SITES I N LAND GR(1LIPS AT MAIN SITES PREDICTED CW+IJCES. FIGURE 8.LO UPLAND LANDSCAPES STUDY VEGETATION MAP OF YSBYTY YSTWYTH dominant species SMOOlW GRASSLAND fescue/ bents COARSE GRASSLAND Nardus BRACKEN bracken SUB-SHRUBS heathers Ezz gorse ,cotton grass deer sedae SEDGE & RUSH MOORLAND L Juncus (all) Sphagnum bog myrtle WOODLAND ( ~ a pby Geoffrey Sinclair, Environmental Information services) --* GLASCWM I GLASCWM - PLATE 1 View in the northern sector of the study area showing extensive grassland improvement in the foreground and on the distant hills, with fingers of rough pastures, mainly on wetter lower ground in the mid-distance. The foreground vegetation is improved pasture of class 3, Lolium/Trifolium grassland. (photo by P.Ainsworth) FIGURE 9.1 THE STUDY AREA OF GLASCWM Crown Copyright Reserved STUDY AREA 9: GLASCWM, POWYS PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT The study a r e a of Glascwm (Figure 9-1 1, covering approximately 37 km2, i s s i t u a t e d i n t h e Radnor-Clun F o r e s t s region about 8 km e a s t of B u i l t h Wells. A l t i t u d e s between 244 and 427 m (800-1 400 f t ) dominate most of t h e a r e a , w i t h lower ground dominant along t h e Edw River i n t h e west, and land over 427 m prominent on t h e h i l l s i n t h e east (Figure 9-21. Moderate s l o p e s (5-100) a r e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c of much of t h e area (Figure 9-3 and P l a t e 1 ) but s t e e p and very s t e e p s l o p e s a r e f r e q u e n t around Drewern and following t h e v a l l e y of t h e Clas Brook t o Glascwm v i l l a g e , while g e n t l e Slopes a r e prominent from Franks Bridge t o Cwmmaerdy. C l i m a t i c a l l y , i n r e l a t i o n t o o t h e r upland a r e a s i n t h i s study, Glascwm can be described a s r e l a t i v e l y w a r m and dry ( P a r t I , 2.32). January and October mean temperatures a r e estimated as 2.2 anH 9.20C, t h e annual average of d a i l y sunshine hours is 3.25, and t h e average number of days w i t h snow l y i n g i s 20. R a i n f a l l is f a i r l y high (1 201-1 600 mm, c. 48-64 i n pa) over t h e h i g h e r ground i n t h e e a s t , and moderate ( 1 001-1 200 mm, c. 40-48 i n pa) on t h e lower ground i n t h e west (Figure 9-4). The growing season f o r grass i n t h e d i s t r i c t c o n t a i n i n g Glascwm, a t an average a l t i t u d e of 309 m, i s estimated by Smith (1976) as 229 days ( 8 April-23 November). Geologically, Glascwm c o n s i s t s v i r t u a l l y e n t i r e l y of S i l u r i a n non-calcareous s h a l y sedimentary rocks, t y p i c a l of t h e most widespread s o i l p a r e n t m a t e r i a l s i n Wales. I n t h e northwest around Graig and Blaen Edw a few narrow outcrops of igneous rocks ( r h y o l i t i c a s h and d o l e r i t e s ) a r e shown on t h e e a r l y g e o l o g i c a l maps, but no r e c e n t d e t a i l e d survey t h a t confirms t h e i r presence h a s been l o c a t e d . No g l a c i a l d r i f t is mapped, but shallow d r i f t s and head d e p o s i t s a r e c e r t a i n l y p r e s e n t on t h e lower ground and f o o t s l o p e s . On t h e n a t i o n a l s o i l map Glascwm lies mainly i n a mapping u n i t dominated by f r e e l y drained Brown E a r t h s , with a s s o c i a t e d Gleyb and Brown Podzolic S o i l s . There i s a small s e c t o r on Glascwm H i l l mapped a s dominated by Peaty Podzols. The a g r i c u l t u r a l . land c l a s s i f i c a t i o n maps r e f l e c t t h e combination of a c l i m a t e t h a t is r e l a t i v e l y f a v o u r a b l e f o r an upland area, and S o i l s t h a t a r e predominantly f r e e l y drained mineral s o i l s of r e a s o n a b l e a g r i c u l t u r a l p o t e n t i a l . About h a l f t h e s t u d y a r e a , mainly i n a zone approximately 2 km wide along i t s western boundary, t o g e t h e r w i t h an a r e a around t h e hamlet of Glascwm i t s e l f , is c l a s s i f i e d a s grade 4 land ( P l a t e 1 and P a r t I, P l a t e 14). The remainder, comprising t h e higher p a r t s such a s Glascwm H i l l , t h e 2 " L i t t l e H i l l s n i n t h e east,' and Blaen Edw i n t h e n o r t h e a s t , is c l a s s e d a s grade 5. Topographically (Figure 9-51, t h e r e is a q u i t e i n t e n s i v e pattenn o f small roads throughout most of t h e area, which is crossed by t h e A481 main road between B u i l t h Wells and New Radnor. There k s a c l o s e l y r e l a t e d settlement and farming i n t e n s i t y p a t t e r n , with b u i l d i n g s and frequent f i e l d boundaries concentrated i n t h e iower ground of t h e west and following t h e Clas Brook valley. I he d i s t r i b u t i o n of land types ( p a r t I, 4.11-4.20) is sho Fikure 9-6. A l l 7 land types a r e represented but t h e group is most widespread, occupying h a l f t h e area. present i n t h e e a s t and southeast around Glascwm H i l l s , while upland margin is mainly concentrated t h i r d of t h e area. LAND-USE HISTORY 1 The Welsh borderland i n which Glascwm is s i t u a t e d is a r e g i o n yhich has maintained a r e l a t i v e s t a b i l i t y of land-use till r e c e n t Cimes ( S y l v e s t e r 19691. A s i n o t h e r upland a r e a s , e a r l y s e t t l e m e n t u t i l i s e d t h e higher ground b u t , by t h e I r o n Age and t h e qoman period, p a s t o r a l a g r i c u l t u r e had predominantly moved lower. Glagcwm, although never becoming a s e t t l e m e n t of any s i z e , h a s an d a r l y h i s t o r y a s a church. This possibly extends a s far back as t h e 6 t h century and t h e church was c e r t a i n l y mentioned i n t h e 12th cen ury. P a s t o r a l farming, from s c a t t e r e d farmsteads, remained t h e main a g r i c u l t u r a l e f f o r t through t h e c e n t u r i e s . Writers on :.ocal a g r i c u l t u r e during t h e l a s t 200 years or so emphasised t h e ecope o f f e r e d by t h e n a t u r a l environment of Glascwm f o r a r a b l e expansion and p a s t u r e improvement. Malkin (1804) described how ' t h e mountains of Radnorshire a r e f o r t h e most p a r t low and broad-crowned, s o t h a t they might be c o n v e r t i b l e t o purposes of husbandry, i f t h e r e was not a l r e a d y a l a r g e r proportion of ground i n t i l l a g e than t h e confined knowledge and d e f i c i e n t a c t i v i t y of t h e n a t i v e s can t u r n t o a l u c r a t i v e account'. The 'impoverished and hungry1 a p p e q a n c e of t h e farms he considered t o r e f l e c t not s o much t h e marejinal n a t u r e of t h e land f o r farming but t h e 'slovenly management, Local p r e j u d i c e s and indolent h a b i t s ' o f t h e occupants! Redford ( 19801, r e p o r t i n g t h e 1st Land U t i l i z a t i o n Survey c a r r i e d o u t i n t h e area i n 1932, noted t h a t t h e land-use of Radnorshire had undergone 'no major change f o r hundreds of years'. The farming p a t t e r n then included l i m i t e d cropping f o r f a r m use and a concentration on qheep u t i l i s i n g t h e h i l l g r a z i n g s on common land, with some r e a r i q o f c a t t l e f o r f a t t e n i n g on t h e b e t t e r l a n d s of Herefordshire I and "i Shropshire. Glascwm Hill and Red Hill just south of the parish boundary at this time were described as being covered by 'considerable areas of Moliniacand Nardus pasture surrounded by an extensive belt of heather'. The lower slopes were occupied largely by fescue and bracken. Very few farmers attempted to plough all the available land on their holdings. Only the 3 or 4 most accessible fields with the most favourable aspect were used to grow cereals, clover and roots in rotation. The strictures on the capacity of early 19th century farmers and the problems of those between 1918 and 1939 have not continued to apply to present day farming. The considerable changes which have occurred since 1945 are mentioned when discussing the vegetation of the main sites recorded in the area. These changes have particularly emphasised pasture improvement in the sectors already in relatively intensive agricultural use. A series of maps follows extension of intensive agricultural use into the moorland core over the past 150 years. Figure 9-7 shows the land-use pattern as mapped in the Tithe Commutation Survey of 1837 (Public Record Office) and Figure 9-8 the closely comparable distribution of rough pasture and intensively farmed land as it existed at the 1st Land Utilization Survey in 1932. The Ordnance Survey prepared their first large scale map of the area in 1887, with revisions in 1902 1948 and 1965. Figure 9-9 which plots moorland core, moorland fringe, and farmland as identified from different map and air photo sources (Part I, 4.471, up to 1965 shows again the relatively stable pattern which had persisted, with only small areas of fringe as land had changed between farm and moor. After 1965 the rate of agricultural improvement or afforestation of the moorland core has accelerated, the situation in 1978 being shown in Figure 9-10. Farmland that has been continuously in intensive use over the period approximately post-1800 occupies 53% of the area, moorland core 35%, and moorland fringe 12% (444 ha). The moorland fringe mainly consists of land reclaimed for agriculture (accounting for 8% of the total area) with some reclaimed for afforestation (251, and a further 2% which has changed from intensive agricultural use to moorland rough grazing over the period (the figures for these changes are given in Table 4-6 in Part I). 50% of the fringe falls in the upland plateau, 20% in the upland margin and 16% in the steep upland land types, which comprise 14, 27 and 25% of the area as a whole, showing a relative favouring of the upland plateau land for recent change. A g r i c u l t u r a l s t a t i s t i c s from 1900-1965 ( P a r t I, Figures 4-4 t o 4-6) show a s t e e p , steady r i s e i n t i l l a g e s i n c e 1940 and i n c r e a s e s a l s o i n sheep and t o a l e s s e r e x t e n t c a t t l e , though c a t t l e i n 1965 were s t i l l only a t about a l e v e l reached temporarily i n 1910. Calculations by ULS (1980) g i v e an i n c r e a s e i n t h e a r e a of c ops and g r a s s between 1887 and 1976 from 46 t o 57% of t h e area. Gla cwm' t h u ~ s remains primarily a g r i c u l t u r a l , but under a regime whic is more i n t e n s i v e and prosperous than a t any previous period. Re e n t a f f o r e s t a t i o n i n t h e a r e a c o n s i s t s of a few small p l a n t a t i o n s , but t h e r e is a n e g l i g i b l e impact of o t h e r upland land-use i n t e r e ts, such a s water supply, r e c r e a t i o n or conservation. i VEQETATION I n Glascwm t h e vegetation was recorded i n 1977 a t 71 main s i t e s a n d 11 woodland s i t e s , a s described i n P a r t I, Chapter 3. IT h e percentage of main s i t e s i n each vegetation c l a s s i n 1977 are included i n Figure 9-11, while i n d i v i d u a l s i t e l o c a t i o n s and t e i r vegetation c l a s s e s a r e shown i n Figure 9-12. Improved past r e s acoount f o r 49% of a l l recorded s i t e s and rough p a s t u r e s occu y a f u r t h e r 23%. Lolium/Trifolium and herb-rich Lolium imprbved p a s t u r e s , c l a s s e s 3 and 4 , a r e most prominent (421 j o i n t l y ) while Agrostis/Holcus and Festuca/Agrostis rough pastures, classes 7 and 8, ( j o i n t l y 17% of recorded s i t e s ) are a l s o Prequent. The moorland element i s t h u s muted i n Glascwm, t h e grassy and shrubby heath groups combined accounting f o r only 282 of s i t e s . Only Lybton and Monyash have smaller proportions of heath c l a s s e s a t t h e i r recorded s i t e s . 1 t Most of t h e moorland vegetation s i t e s a r e a s s o c i a t e d with co on land i n t h e e a s t and southeast of t h e p a r i s h ( t h e l o c a t i o of common land i n Glascwm is shown i n P a r t I, Figure 4 ~ 2 ) . Festuca/Vaccinium grassy heath, c l a s s 14 (1211, and Vaccinium/Calluna shrubby heath, c l a s s 10 (1321, a r e present i n roughly equal proportions ( P a r t I, P l a t e s 31 and 44). Festuca/Vaccinium heath sites a r e concentrated round t h e mre westerly of t h e 2 h i l l s t h a t are both r e f e r r e d t o by t h e Ordmnce Survey a s ' L i t t l e H i l l ' , i n t h e southeast corner. Vaccinium/Calkuna heath s i t e s occur i n a band running a c r o s s t h e southern end of I t h e p a r i s h and t o t h e northeast between t h e western Gwaunceste H i l l . A l e s s extensive l o c a l i t y w i t h grassy maanly Festuca/Vaccinium heath, i s present i n t h e P a r t I, Plate 14). Small semi-natural woodlands are scattered throughout the parish. These fall into the lowland basic woodland (5 recorded sites) and upland acid woodland ( 6 recorded sites) categories (Part I, Table 3-11). Only 3 of the woodlands visited in Glascwm showed evidence of regeneration, proportionately the lowest recorded in the whole study apart from in Shap which had no woodland regeneration. Poor regeneration as a result of grazing pressure is clearly critical to the continued survival of these remnant woods. Of the forestry plantations, the largest are near Llyn-y-waun in the centre of the parish and near Llanweir Pool in the north. Table 9-1 shows the association between vegetation classes at main sites in the study area and the land types in which they are situated, and Figure 9-13 includes a schematic illustration of the association between land groups and vegetation groups using a sketch of land group distribution based on Figure 9-6. Hill land contains virtually all the recorded sites of shrubby heaths. Upland, while containing some grassy heath sites, has mainly improved and rough pastures, while sites in the upland margin are predominantly improved pastures. POTENTIAL VEGETATION CHANGE Glascwm is notable for its present high frequency of improved pastures, half the main sites recorded being in this group. As shown in Figure 9-11, and noted above, herb-rich Lolium and Lolium,~rSolium grasslands are the most important classes, accounting for 42% of the recorded main sites. The scale of abrupt improvements which have taken place and are still proceeding in this area is such that gradual vegetation change is likely to be a minor part of the picture of future landscape change. It is unlikely that any agricultural decline would lead to substantial reversion of the improved pastures, though theoretically if this did happen some could change through Festuca/Agrostis, class 8, rough pastures towards Festuca/Vaccinium, class 14, grassy heaths, from which they were probably initially developed. In this area, scrub woodland would be likely to interrupt such a succession, in the absence of grazing. Declining grazing pressure could expand shrubby heaths at sites that are now grassy heaths. The assumptions applied in Part I (5.95-5.100) to estimate potential forestry land in the study areas give an estimate that potentially forestry could occupy 35% compared to its present 4% of his would involve a fall of 15% in the land in the area. agriculture (Part I, Table 5-19). In an area which is favourable for agriculture and in which agriculture is expanding, this assumed forestry potential is unlikely to be realised under any foreseeable conditions. Considering gradual change through further agricultqral intensification, it is probable that improvement schemes w 11 mainly be at the expense of, the comparatively plentiful r ugh pastures, upgrading agriculturalLy the Agrostis/Holcus, claS 7, a n d Festuca/Agrostis, c l a s s 8 grasslands. In so far a9 intensification modifies the existing heath vegetation it is li ly to affect first the remnants of grassy heaths in the north. If grazing pressures increase on the shrubby heath common grazings on the hills in the southeast, then Vaccinium/Calluna, class 10 shrubby heath would move through Festuca/Vaccinium, class 14 grassy heath towards Festuca/Agrostis, class 8 rough pasture. I : ULS (1979) in their application of the hill land classifica~ion scheme being developed by ADAS have noted that of the present rqugh grazings some 50% are 'improvable', 17% have some limitations to impFovement and 33% are 'not improvable' though of this latter, 752 have 'some grazing value'. These calculations are ano her indication of the potential in Glagcwm for further change. The overall estimated changes in the balance of vegetation cla ses at recorded sites are given in Figure 9-11 and the predidted situations at individual main sites are shown in Figure 9-12. These predictions of the results of agricultural intensification or decline are based on a standard application to all sites of the general ecological trends of change discussed in Part I (5.74-5.78 and Figure 5.4) They are therefore generalised probabilities rather than confident assessments at each individual site of the likely response to specific site and managment conditions. I i With this reservation, the prediction is that increased intensit of agricultural use in this area would lead to an estimated increas in recorded sites with improved pastures from 49 to 72% and a decr ase of sites with rough pastures from 23 to 13%. Grassy heaths wduld remain unchanged in their frequency, though not their location, and shrubby heaths would disappear. The prediction for a decliding agriculture situation shows a halving (49 to 25%) of improved pastures at recorded sites, with increases in the remainina 3 vegetation groups, although that for grassy heaths would be negligible. Shrubby heaths would double, from 141 of sites in 1977 to an estimated 28%. Calculating the proportion of recorded main sites estimated as liable to change their vegetation group uqder the general hypotheses of agricultural expansion or contraction leading to gradual vegetation change, 51% would change agriculture intensified, while 54% of sites if agriculture declined (Part I, Table 5-17). Figure 9-13 includes the predicted change in the balance of vegetation groups in each land group. In the hill land, shrubby heaths would disappear if agriculture intensified, or would expand by about half their present number of sites if agriculture decreased. In both cases the vegetation range would become less varied than it is now. The upland sector would also become vegetationally less varied if agriculture increased, while the upland margin sector would be likely to become virtually entirely improved pastures. In a situation of declining agriculture there would be more vegetation diversity introduced into the upland margin sector. A reduction of the Upland Landscapes Study vegetation map of Glascwm is included here as Figure 9-14. Table 9-2 shows the correlation between ITE vegetation classes at the recorded main sites (including additional sites recorded in 1979, see Part I, 5.66-5.67) and ULS mapping units in which the sites fall. 'Farmland' is the dominant ULS unit and this in turn has most ITE sites situated in it, only about 9% of these being heath classes. Of the remainder, about 65% are improved pastures, and the rest rough pastures. The prominent heath classes at ITE sites are gras$y heath class 14, Festuca/Vaccinium heath and shrubby heath class 10, Vaccinium/Calluna heath. The first of these falls mainly in the ULS 'coarse grass/Molinial, 'bracken', and lsub-shrubs/heathers' units, while the latter's sites occur in the 'sub-shrubs/heathersV and sub-shrubs/bilberryl units. Table 9-3 shows the way in which the proportions of vegetation classes at ITE sites in each mapping unit would change as a consequence of the predictions made from standard assumptions following agricultural intensification or decline. The small areas of 'coarse grasslandf and 'bracken' could show the largest overall contrasts from being entirely pastures, through a mixture of pasture and heath classes, to being entirely heaths, while the 'farmland' would become notably more diversified if agriculture declined, as heaths expanded at the expense of rough pastures, and rough pastures at the expense of improved pastures. CONCLUSION Glascwm is an upland area in which agriculture is definitely the main land-use, with little conflict with other major users. Its climate, soil and physiography are relatively generally favourable to agriculture. Improvement of present pastures will be a main course of agricultural intensification. Additionally reclamation of the limited most favourable areas of remaining heaths will continue. The probable sequence of change would be to rough pastures and eventually where possible to improved pastures on the lower altitude heaths free of common land constraints. Only limited sectors of heath vegetation are likely to persist on the highest ground of the least favourable shallow soils and, even there, grassy heaths will take over as grazing pressures are intensified. The attitudes of farmers as eppressed both to ULS and during the ITE fieldwork all emphasised intentions to continue grassland improvement schemes as far as economically possible. In skch circumstances, major forestry expansion is unlikely and there negLigible recreational or conservation interests active in area to exert counteracting pressures against agricult intensification. Expansion of improved pastures and a the heaths can be expected to continue to simplify the range in the Glascwm landscape. REFERENCES MALKIN, B.H. (1804). The Scenery, Antiquities Biography of South Wales, pp 225-270. Reprinted by SR Publishers, @st Ardsley, 1970. PUB4IC RECORD OFFICE Manuscripts IR 29/30, 55/14. REDFORD, L.K. (1940). Radnor, in: The Land of Britain, edited by L.D. Stamp. 1st Land Utilisation Survey, Part 35, pp 269- 90, Geographical Publications, London. SMITH, L.P. (1976). The Agricultural Climate of England and Wabs. Tech. Bull. 35, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, HMSO London. SYLVESTER, D. (1969). The Rural Lgndscape of the Welsh Borderlqnd: A - Study in Historical Geography. Macmillan, London. UPL4ND LANDSCAPES STUDY. (1977-79). Bransdale and Glascwm P lot Study Report; and Summary and Supplementary Mater al. Unpublished reports to the Countryside Commission, 1977 and October 1979. I - --- i TABLE 9-1 CORRELATION OF VEGETATION CLASSES AND LAND TYPES - GLAElCIY L u d Croup u d Type Bill V . ~ e t s t i m Group m a Cl. Steep B i l l (1). Improved P..tura* D p l d Blgh p1.te.u (4) Up1ud 1 1 2 1 1 3 3 3 4 lough ~..ture. Stesp (5) vp1.na 5 1 8 1 14 3 1 4 5 1 1 1 a 1 0 4 1 1 11 12 13 A s number of s i t e s of each vegetation c l u s located i n each laad type. Land type numbers u used on computer r r p s , Figure 9-6. a a 1 3 1 3 18 * a 10 4 15 10 1 2 7 Shmbby Bcatbs (') I.rslm 4 8 Crumy Se8th. Uplmd U p l d p1.te.u (8) (6) TABLE 9-2 - GLASCW CORRELATION OF ULS VEGETATION MAPPING UNITS AND ITE VEGETATION CLASSES ITE Vegetation Class Number of ITE Sites in Area of ULB Unit ULS Mapping Unit 1 Smooth Grassland Rough Pastures Improved Pastures 2 3 4 5 6 1 7 Shrubby Heaths Grassy Heaths 8 1 4 1 5 1 6 B 1 0 1 1 1 2 1 3 1 Coarse ~raseland/Nmdu8 Coarse ~raseland/hbtinia 1 2 Bracken 1 3 sub-shrubs/Heathers a Sub-shrubs/Bilberry 1 4 4 1 Sub-shrubs/GOrse Sedge k Rush Moorland - 6s Pamlmd ~ ~- 3 a 3 9 3 - 1 - 2 ~ sites in eich-1 wveget.tIiiti cIass that are - 1 As number of recorded ~ i i s i 7 -- ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I S 8 unit ~ - TABLE 9-3 PREDICTIONS OF CHANGE IN THE BALANCE OF VEGETATION GROUPS AT SITES W A T E D IN ULS MAPPING UNITS - GLMCWM ITE Vegetation Groups A Smooth Grassland B C A B 1 1 Shrubby Heaths Grassy Heaths Rough Paatuzes Improved Pastures ULS Mapping Unit C A B C A B C 1 Coarse ~rasslsnd/Nardus 3 3 3 3 Sub-shrubs/Heatbers 2 2 4 4 Sub-shrube/Bilberry 2 2 4 4 3 3 Coarse ~raaaland/Motinia 1 Bracken 1 Sub-ehrubs/Gorse Sedge k Rush Moorland Farmland Am'nmber of recorded A 6 C 42 59 18 17 3 27 14 3 mitea falling in each ITE vegetation group that .ie located in each 1118 unit -- mituation u .recorded predicted balance of vegetation if agricultural ume increamed, 10+ yrm - predicted balance of vegetation if agricultural use decrewed, 10+ Yr* 6 1 - + 0 0 A I P5 Fig t-' W Y A , 0 0 -.-+ > t-' d- c+ + . I * * + - * urc--+uC? O i O Y C ~ o o o 0 V C , C ' O O C CC ~1 0 ae=c ~ o c o o c c o n c c o c ~ c occ cco o n c ! c ~ u u o c .c C! c c l O o g c G 0 0 0 C C ~ C ! C , C ' C ~ C, C occt o o c o o o c o c ~ O D 0 OOclO0OOOO I-. 0 0 COOCJO 2 a ' i +*OOUC!CCClC!C'C.CC. CC?COOO coon tQ U) 0 0 i 0 t 0 0 000 00 O O * 0 0 0 L* w g: J 1 Y O 000 *o* *** *OO *** *** ***I ** * ** * E 5 4; .-+ C O cr Y cn 0 O* * * o o*o C* O* 899 * * O O** 5 ; t-' w I *t-' c+ c I0 + , 0 c 2 2 "% 'y ! I i \i C 8Y ." B .-+ t-' Y P t-' v d c+ w I C C C C 000****0000* 0 0 09* 8 9 0 0 0 0 0 OO* e*o 0 OO* * O ** +?**C * C.* * O*O* + -fj8 -r Y O * Y I O * O * C ~ * ~ C Y C ~ + * ** * ! I C** 2 a 0 0 0 0 0 00 0 0 0 0 0 0 00 00000000 000000000 00000 000 0000000000 0 0 0 0 0 * 0 * 00000000000 a o o o C * o * o o o o o o o o o o o c o o o o o o * +oooo * * Y O O O O * *** 0 * * +oo OO* *** 0 * **ooo* * * * o o* * O *O 0 0 0 oo FIGURE 9.3 SLOPE SECTORS t o O t 0 C O O t t # # # t t o o t 0 O O O O t 0 0 # 0 I I I O # t # O # O t O O O O O O # # 0 0 0 0 0 0 t t 0 0 0 0 0 0 O O O O O O # O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O 0 . 0 O O O t O O O # O O O O O 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 O O O O O O O O t O O O O O O O C t 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 + O O # t t t t GLASCWM t O o * t o 0 0 0 t o o 0 O O O 0 0 0 O Dominantly Gentle S l o p e s l (<so) - t # 0 0 O O O t C 0 0 t t # 0 t O O 0 0 ~ t # # # # # # # o 0 0 O O t O t O O t t t # t t O * O # # 0 0 0 # 0 0 0 0 # # t t t C t O O t t t 0 0 0 # # # * 0 # 0 # 2 t C # O O O # # # 0 0 # # t 0 0 0 # O O O O O t 0 ~ + # O 0 0 O 0 t t # 0 O 0 # O * 0 0 # t t Dominantly Moderate S l o p e s + (5-1 1 O) 0 0 O O O 0 0 0 0 O O D 0 0 O 0 0 O O O 0 0 O O O 0 O O 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 O O O 0 0 # O O 0 O t 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 O O t O O O t C # O t t O O O 0 0 0 0 0 t 0 0 0 0 t O O O O t O t O O O O t t t 0 0 t # 0 O t t t O t 0 0 0 0 0 0 C C t 0 O 0 O t O 0 O t O t O O O O Dominantly Steep and Very Steep Slopes t (>.rlO) FIGURE 0 9.4 RAINFALL SECTORS - GLASCWM Moderate Rainfall (1001-1200mm,40-48in pa) t Fairly High Rainfall (1201-1600mm,48-64in pa) FIGURE * Roads Present 9.5 # TOPOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS Buildings Present $ - CLASCWM Frequent Field Boundaries Score710, on scale 0-25 FIGURE 9.6 LAND TYPES - CLASCWM . ----- 4 - - ------------------------.. --------1 ------- 13 -----1343 -- -- -- -- -- 3- 3- 1I -1 -1- - -- -- 11 14 -- -- -- -- -- - -3 -- - 8 8 8 5 8 - --- -- -- --- - w H I L L ;U;3 GRWP +--fKHB 3 - ULLl ---- 6 - - - - 6 --- 7-- - - ----- - -------6 -6 6- 6- 6- - - - - - - - - 1 - 4 1 - - - - - I 3 4 4 1 3 3 3 1.1 1 1 3 - 8 7 8 - 8 8 5 5 8 - 7 - - 8 7 8 8 7 8 8 8 8 8 8 - 8 a7-555 7 5 5 5 5 5 - - 7 7 5 - - 7 5 - - - - 5 - - - - - 7 5 5 5 - 7 5 7 5 - - 5 - - 5 5 5 - - 5 5 5 5 5 - 5 - 7 - - 5 - - - 5 5 - - - - 5 - - - - - -M+tPw - - 5 - 5 5 7 7 - 6 6 6 6 - - - - 6-66---..- 6 6 - - - - - - - 6 - 6 - - - - - A & - - - - - - & - - - - - A & 6 6 - - - 6 6 6 6 6 - - - - 6-66--..-6 6 6 - - - - 6 - - - - - - ,UPLAND - EARGIN 9 8 4 HI& ei.teau -- - - Upland P1aLr.u - - UHD +-rrmuranarnr 7 UP1aM' HI11 - A & - - - - - - - - - 6 - - - - - - - GRWP - - Fl CUKE LAND USE - THE TITHE COI.;MUTkTlON SUSVEY OF 1837 CLASCWM ARABLE PASTURE MEADOW WOODLAND I FIGURE 9.8 LAND USE AT THE FIRST LAND UTILIZATION SURVEY OF 1932 GLASCWM ARABLE a a ROUGH PASTURE 1031 MtAOOW WOODLAND -- I FIGURE 9.9 MuORI~AND CORE, FRINGE AND FARMLAND TO 1965 - GLASCWN FRINGE-REVERTED 1948-1965 CORE n FARMLAND a 1887-1902 Eg P o r t 1800 Air photo Data FIGURE 9.10 MOORLAND CORE, FRINGE AND FARNLAND TO 1978 - r LkSCWM n CORE FRINGE-RECLAIMED c3 AFFORESTED VI-3 FARMIAND MOORLAND 1887-1902 post 1800 Air -photo ~ a t a I FIGURE 9.11 VEGETATION CLASS FREQUENCY AT WIN SITES - CLASCh'N FIGURE 9.12 ~~ LOCATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF VEGETATION MAIN SITES - CLASCWM - .........g: ....-..*.:, .. ..I.. ..."",&.. ... .. ...... . ...: a... .. Predicted if Agriculture Increased 1977 ~ - Predicted if Agriculture Decreased O v e r a l l E r e q u e n c k s of Y e g e t a t i o n C r o u p s ~ - ~~~p ~~ ~ ~ ~ p p p ~~ - ~ ~~p ~ KEY TO FIGURE 9.12 Group 1. Improved Pastures Class 1 : Lolium/Holcus/Pteridium Class 2 : Lolium Class 3 : Lolium/Tsiiolium Class 4 : Herb .rich Loljum - Group 2. Rough Pastures Group 3. Grassy Heaths Group 4. Shrubby Heaths Class 5 : Agrostis/Juncus Class 6 : Festuca/Juncus Class 7 : ~~rostis/Holcus Class 8 : Festuca/Agrostis Class 14: Festuca/Vaccinium Class.15: Festuca/Nardus/Vaccinim Class 16: ~estuca/~ardus/~olinia Class Class Class Class Class 9 : Calluna/Molinia/Vaccinim 10: ~accinium/Calluna 11: ~ardus/~~ha~num/Calluna 12: Eriophorum/Calluna 13: Calluna KEY TO FIGURES 9.12 AND 9.1 3 Impramd Shrubby Heaths .... Heaths Pasture 'JCURE9.13 LAND CROUP-VEGETATION CROUP ASSOCIATYONS-CLA ~ VEGETATION CROUP FREQUENCIES AT SITES IN LANDCROUPS IN PREDICTED CHANCES AT SITES Hill Upland upland Margin 4 00.a ......... :.-.$..::::::.. .. c :,.z . ........ .._.... .: ::::Z::z::....z?.: .:.:::::.- .. 3?.z.zc:s .+$*+. ?:~2.::{2 :?{ ..:....: ......... .:w.::::::= .:.. ::::.:::I. .... :...-. ..:.... :.:.x.>:. .... :.:. Y .s:$z:.? +>..?.:-:..-... .>>. .>.?.. FIGURE 9.14 UPLAND LANDSCAPES STUDY VEGETATION MAP OF GLASCWM COARSE GRASSLAND Nardus ,, Mdlnia BRACKEN bracken SUB-SHRUBS heathero .. bilberry 99 SEDGE & RUSH MOORLAND mil g- cotton grass de8rsedge Juncus (all) sphaanurn bog myrtle WOODLAND ( M ~ Pby Geoffrey Sinclair, Environmental Information services) - YSTRADGYNLAIS HIGHER and GLYNTAWE ". .... . YSTRADGYNLAIS - PLATE 1 View from Penwyllt looking south westwards. Small fields bounded by hedgerows and banks contribute to the landscape character. In the foreground the vegetation is rough pasture Festuca/Agrostis grassland, class 8, dotted with numerous mole-hills. (Photo by P.Ainsworth) F I G U R E 10.1 T H E STUDY APaA OF YSTRADGYNLAIS HIGHER AND GLYNTAWE Crown C o p y r i ~ h tReserved STUDY AREA 10: YSTRADGYNLAIS HIGHER AND GLYNTAWE, POWYS PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT The combined p a r i s h e s of Ystradgynlais Higher and Glyntawe (Figure 10-1) cover 55 km2 and a r e s i t u a t e d i n t h e west of t h e Brecon Mountains region, about 25 km n o r t h e a s t of Swansea. They are b i s e c t e d by t h e Swansea-Brecon road (A40671 t h a t f o l l o w s t h e v a l l e y of the River Tawe. Most of the area, north of the Caehopkin-Coelbren road, l i e s w i t h i n t h e Brecon Beacons National Park. A l t i t u d e s e c t o r s ( F i g u r e 10-2) are r e l a t e d t o t h e approximately north-south v a l l e y which c u t s t h e a r e a t o g i v e a r e l a t i v e l y low a l t i t u d e c e n t r a l zone dominated by land below 244 m (800 f t ) ( P a r t I, P l a t e 15). Land dominated by a l t i t u d e s between 244 and 427 m (800-1 400 f t ) f l a n k s t h i s v a l l e y t o occupy much of t h e c e n t r a l and southern p a r t s of t h e a r e a ( P l a t e 1 ) . I n t h e n o r t h , higher land above 427 m ( 1 400 f t ) dominates t h e northwestern and n o r t h e a s t e r n p r o j e c t i n g s e c t o r s of Glyntawe, with a maximum a l t i t u d e of 760 km (2 500 f t ) reached near t h e summit of Fan Foe1 i n t h e northwest. Centle s l o p e s (C50) dominate a band along t h e s o u t h and e a s t (Figure 10-3), and t h e lower p a r t of t h e Tawe v a l l e y , with moderate s l o p e s (5-110) prominent over much of t h e c e n t r e and north. Areas dominated by s t e e p and very s t e e p s l o p e s a r e s u b o r d i n a t e , being found p a r t i c u l a r l y on t h e western s i d e of t h e Tawe v a l l e y . C l i m a t i c a l l y t h e area can be c l a s s i f i e d , r e l a t i v e t o t h e 12 study areas, a s w a r m and wet ( P a r t I , 2.32) w i t h mean d a i l y temperatures f o r January aqd October e s t i m a t e d a s 2.3 and 9.0oC. The annual average o f d a i l y sunshine hours is 4.0, w i t h an annual average number of days w i t h snow l y i n g of 15. The l e n g t h of t h e growing season f o r t h e d i s t r i c t which i n c l u d e s Ystradgynlais i s given by Smith (1976) as 229 days ( 6 April-21 November) a6 an a l t i t u d e of 297 m (975 f t ) . With a c o n s i d e r a b l e a l t i t u d e d i f f e r e n c e between t h e v a l l e y f l o o r and t h e high summits, c l e a r l y t h e r e is a l s o a c o n s i d e r a b l e c l i m a t i c range from t h e s e averages w i t h i n t h e area ( s e e P a r t I , 2.31 f o r c o n s i d e r a t i o n of temperature change with a l t i t u d e ) . R a i n f a l l i s high ( 1 601-2 220 mm, c . 64-88 i n pa) over about 80% of t h e a r e a (Figure 10-4).while t h e h i g h e s t ground i n t h e n o r t h of t h e a r e a h a s very high r a i n f a l l ( 2 201-2 600 mm, c. 88-104 i n pa). Geologically, t h e a r e a is s i t u a t e d mainly on Carboniferous rocks. Coal Measure sandstones and s h a l e s occur i n t h e southwe$t, Millstone Grit sandstones i n a c e n t r a l s e c t o r , and Carbonifer u s Limestone S e r i e s rocks i n t h e nocth. The v a r i e t y of t h e s e r o k s provides t h e c o a l and stone which have been and are important i n t h e economy o f t h e area. The northern corners o f t h e p a r i s h pass o u t of Carboniferous system r o c k s onto o l d e r rocks o f t h e Old Aed Sandstone, which here, l i k e many of t h e Carboniferous s t r a t a , we a l s o hard sandstones. Much of t h e C e n t r a l and southern s e c t o r s mapped as covered by g l a c i a l d r i f t . This i s p a r t i c u l a r l y s o on more r e a d i l y eroded Carboniferous Limestone rocks. i On t h e n a t i o n a l s o i l map t h e e n t i r e a r e a is included i n a uriit domihated by Peaty Gleys with a s s o c i a t e d Peaty S o i l s , Gleys ahd Peaty Podzols, but peaty and peaty-topped s o i l s a r e less promineht i n t h e c e n t r a l v a l l e y and t h e southern p a r t of t h e area where non-peaty Gleys and b e t t e r drained miheral s o i l s are frequent. The n a t i o n a l a g r i c u l t u r a l land c l a s s i f i c a t i o n maps show a n a r r Valley, but t h e g r e a t e r p a r t band o f grade 4 land along t h e t h e area is c l a s s e d as grade 5, t h e lowest q u a l i t y category. awe The topographic p i c t u r e of t h e a r e a given i n o u t l i n e i n ~ i & r e1 0 ~ 5 a g a i n emphasises t h e c e n t r a l v a l l e y as comprising most of t h e s e c t o r which has s e t t l e m e n t f e a t u r e s of roads, b u i l d i n g s and frequent f i e l d boundaries. The balance o f t h e s e t t l e d area is bn t h e p l a t e a u s e c t o r i n t h e southeast. The d i s t r i b u t i o n of land typbs is shown i n Figure 10.6 Upland margin land c h a r a c t e r i s e s t h e c e n t r a l v a l l e y , with a flanking zone of s t e e p upland, and an ar a o f upkand p l a t e a u i n t h e south. H i l l land is present as 2 blocks n t h e n o r t h e a s t and northwest. The northeastern block is a complex +f s t e e p h i l l and h i l l land i n t h e north, and of h i l l and high p l a t e s u land i n t h e south and east, while t h e northwestern block is mainly i n t h e h i l l l a n d type. 4 LAND-USE HISTORY I f Within t h e study area a r e i m p o r t a n t limestone caves a t Dan y r Og f (now open a s a t o u r i s t a t t r a c t i o n ) i n which evidence of Bronze A e man has been found. The Romans c e r t a i n l y used t h e a r e a , with la Roman road passing a f o r t site j u s t t o t h e south. L i t t l e d e t a i l is known of t h e h i s t o r y of t h e area u n t i l , from t h e e a r l y 18th century, i n d u s t r y came i n t o e x p l o i t its mineral resources arid timber. Timber was g r a d u a l l y sought from f u r t h e r a f i e l d t o feed t h e copper furnaces a t Swansea and t h e ironworks i n t h e extrede southwest of Breconshire which can be dated t o a t l e a s t t h e 17th Century. I r o n then began t o be worked a t Ystradgynlais and c o a l mined a t Ystalyfera a s h o r t d i s t a n c e t o t h e southwes Stone began t o be quarried, including m a t e r i a l s u i t a b l e f o r s i l i c a b r i c k production a t Penwyllt ( P a r t I , P l a t e s 1 5 and 331, but coal was t h e major employer t h a t brought people t o t h e a r e a , i n c r e a s i n g its population from 993 i n 1801 t o 3 758 i n 1851. The T i t h e Commutation Survey of 1839-40 described how ' t h e p a r i s h is f u l l of valuable m i n e r a l s ' , and Osborne (1978) has shown t h a t t h e rise i n t h e p o t e n t i a l value o f t h e s e d e p o s i t s had a bearing on t h e r a t e and s c a l e of enclosure of t h e commons i n t h e 18th and 19th c e d t u r i e s . It was i n t h e 1830s t h a t ways were found of using t h e l o c a l a n t h r a c i t e i n i r o n b l a s t furnaces. Once discovered, 30 y e a r s of p r o s p e r i t y followed, u n t i l t h e i n c r e a s i n g t r e n d toward t h e u s e of s t e e l , together with competition from imports, l e d t o spasmodic and eventually permanent c l o s u r e of t h e ironworks. Meanwhile, t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n of r a i l w a y s had encouraged g r e a t e r e x p l o i t a t i o n of t h e a n t h r a c i t e d e p o s i t s and t h e growth of a f l o u r i s h i n g export t r a d e through South Wales p o r t s . Because a n t h r a c i t e remained more i n demand, t h e a r e a d i d n o t s u f f e r a s s e v e r e l y i n t h e 1920s and 30s as t h o s e d i d t h a t were producing bituminous c o a l (Minchinton 1961). Since 1945 however t h e l o c a l coalmines have a l l closed. Opencast mining was begun and remains a c t i v e i n t h e southern t i p of t h e a r e a ( P a r t I, P l a t e 15), but t h i s too may b e approaching t h e end of its l i f e (ULS 1979). The p a t t e r n of farming was a l s o o u t l i n e d i n t h e T i t h e Survey of 1839-40. I n d u s t r i a l development and t h e people i t brought gave farmers a l o c a l market, p a r t i c u l a r l y f o r milk products and meat. Clyntawe then covered 365 ha (900 a c r e s ) of which 60 ha (150 a c r e s ) were arable. S i x t e e n ha (40 acres) were occupied by 'woods and plantations'. 4 ha (10 a c r e s ) by 'gardens', and t h e remaining 2 8 5 h a (703 a c r e s ) by 'meadow and p a s t u r e ' . The l i v e s t o c k population comprised 34 cows, 46 bullocks, 19 h o r s e s and 440 sheep. Hedge timber was made up of much oak and ash. The survey d i d not d i s t i n g u i s h t h e p r e s e n t p a r i s h of Ystradgynlais Higher. The then e x t e n t o f Ystradgynlais was given a s 4 850 ha (12 000 a c r e s ) , s a i d t o include 2 230 ha ( 5 500 a c r e s ) o f common. Only 110 ha (265 a c r e s ) , were a r a b l e , on s o i l s described a s very poor r e d loams over limestone and on which a r o t a t i o n was followed of 3 y e a r s under wheat, barley o r o a t s , then 7 t o 8 years under clover and grass. Meadow and p a s t u r e covered 2 040 ha ( 5 035 a c r e s ) . The 'yellow c l a y s o i l s 1 o f t h e s e were s o badly drained t h a t y i e l d s were low i n many p a r t s . Woodland occupied 490 ha (1 200 a c r e s ) i n wMch t h e r e was ' t o l e r a b l y good growth of oak i n some p a r t s and some ash1. Although a g r i c u l t u r a l s t a t i s t i c s between 1900 and 1965 a r e shown f o r some a r e a s i n graphs i n P a r t I, they were not a v a i l a b l e f o r t h e s e parishes. ULS (1979) s a y t h e r e has been no change i n t h e i r area of crops and grass between 1884 and 1978. .About 2 5 1 of t h e combined p a r i s h e s remain common land (ULS 1979) some of which is c u r r e n t l y used f o r c o a l and limestone e x t r a c t i o n . The Foredtry Commission has acquired around 10% of t h e a r e a i n t h e southe st, with t o t h e north of t h i s f o r e s t e d s e c t o r a block owned by t h e Nature Conservancy Council and managed a s t h e Ogof lynnon National Nature Reserve, conserved i n t h e i n t e r e s t of its underlying cave system. IDdu The a r e a was surveyed by t h e Ordnance Survey first i n 1878 gnd revised i n 1903. Maps covering t h e s o u t h p a r t of Ystradgynlais w again r e v i s e d i n 1914, but no f u r t h e r r e v i s i o n was c a r r i e d out t h e remainder of t h e a r e a u n t i l 1948, when a p r o v i s i o n a l s e r i e s of large s c a l e maps was prepared. From a n a l y s e s of OS maps, supplemented by air photographs, Figure 10-7 shows t h e i d e n t i f i e d s e c t o r s OP moorland core, moorland fringe and farmland ( s e e P a r t I , 4.49-4.50). Of 6 2 0 h a of moorland f r i n g e , 3 7 5 h a have a f f o r e s t e d s i n c e 1945. The nonhafforested moorland f r i n g e concentrated i n t h e upland margin ( c o n t a i n i n g 53% of t h e f r i n g ), upland p l a t e a u (26% of f r i n g e ) and s t e e p upland (19% of f r i d e ) land types, which themselves occupy 19, 10 and 17% r e s p e c t i v e l y of t h e t o t a l area. 1 I I I bfe I I I n 1977 t h e vegetation a t 70 main sites was recorded i n Ystradgynlais. Figure 10-8 i n c l u d e s t h e frequencies oP vegetation c l a s s e s a t t h e s e s i t e s and Figure 10-9 g i v e s t h e i r i n d i v i d l o c a t i o n and c l a s s i f i c a t i o n . Ystradgynlais is one of only 2 study a r e a s , (Llanfachreth is t h e o t h e r ) , i n which a l l 16 vegetation c l a s s e s were present. If woodlands me a l s o considered, Ystradgynlais is j u s t second t o Llanfachreth, (by one woodland c l a s s ) , i n o v e r a l l v e g e t a t vcu'iety. The frequency of s e v e r a l of t h e grassland and vegetation c l a s s e s however is low, 6 c l a s s e s being present a t 1 o r 2 s i t e s each. t h e Tawe t h e v e g e t a t i o n is mainly improved p a s t u r e s and rough p a s t u r e s ( P l a t e 1 and P a r t II, P l a t e 33). A t s i t e s on higher ground flanking t h e v a l l e y vegegation is mainly heaths, p a r t d c u l a r l y grassy heaths ( P a r t I, 3.16). Twentytwo per cent of t h e main s i t e s i n t h e a r e a dre class 14 D and 161 Festuca/Vaccinium heath, Festuca/Nardus/Molinia heath, c l a s s 16 (see P a r t I, P l a t e s 33, 4 among t h e shrubby heaths ( P a r t I, 3.181, 8 1 of s i t e s a r e Vacc&nium/Calluna heath, class 10, and Nardys/Sphagpum/Calluna heath, c l a s s 11. Festuca/Vaccinium Vaccinium/Calluna heaths a r e found on t h e b e t t e r drained s o i l s a d t h e o t h e r 2 heath classes a r e a s s o c i a t e d with pockets 12' of Po0 y drained peaty s o i l s . Festuca/Nardus/Molinia heath, c l a s s 16, occurs p r i n c i p a l l y on lower s l o p e s near t h e v a l l e y f l o o r . A t s i t e s along t h e v a l l e y of 1: f I 1 Ystradgynlais is still quite well wooded, with woodlands along the valley of the Tawe and its minor tributaries (Part I, Plate 15). Twelve woodland sites were examined. Of these, 7 can be classified as upland acid woodlands (Part I, Table 3-41, 2 as lowland acid woodlands and 3 as lowland basic woodlands. Most are dominated by oak, associated with ash on more base rich soils, or with birch at higher elevations and on poorer soils. Regeneration was recorded as taking place in half of the woods. In the southeast the large sector planted with conifers forms part of a block of land covering 1 500 ha that extends outside the study area. Within the study area, most of the forest planting of the early 1970s was destroyed by fire in 1976 (ULS 1979). Table 10-1 relates the vegetation class at recorded main sites to the land type of the grid squares in which the sites are situated, while Figure 10-10 summarises the relationship of vegetation groups to land groups. Improved and rough pastures are concentrated in the upland margin land type and are absent from the hill land. Grassy heaths are present throughout the range of land types. Shrubby heaths are most common in the hill land. POTENTIAL VEGETATION CHANGE With 90% of the study area in the Brecon Beacons National Park, the policies of the National Park Planning Committee must influence its future tq a considerable extent. Recreational use of the area is increasing, with the populous South Wales industrial areas close by, and a Country Park and the Dan yr Ogof caves as particular attractions. The Park Planning Committee are anxious to sustain deciduous woodland and have planting schemes for 2 localities. In the south, outside the National Park, opencast coal mining is likely to continue for a few years at least. In general the mined 'land is restored for agriculture but in some cases it may be used for forestry. An estimate of the potential forestry land (Part I, Table 5-19) gives 421 of the area as potential forest, on assumptions that favourable land remains in agriculture and that most hill land below 427 m (1 400 ft) could be planted. Some farmers interviewed during the ULS survey (ULS 1979) said that they were interested in grassland improvement schemes which suggests that, if their interest tuPned to action, there could be loss of existing rough pastures and grassy heaths. The majority of farmers however said they planned to continue farming at their present level. In the ULS assessment of rough grazing suitability for improvement, applying the criteria developed by the ADAS Resource Planning Group, 681 was classified as 'not improvablet, with almost all of this of 'some grazing value'. The remaining 32% is almost all graded as of limited improvability because of its physiographic character. On this assessment little option for easy improvement is actually available to farmers. I Applying the standardised courses of vegetation change to predict what could happen in Ystradgynlais from the principles of Part ,I, 5.74-5.77 and Figure 5-4, as summarised here in the table in 9peqdix 2, ignoring the option for forestry, Figure 10-9 shows the possible changes at individual sites, and Figure 10-8 the resultqng frequencies of vegetation classes in the area. I f The present most frequent vegetation classes at the sites samp ed were, from the improved pasture gr'oup, herb-rich Lolium grassl nd (class 4 ) ; from the rough pastures Agrostis/Juncus grassl (class 5); and from the grassy and shrubby heaths respectiv ly Festllca/Vaccinium heath (class 14) and Nardus/Sphagnum/Call a heatn (class 1 1 1. Class 4, herb-rich Lolium grassland, represe ts the agriculturally best class in the improved pasture success on and as such it would be maintained under stable or expansion st agricultural regimes. If this class became less intensively mana ed and very lightly grazed, change would be very slow, revert ng through lower grades of improved pastures eventually to scrtub woodland. The rough pasture of class 5 is often associated ~ 4 t h soil wetness. In a climate of agricultural intensification it mieht be expected to be drained and upgraded to improved pasture. Under intensified agricultural use also, the grassy. heath of class 14 would be expected to move towards a rough pasture community such as Festuca/Agrostis grassland, class 8. In agricultural decline, &he Agrostis/Juncus grassland could move towards Festuca/Nardus/Noli?ia grassy heath, class 16, and the Festuca/Vaccinium grassy heath towards Vaccinium/Calluna heath, class 10. These classes also mL@t well become scrub woodland in an area with many existing trees as seed sources. The prominent shrubby heaths of class 1 1 would chaqge little if agricultural effort decreased, but could move towards grassy heath of class 16 under heavier grazing. I _C Remembering that the predicted changes are generalisations tlat cannot consider local site and management factors, it is estimated that an intensification of agriculture to a moderate degree in Ystradgynlais could lead to overall increases in improved pastures (from 18 to 35% of recorded sites) and rough pastures (from 17 to 39% of recorded sites). These increases would be counterbalanced by decrgases in sites with grassy heaths (from 39 to 25%) and in sites with shrubby heaths (26 to 1%). A moderate decline in agriculturbal use Mould lead to falls in the frequency of improved pasture sitbes (18 to 1211, of rough pastures (17 to 9 $ ) , and of grassy heaths (39 to I&%), these being balanced by an increase in sites with shrubby heaths from 26 to 55%. In considering the overall impact of these predicted vegetation changes on the landscape, the outcome o f increased agricultural use would involve (Part I, Table 5-17)' a change in vegetation group at 80% of the recorded main sites, while in a situation of declining agricultural use 60% of the main sitjes would change their vegetation group. I Figure 10-10 includes the predicted balance of vegetation groups in each land group. Intensified agriculture could bring about more uniformity in the upland margin land and a substantial loss of heaths (including virtually all shrubby heaths) at sites in the upland and hill land. Declining agricultural effort could expand heaths and especially shrubby heaths at sites in all land groups. Figure 10-11 reproduces the vegetation map of Ystradgynlais prepared in the Upland Landscapes Study (ULS 1979). Correlations of the ULS mapping units with the vegetation classes identified by ITE at main sites situated within the mapping units are given in Table 10-2. The 'farmland' unit here includes 22 ITE main sites, 90% of which have pasture vegetation. Sites in the other most extensive units, coarse grasslands' of different main species, are almost entirely heaths, about equally divided between grassy and shrubby heath classes. The changing proportfons of vegetation classes at main sites in each ULS unit that would re&t from the standardised predicted changes following agricultural intensification or decline are given in Table 10-3. Because of the present importance of grassy heaths (39% of sites) and their prominent representation in 4 mapping units, the visual character of the vegetation in these units could change markedly as it could swing from the present balance towards either rough pastures or shrubby heaths. CONCLUSION Ystradgynlaip has a high proportion of grassy heaths and a moderate level of rough pastures among the recorded main sites. These groups are particularly liable to gradual change through management modification, either to agriculturally better grasslands or towards shrubby heaths and grassy heaths respectively if pressure declines. The potential for change is thus considerable. Additionally, woodland could readily spread from the present hedgerows and existing woods if agricultural use fell sharply. However though the potential for change is high, actual change may not reach this level. Many farmers expect to continue in the foreseeable future in the way they are farming now and the National Park will try to sustain the present landscape balance over most of the area. It is a widely used gateway to the Park from the industrial south and can be a magnet to draw off recreational use from other more sensitive or popular parts. Ecologically change could be great, but wider policy constraints could sustain the present vegetation character in the near future. MINCHINTON. W.E. (1961). The place of Brecknock in t h e industrialization of South Wales. Brycheiniog, 7, 1-70. OSBORNE, B.S. (19781. Commonlands, mi.nera1 rights and changing evaluations in an industrializing of Historical Geography, 4, 231-249. SMITH, L.P. (1976). Tech. Bull. H M O London. Ystradgynlais Higher UPLAND LANDSCUES STUDY. (1979). Glyntawe Parish Report. Unpublished report to the Countrybide Commission, 1979. - TABLE 10-1 CORRELATION OF VEGETATIa CLASSES AND LAND TYPES - YSTRADGYNLAIB L.nd Group .nd A s number of s i t e s of each vegetation c l a s s located i n each land type. * Land type numbers a s used on computer naps, Figure 10-6. . TAELB 10-2 CORRBLATION OF UL8 VEGETATION W I N G UNITB AND ITE VEGETATION CLA88ES AT HAXN SITE8 - YBTRADGYlPLAIS ITE Vegetation Class 1977 ULS Mapping Unit Number of ITE Main 8item in Area of UCS unit Improved Pasture. 1 2 3 Rough Pasture8 4 5 6 7 0 smooth Grameland Coarse Grasslurd/Nmvhce la Coarae Gramaland/EbtinicI 16 Bracken 6 Sub-rhrubm/Beathers 3 Sub-#hrub~/Bilber~-y 1 Grassy Heaths 8 1 1 1 1 Shrubby Heaths 1 4 1 5 1 6 4 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 2 1 3 a 1 5 a a 3 3 5 4 2 3 1 3 1 Bub-#hrubm/GOr#e - - Sedge k Rush Moorland - 1 22 Farmland -- ~. - - - -- - ~. -- - -- 1 1 -- 1 3 7 5 1 1 1 1 1 - Am number of recorded main sitem in each ITB vegetation claam that are located in each UL8 unit C - -- TABLE 10-3 PREDICTION8 OF CHANGE IN THE BALANCE OF VEGETATION GBOUP8 AT MAIN BITS8 LOCATED IN UL8 YAPPING UNIT8 Im Improved Panturem ULB Yapping Unit A Smooth Graaalmd B 1 A B 1 Coarae Graaalmd/Ndue Coarne Graanland/Motinia 1 1 1 1 Bracken Vegetation Group. Granny Beatha I14uilh ~ u t a e n C 2 C Shrubby Heatbe C C B 8 6 1 7 7 5 5 la 8 8 7 7 15 4 1 A B A 1 3 1 1 1 4 Sub-ahrubn/Heathera Sub-ahruba/Bilberry - YBTBAffiYNLAI8 8 4 3 3 1 1 Sub-ah~b#/G~r~e 1 Sedge L Ruab Yoorl8nd Farmlmd Am number of recorded ..in A B C - nituation u r.cord.d -- 11 10 1 1 8 8 1 5 1 1 7 1 nitem f a l l i r y i n e.ch ITB vegetatim' group t h a t u e located i n each U U u n i t 1977 -.prul1Ct.d balance of vegetation i f a g r i c u l t u r a l we i n c r o u e d , 1- y n p-icted b u r n - of r ~ t a t i o ni f agricu1tcn.L w d.ur.wd, 1- t m 2 I 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~ & 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 * 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~ ~ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 * 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0,008 I 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 * 0 0 0 0 0 ~ 0 0 0 0 0 ~ b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 O O t l l O O O O O O O * * * t * 0 0 0 0 0 O O * * * * * 0 0 0 0 0 0 * * * * 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 o o 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 +.Dominantly Altitudes 4 u(800ft) (1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 O O O 0 0 0 * 0 1 * ** * * * a 1 4 * * * I * * # * I 4 4 * 0 * * * t 0 0 0 O 0 0 0 0 * * * 0 * * * * ~ t ~ O O b 4 4 * O O * * O 8 $ b O O * * ~ J O O O b . * O O O O O l * 0 1 O * 4 * O * * 1 O * * 0 0 * 0 * 0 0 * i 1 * * * ** *4 * * o o 0 0 0 0 0 0 * , * ~ ~ ~ 0 0 O 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 * t * * * * * * * * * 4 0 * 0 0 0 0 0 * * * * * * O O O O * * * * * * *~ *r * i * r* b* *r * * * # 1 1 1 + ~ 0 0 0 0 0 0 bS Dominantly Altitudes 24~-427m(800-1400ft) 0 4 O D * * * * * O o o * * * 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 * * 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 I 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 * ~ O O O O O O I I O O 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 G 0 ~ ~ ~ * * 4 ~ 0 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ 1 1 O 0 0 0 +Dominantly Altitudes >'427m(l400ft) ~ ~ 0 ~ I FIGURE 10.3 SLOPE SECTORS - YSTRADCYNLAIS I 0 0 0 0 0 o o * * 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 o * 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 * * O D 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 * 0 0 0 0 * * * 0 0 0 * 0 0 0 0 * * 0 ~ 0 0 0 * 0 0 0 0 * * 0 ~ * 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 * * * * * 0 0 0 * 0 0 0 0 0 * * 0 0 0 0 * 0 0 * * 0 * * o o o * b o o o * * * ' * O O * * O O * O * * O * * * o * * * * 0 0 0 * O * * * * * ** 0* ** * 0O * * * o o * * o * o * ** ** ** ** * * * ** * (<so) ** o * O * * * O o * * * * * * o o o o * * * * * * * * * o * * * * o o o 0 0 O 0 0 0 0 * * 0 0 0 * * * 0 0 * 0 * * 0 0 0 0 * * 0 0 * 0 0 * 0 0 * 0 * 0 0 0 0 0 0 * 0 0 0 0 * * * * 0 0 * * * * 0 * * 0 0 * 0 0 * 0 0 0 0 * * * 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 * 0 0 * 0 0 0 0 * * 0 0 * 0 * 0 * * * O O O O O O O * 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 * * * * * O O * * * * * * Dominantly Gentle Slopes 0 0 0 ( O * 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Dominantly Moderate S l o p e s * (5-11°) 0 0 O 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 * * O 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 * * D O 0 0 0 * * o o o o * * 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 * 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 * 0 * 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 * 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 * 0 0 * 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 * 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 O O O O O O 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Dominantly S t e e p and Very Steep Slopes 4 (211~) FIGURE 10.4 RAINFALL SECTORS - YSTRADCYNLAIS High Rainfall (1601-2200mm,64-88in pa) O Very High Rainfall (2201-30OOmm,88-120in pa) FIGURE 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 t 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 t o o 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 * O O O O O O O O t t O O O O O O O O ~ t O O O O O O O O t t t O O O O O O t O t t t O t t O O O O C 0 0 ~ t * t ~ 0 0 0 t O ~ * t O O O O O O ~ ~ O t t 0 0 0 0 0 t * t ' t t O O O O O O C * * ~ t ~ 0 0 0 0 0 1 ~ t t ~ t + ' O O O O t # # t t t t O t O 0 0 t t t O t t O O O ~ t t t O O O t O t * Roads P r e s e n t 10.5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 O 0 C O 0 0 0 0 O 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 TOPO~JRAPHICCHARACTERISTICS -PSTRADGYNLAIS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 t o 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 O O O O t t O O O n O 0 0 0 t ~ # t 0 0 0 0 0 0 t ~ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 O O O t O t t O O O O 0 0 # ~ t * 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~ ~ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 t t ~ 0 0 0 0 0 0 O O O ~ t O O O O O O 0 ~ ~ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 t t t t 0 0 0 t 0 0 0 * t 0 ~ 0 0 0 0 * 0 O O t t * O * C O O O t * * * 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~ 0 0 0 0 O 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 o t 0 0 0 0 0 0 o o o o t 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 t t t 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 t t ~ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~ t t 0 0 0 0 0 0 O O t t t t O O O O O O O O O t t t O O O O O O O O O t t O O O O O O O 0 0 t O + O O 0 0 0 0 0 O O t t t O O O O O O O ~ + t t * t O O O O O O t O t O t O O * O O O t t t t t * o * * t O O 0 0 * + Buildings Present 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 + t O # t O t t O O O t t t 0 0 0 0 F r e q u e n t F i e l d Boundaries S c o r e 7 1 0 , on s c a l e 0-25 FIGURE - YSTRADCYNLAIS 10.6 LAND TYPES d 3 4 3 3 4 3 3 3 4 3 3 3 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 1 3 4 4 - - 3 1 1 - 1 - - - 3 - - - - -- -- -- I- 13 ------ - - - - - 3 4 1 3 3 1 3 3 3 4 3 3 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --- -- -- -- -- -- -- 4 4 - -- ~ - p ~ - -- - - ---- ----- ~ - ----------- - - -- - - - - - 1 1 3 1 1 3 3 3 3 3 3 1 1 3 1 1 1 3 1 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 - 4 3 4 4 4 3 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 4 4 4 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 . 4 4 3 4 4 3 4 -- - - 5 - - - 5 - - 5 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 - - -- -- - 5 - 5 8 - e 4 ~ ~ H I @ PlaCeLUI - - - - - ---- - - - A & - - - - - - - 6 6 6 - - - - - - - 6 6 - - -- -~ 7 8 -- - ,UPLUQ - - b - - - - - - - - - 6 - . , 6 - - - - - - 6 6 6 - - - - - - - 6 6 - - - - - - - - 6 6 - - - - - - - 6 - & - - - - - - 6 6 - & - - - - - - 6 6 6 6 - - 6 - - 6 6 6 - - - - 6 6 - 6 6 - - r M c 1 N LWD GR&Q 6 steep uplsnd upland' . - - - - - - - - - - 6 - 5 ~ - ---- - - 1 = Btaap Hlll .-~-. - - - - -- -- - 5 5 5 - 5 - - - 5 - - - - - - - - - 5 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 5 - - - - - 8 - 5 - - - - - 6 - 5 5 0 - - - 5 8 5 8 - 8 5 - 8 - - 8 8 8 8 8 7 8 8 - 8 8 ~~ 3 - -, - - - - H I U LWD CRWP ~ ---- ------ 5 - Uplam m g l n p ~ ~ ~~ ~~ ~ ~. UplaM Plaraau A FIGURE 10.7 MOORLAND CORE, FRINGE AND FAWLAND [T~CORE FRINGE RECLAIMED AFFORESTED MOORLAND 1 1FARMLAND - YSTRADCYIiLAIS FRINGE REVERTED 1948-1962 [Lm 1901-1948 1878 -1901 Post 1800 PIL 1800 1' Map Data Air Phola Da(a -- FIGURE 10.8 VEGETATION CLASS FREQUENCY AT YiIN SITES - YSTRADCYKLAIC FIGURE 10.9 LOCATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF VEXETATION MAIN SITES .... . . - YSTRADCYNUIS .... . . . . . *- *- : .,.,-*-.g,. *. .s- 0 0 0 . 0-*. ..,"."N, :: .,*:', .. A" rotn*tmr* : 4.A" Q.... : C .,... .. 1977 - ? ,'. f ' ' Predicted i f Agriculture Increased Predicted if Agriculture Decreased ?. Overall Frequencies of Vegetation Croups KEY TO FIGURE 10.9 1mpr;ved Pastures Class 1 : Lolium/Holcus/Pterldium Class 2 : Lolium Class 3 : Lolium/Trifolium rich Lolium Class 4 : Herb - Grollp 2. Rough Pastures Croup 3. Grassy Heaths Croup 4. Shrubby Heaths Class 5 : Agrostia/Juncus Class 6 : Festuca/Juncus Class 7 : ~ ~ r o s t i s / ~ o l c u s Class 8 : Festuca/Agrostis Class 14: Festuca/Vaccinium Class 15: Festuca/Nardus/Vaccinium Class 16: Festuca/Nardus/Holinia Class Class Class Class Class 9 : Calluna/Molinla/Vaccinium 10: Vaccinium/Calluna 11: Nardus/Sphagnum/Calluna 12: Eriophorum/Calluna 13: Calluna KEY TO FIGURES 10.9 Heaths Heath3 .--. Partua AND 10.10 ;URE 10.10 LAND CROUP-VEGETATION CROUP ASSOCIATIONS-YSTHAI VEGETATION GROUP FREQUENCIES-AT SITES IN LAND GROUPS PREDICTED CHANGES AT MAIN SITES Hill FIGURE 10.11 UPLAND LANDSCAPES STUDY VEGETATION MAP OF YSTRADGYNLAIS HIGHER AFID GLYNTAWE COA~SEGRASSLAND Nerdus 9, M d i BRACKEN blacken SUB-SHRUBS heath I, billmrry 9, g- cotton gmsa deer sadae Juncus(aI0 Sphagnum bog myrtle I i V I SEDQE a RU& MOORLAND I I WOODLAND (Map by Geoffrey Sinclair, Environmental Information Services) II LYN TON I LYNTON - PLATE 1 View from the Porlock Road over the steep coastal cliffs looking towards Hollerday Hill, with hotels on the edge of Lynton just visible on the left of the picture. Grassy heath vegetation survives on the steep slopes while on the more gentle slopes above them improved grassland is generally established. (Photo by in ins worth) F I G U R E 11.1 THE STUDY AREA OF LYNTON Foreland Poi1 Crown Copyright R e s e r v e d STUDY AREA 11: LYNTON, DEVON PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT Lynton (Figure 11-11 is s i t u a t e d i n t h e Exmoor region on t h e north c o a s t of Devon near t h e n a r t h m & e a n corner of t h e Exmoor National Park. I t covers 31 km2, extending i n l a n d from a s t e e p l y s l o p i n g c l i f f e d c o a s t ( P l a t e 1) along a s e r i e s of southward r i s i n g r i d g e s , i n t e r s e c t e d by deep v a l l e y s with f a s t running, s h o r t r i v e r s ( P a r t I, P l a t e 16). These include t h e West Lyn, flowing with i t s t r i b u t a r i e s from Thorn H i l l i n t h e south of t h e a r e a t o t h e B r i s t o l Ohannel c o a s t a t Lynmouth i n t h e north, and t h e streams which j o i n t o form t h e East Lyn r i v e r , a l s o reaching t h e s e a a t Lynmouth. The g r e a t e r p a r t of t h e a r e a is dominated by a l t i t u d e s between 244 and 427 m (800-1 400 f t ) , with lower ground near the coast i n the northernmost q u a r t e r and a small e x t e n t t h a t is mainly above 427 m i n t h e extreme southwest around B u t t e r H i l l (Figure 11-2). Slopes a r e mostly g e n t l e o r moderate along t h e r i d g e s which rise towards t h e moorland core of Exmwr. The ridges a r e separated by s t e e p l y s l o p i n g and heavily wooded v a l l e y s f l a n k i n g t h e East and West Lyn Rivers and t h e i r t r i b u t a r i e s . These wooded v a l l e y s a r e , l i k e t h e s t e e p l y plunging c l i f f s l o p e s around Lynmouth, important s c e n i c a t t r a c t i o n s i n t h e l o c a l landscape. The study a r e a , i n r e l a t i o n t o t h e 12 considered, is c l a s s i f i a b l e as warm and moderately wet ( P a r t I, 2.32). The annual average of d a i l y sunshine hours is 4.0, with mean d a i l y temperatures i n January and October estimated a s 3.9 and 10.60C and an average of 10 days with snow lying. There i s a s t e e p r a i n f a l l g r a d i e n t , with c l o s e l y spaced i s o h y e t s c r o s s i n g t h e study a r e a i n a g e n e r a l l y east-west d i r e c t i o n . Figure 11-3 shows t h e r e t o be low o r moderate (801-1 200 mm, c. 40-48 i n pa) r a i n f a l l i n t h e north. F a i r l y high r a i n f a l l (1 201-1 600 mm, c. 48-64 i n pa) follows from around Barbrook south t o F u r z e h i l l , while south again t h e r e is a high r a i n f a l l s e c t o r (1 601-2 000 mm, c. 64-80 i n pa) on t h e f r i n g e of c e n t r a l Exmoor. The l e n g t h of t h e growing season i n t h e c l i m a t i c region which i n c l u d e s Lynton, a t an average h e i g h t of 208 m, is given i n Smith (1976) as 267 days (21 March-13 December). Geologically t h e a r e a e n t i r e l y o v e r l i e s Lower Devonian sedimentary rocks, t h e northern p a r t being on s l a t y s h a l e s of t h e Lynton Beds, and t h e southern p a r t on t h e Hangman Grits, which a r e mainly g r i t t y sandstones and s h a l e s . The a r e a i s mapped a s f r e e of any d r i f t cover. On t h e n a t i o n a l s o i l map, Lynton is i n a mapping u n i t dominated by Brown E a r t h s , with a s s o c i a t e d Brown Podzolic S o i l s and Gleys. From t h e n a t i o n a l a g r i c u l t u r a l land c l a s s i f i c a t i o n maps, m a d e 5 land occurs over t h e c o a s t a l c l i f f zone, t h e s t e e p v a l l e y s i d e s , and t h e southernmost q u a r t e r t o one-third of t h e study are apprclximately south of a l i n e Shallowford t o Roborough Castle. T e remaQnder is mainly mapped a s t h e a g r i c u l t u r a l l y b e t t e r w a d e 4. This study a r e a is one ( t h e o t h e r is Llanfachreth) i n which a t r i 1 of a more d e t a i l e d c l a s s i f i c a t i o n of a g r i c u l t u r a l land i n t h e h i 1 8 and uplands has been c a r r i e d o u t i n a s y e t unpublished work by Research O f f i c e r s of t h e ADAS (Land S e r v i c e ) Resource Plamiing Group. A modified v e r s i o n of t h i s scheme has been a p p l i e d by ULS t o t h e study a r e a s and is r e f e r r e d to i n t h e s e c t i o n covering p o t e n t i a l v e g e t a t i o n change. i , Topographically Lynton has a r e l a t i v e l y uniform s e t t l e m e n t pattenn, a high d e n s i t y of roads and a g e n e r a l l y high frequency of f i 4 l d ) bounclaries (Figure 11-4). The main s e c t o r s t h a t have few o r n o road$, b u i l d i n g s o r a c l o s e network of f i e l d boundaries a r e t/he soutgern p a r t s of t h e moorland r i d g e s and t h e c o a s t a l c l i f f slopes. k Land types i n t h e study area (Figure 11-51 are p r i n c i p a l l y i n upland group, but with important e x t e n t s of upland margin land n r t h e c o a s t and following t h e main v a l l e y s , and a smaller sector o f h i l l land, mainly of t h e high plateau land type, i n t h e e x t r e b e south. LAND-USE HISTORY It was t h e presence o f a harbour a t Lynmouth t h a t made t h i s parqsh d i f f e r e n t from most of Exmoor i n h i s t o r i c times by g i v i n g i t seaward looking i n t e r e s t s i n f i s h i n g and t r a n s p o r t . However, t h se two a c t i v i t i e s never supplanted a g r i c u l t u r e a s t h e p r i n o i a1 indu$try i n t h e study a r e a , although Lynton and its ace it? h i n t e r l a n d began t o develop as a t o u r i s t r e s o r t when t h e Fro ch Revolutionary Wars of t h e 1790s r e s t r i c t e d f o r e i g n t r a v e l . T is a c t i v i t y continued t o expand through Victorian and Edwardian tiws, with t h e c r e a t i o n of t h e r e s o r t v i l l a g e of Lynton, which with L t s h o t e l s and o t h e r acconnnodation ( P l a t e 1 ) was r e s p o n s i b l e f o r , a t r e b l i n g of t h e population i n t h e p a r i s h between 1801 and 1961. Concentrated on Lynton and Lynmouth themaelves, t h e r e continues i n t h i s p a r t of .the Exmoor National Park, with its f i n e coasbal landscape and its woodland v a l l e y s l a r g e l y i n t h e c a r e of t h e National T r u s t , a s t r o n g seasonal t o u r i s t economy t h a t is a element i n t h e l i f e of t h e a r e a . 1 The Tithe Commutation Survey of 1840 (Public Record Office) recorded 130 ha (320 acres) of arable land, growing a rotation of green crops, wheat, oats or W l e y , then grass over a 4-20 year cycle. Meadow land used for hay occupied 80 ha (200 acres) while 725 ha ( 1 785. acres) were described as pasture and 365 ha (900 acres) as commons. Woodlands at this time were mainly coppice, producing wood for farm use. An account of the field systems of Devon and Cornwall (Fox 1971) described how 'commons and wastest were intermittently cultivated. Temporary intakes from the moors provided a bonus crop without reducing the pasture area needed for livestock. Because the practice was so widely accepted, there was often little mention of it in manorial records. It is possible that land identified on air photographs (see the end of this section) as formerly ploughed moorland may have been of this short-term type of intake. Once ploughed, crops were taken in succession over a few years until yields fell too low to justify further sowings, then the land was abandoned. In some instances, however, gorse was deliberately grown on former ploughland during the long interval until the land was again cultivated. This 'cropt provided fuel, particularly favoured for bread ovens; fodder for horses when chopped green; and, since it is a legume, helped to build up soil nitrogen towards the time when another crop might be taken. During the 1850s some common land adjacent to Lynton was enclosed, but not without considerable opposition from those who claimed that Lyn Down had been 'so skinned over for fuel', that it was of little or no value for cultivation, and therefore not worth enclosing. The fact that at this time holidaymakers could wander at will over the common sheep walks added greatly to the charm and prosperity of Lynton as a resort, so that tourist and agricultural interests conflicted. In the event, agriculture won in this case, but 13 ha (33 acres) in the Valley of Rocks, allotted as trecreationl ground to be left 'wild', remain as common today, together with extensive inland commons on Ilkeston Ridge and Furzehill Common on the moor land edge. Statistical changes in agriculture in Lynton between 1900 and 1965 are included in the graphs of Figure 4-4 to 4-6 in Part I of this report. The tillage area fluctuated greatly, ending up in 1965 at about the 1900 extent. Cattle and sheep numbers both increased, particularly between 1955 and 1965. ULS (1979) estimate that between 1887 and 1979 the extent of crops and grass in the area increased to 581 'from 461, and that woodland remained substantially unchanged in extent. i The Ordnance Survey ( 0 s ) c a r r i e d o u t its f i r s t l a r g e scale map i n g of Lyntgn i n t h e 188Os, with a m v i s i o n i n 1903. There follow d a long gap u n t i l 1958, s i n c e when it has been p o s s i b l e t o t ace changes i n t h e moorland edge from t h e v a r i o u s e d i t i o n s of t h e 1:63 360 and 1:50 000 maps supporbed by a i r photographs. Figure 11-6 shows t h e d i s t r i b u t i o n of farmland, moorland f r i n g e and moor and The core occupies 885 ha (28% of 1 t h e core ( P a r t I , 4.49-4.50). a r e a ) and t h e f r i n g e 341 ha (11% of t h e a r e a ) , only 43 ha of which are formerly improved land t h a t has r e v e r t e d t o moorland. 23 M of former ploughland were detected w i t h i n t h e moorland c o r e from air photographs. Figure 11-6 shows a l a r g e r e x t e n t of fringe than is included i n t h e c a l c u l a t e d area i n P a r t I, Table 4-6. T h i s is because, f o r Lynton alone of t h e 12 study areas, f r i n g e was a l s o i d e n t i f i e d using t h e T i t h e Survey of 1837. A s such d a t a a r e n o t a v a i l a b l e f o r o t h e r a r e a s , Table 4-6 has given t h e moorland frtlnge a s i d e n t i f i e d from OS map sources and air photographs only, t o g i v e consistency between areas. The moorland fringe i n Lynton is r e l a t i v e l y concentrated i n t h e upland g i n land type ocoupies 32% of t h e a r e a but c o n t a i n s 64% o f t h e fringe. kch I VEGETATION I Vegetation was recorded i n 1978 a t 71 main sites, i n t h e way described i n Chapter 3 of P a r t I o f t h i s r e p o r t . Figure 11-7 g i v e s t h e frequency with which vegetation c l a s s e s were p r e s e n t a t t h e s e sites, and Figure 11-8 g i v e s t h e l o c a t i o n and c l a s s i f i c a t i o l a of i n d i v i d u a l main sites ( g r i d r e f e r e n c e s of t h e s e are included i n Appendix 3 ) . I The outstanding c h a r a c t e r i s t i c of t h e grassland-moorland veget t i o n ralpge i n Lynton is t h e preponderance of improved p a s t r e 8 accounting f o r 68% of t h e recorded sites ( P a r t I, P l a t e s 19, However, t h e vegetation remains more varied than t h a t of Mon ash, D e ~ b y s h i r e (Study Area 6 ) which a l s o has a notably high perceljtage o f improved pastures. I n Lynton, although improved p a s t u r e s are dominant, examples of a l l 4 vegetation groups a r e present, f a l l i n g i n 13 vegetation classes. )): Lynton can be t r e a t e d as 2 s e c t o r s divided by a l i n e running approximately between Woolhanger Farm i n t h e west and Roboqough C a s t l e i n t h e e a s t . To t h e north, a g r i c u l t u r e is more i n t e n s i v g , so t h a t most sites examined t h e r e were improved pastures, w i n l y herb-rich grassland, c l a s s 4 (51% of a l l sites, see P&t I, P l a t e 20). I s o l a t e d rough p a s t u r e s i t e s a l s o occur i n t h i s sbotor ( P W t I, P l a t e 23). South of t h i s l i n e , where t h e ' h i l l ' land and t h e remaining commons a r e found, t h e r e has been reelamation, and t h e moorland vegetation element is mor evidence (Part I, P l a t e 35). Grassy heath, Festuca/Vaccinium heath, (present at 10% of the recorded sites) is the most widespread, and a further 12% of the sites were spread between 5 other hkath classes. The shrubby heath class 13, Calluna heath is illustrated from a Lynton site in Part I, Plate 36. Lynton contains more deciduous woodland than other study areas do. ULS (1979) gave woodland as 6.7% of the area, concentrated along the valleys of the East and West Lyn and Hoaroak Water. Of 12 Lynton woods recorded in this study 6 are classifiable as lowland acid woodlands, 2 as lowland basic woodlands and 4 as upland acid woodlands. Oak is the preponderant tree regardless of the associated species present. Regeneration was noted in all the woods examined. Table 11-1 shows the relationship between land types and vegetation classes in Lynton, and Figure 11-9 sketches the representation of vegetation groups at sites in each land group. Hill land is of limited extent, and the sites in it are principally grassy heaths. The prominent upland land group is overridingly agricultural, with improved pastures predominant in all 3 upland land types (70% of sites in this land group in Lynton are improved pastures). This preponderance is even greater in the upland margin land, where 81% of recorded sites are already improved pastures. POTENTIAL VEGETATION CHANGE Much of the moorland away from the coast is capable of improvement and a great deal has already been reclaimed. ULS (1979) applied the hill land classification criteria being developed by ADAS to estimate that, of the present rough grazings, 45% were not improvable though mainly of some grazing value, 22% were of limited improvability, but 33% were improvable. The Upland Landscapes Study (ULS 1979) report that considerable pressure exists amongst the farming community of Lynton for further reclamation and improvement of the moorland. This would particularly affect the limited remaining areas of inland freehold moorland in private ownership. The future of remaining common land is less certain in this National Park, in which the whole issue of moorland retention is of concern and debate (eg Porchester 1977). Although commercial forestry has been excluded from this area, a simplified assessment of land potential for forestry (Part I, 5.95:5.100) estimates from the land types present, that, while retaining about the present level of agriculture, all the remaining land is theoretically suitable for forestry (Table 5-19), ignoring possible local factors such as exposure, which would certainly exclude some coastal sectors. ! Omitting consideration of these options for major agricultur 1 and/or forestry direct changes, in favour of applying to Lynt n sites the general cdurses of gradual change discussed in Part I (5.74-5.77 m d Figure 5-41 and summarised in Appendix 2, the no t prominent vegetation classes in Lynton are predicted to respond agricultural intensification or decline as follows: herb-ri h grassland, class 4, is unlikely to be allowed to deteriora e significantly; the limited rough pasture sites of Agrostis/Holc s grassland, class 7, could be improved to class 4 or decline Festuca/Agrostis rough pasture, class 8; Festuca/Vaccinium grasqy heath, class 14, could change under intensified agriculture to under agricultural Festuca/Agrostis grassland, class 8, or, decline, to Calluna heath, class 13; and the limited sites of shrubby heaths are likely in a gradual trend brought about by increased grazing pressure to change mainly to grassy heaths such as Festuca/IJardus/Molinia heath, class 16 or Festuca/vaccini& heath, class 14. The likelihood of scrub woodland intervening these trends in a declining agriculture situation at lo altitudes or less exposed sites is illustrated in an example Lynton in Part I, Plate 23). t & 4 I Figure 11-8 includes for individual main sites the vegetatikn classes predicted as capable of development on ecological grouds as a result of gradual intensification or decline in agricultulgl activity. The frequencies of vegetation classes in the study area that would result from these predicted changes are included in Figure 11-7. The predictions of vegetation change through gradual ecological trends under management influences are, as usual, ba$d and not on on the principles discussed in Part I (5.74-5.77) specific considerations of local land and land managem t characteristics at the individual main sites. Improved pastu es would, in circumstances of increased agricultural activi y, increase at the recorded main sites (from 68 to 7821, with a parallel increase of rough pastures from 10 to 14% of sites. compensate for these increases a fall is predicted in Qhe percentage of grassy heaths (from 14 to 8s) and shrubby heaths would disappear from the recorded sites. The predictions following a decline in agricultural activity are for a decrease of improved pastures (to 52% of the recorded main sites) and of grassy heaQhs (to 5% of the sites), balanced by increases of rough pastures ('to 22% of sites) and of shrubby heaths, to occupy 21% of recor ed I sites. to 4 I 1 UndeP either intensified or declining agricultural activity lead ng to padial change there would be a reduction in the range of vegetation at the recorded sites, with the number of vegetati n classes falling from the 13 identified in 1978 to an estimated 8 classes. A decline in agriculture however would maintain a representation of all 4 vegetation groups, whereas the intensifaed agricllture course is predicted as leading to the disappearance of shr~*jbyheaths in the shorter term, and ultimately of grassy heaths also. In terms of the percentage of main sites which would change their vegetation group, 9% of the recorded sites are predicted as liable to change if agriculture were to be intensified, compared to 35% if it were to decline. Zigure 11-9 includes the relationship between predicted changes in vegetation groups at sites and the land groups in which they are situated. Intensification could lead towards greater uniformity through grassland dominance in all land types. Decline would emphasise shrubby heaths rather than grassy heaths in the small hill land sector, increase rough pastures in the upland margin, but cause little conspicuous effect in the upland sector. The vegetation map of Lynton produced in the Upland Landscapes Study (ULS 1979) is given here as Figure 11-10. Table 11-2 correlates the ITE vegetation classes at main sites with the ULS mapping units in which the sites are located. 'Farmland' dominates Lynton and in this area the sites in this unit are almost entirely improved pastures, in contrast to the more variable vegetation character of 'farmland' in some other areas. The ITE shrubby heaths here all fall in the 'sub-shrubs/heathers1 map unit, again a sharper association between the 2 systems of vegetation recording than is found in all areas. Table 11-3 shows the predicted frequencies with which vegetation classes at main sites would occur in each ULS mapping unit if the standard assumptions of courses of vegetation change following agricultural intensification or decline were realised. The strongest change could occur in, the limited extents of the 'smooth grassland' and 'coarse grassland' units, the sites in which could range between being all rough pastures, all grassy heaths as they are now, or all shrubby heaths. CONCLUSION The principal impact on the present vegetation range in Lynton is likely to result from further intakes of moorland for intensive agriculture. The valley woods are already largely managed from a conservation and amenity standpoint, and major forestry expansion though possible is unlikely. Moorland in Lynton is very vulnerable to change because of its relatively favourable physiographic and climatic location. Although within the Exmoor National Park, there is little the Park authorities can apply now as a constraint on current trends for reclamation and improvement since much of the moor is privately owned. Agricultural expansion and landscape conservation are opposed interests in Lynton and the general possibility for Exmoor moorland of a four-fold increase in stocking densities (Porchester 1977) means that the economics of improvement are very attractive even to the extent of foregoing subsidies in order to overcome such planning obstacles as do exist. In the absence of legislation and fuhds to permit moorland purchase, conservation orders and conservation grants to compensate fo mainteoance management of areas of moorland, then it seems like1 that iln the foreseeable future, inroads, possibly final, could b made into the remaining moorland core in Lynton. In this event, th only semi-natural vegetation confidently likely to persist would b the valley woodlands in the care of the National Trust and that o the exposed, steeply plunging coastal slopes that are unsuitable for agricultural improvement or afforestation. "1 I REFERENCES (1907). The parishes of Lynton and Countisburyt CHANTER, J.F. Transactions of the Devonshire Association, 38, 114-254. FOX, Y.S.A. (1971). A Geographical Study of the Field Systems o Pevon and Cornwall. Unpublished Ph.D. thesis, University o Cambridge, pp 347. HARPER, C.G. (1908). The North Devon Coast. Chapman and Hall London, pp 22-24. I PORCHESTER, Lord. (1977). A Study of Exmoor. Report to the Secretary of State for the Environment and the Minister af Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, HMSO London. PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE Manuscript IR 18 1384. SMITH, L.P. (1976). The Awicultural Climate of England and Walesl. Tech. Bull. 35, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food/, HMSO London. UPLAND LANDSCAPES STUDY. (1979). Unpublished report to 1979. 1 -- - TABLE 11-1 CORRELATION OF VEGETATION CLASSES AND LAND TYPES I L.ld Group m d 'In-? WPld 8111 v.&.t.t1on arm ~ l Cd l u s 1rprm.Q Pastures - LYNTON 8t.w 8111 (1). Bill 8lgh p1.te.u (4) steep Upllnd (5) (" Upl~ld P1.t.m (8) 4 1 1 1 2 3 3 3 5 4 Rough P..t~res Upl~ld u r r i n (6) 12 10 0 2 6 1 9 1 7 2 1 8 G I U ~ Y nmath. 14 2 Shmbb, 8.thm 9 1 1 1s 19 2 2 1 1 1 2 10 1 11 12 1s A 8 number of mite8 of each vegetation C ~ M S located i n each land type. Land type number8 u umed on computer maps. Figure 11-6. * 1 1 TABLE 11-2 CORRELATION OF UL8 VEGETATION MAPPING UNITS AND ITE VEGETATION CLASSES AT MAIN SITES -LYNTON - ITE VegeSation Class 1978 ~~ Number of ITE Main Sites in Area of UL8 Unit ULS Yapping Unit Improved Pastures 1 2 Rough Pastures 3 5 4 6 7 Grassy Heaths 8 Shabby Eeathn 3 3 Coarse Grasrland/Ebtinia 3 2 1 Bracken 2 1 10 1 2 1 Smooth Grassland e l o l 1 l 2 1 3 1 4 1 5 1 6 Coarse Grassland/Nmdue 1 -Sub-shrubsfleathers Sub-~hr~b~/Bilber~y 1 Bub-shrubn/Gor~ 1 --&&&I B U h mQrL.nd ~ ~ ~~ 3 1 1 .. . 1 ..~- ~~~~ ~~ ~ .. 2 ~- 1 5 36 ~ ~~- ~~ ~ ~. a ~ 48 Farmland 1 3 ~ ~ ~~ 1 ~ ~ ~ ~ p ~ ~ ~ ~ - ~ ~ ~ ~ As n w b e r of recorded main sites in each ITE vegetation c l u s that are located in each UL8 unit . ~ - - -~ ~ ~ . ~ ~ . ~ - - ~ --- ~ ~ ~~ -- ~ - - ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ p ~ ~ p ~~~ - TABLE 11-3 PREDICTIONS OF CHANGE IN THE BALANCE OF VEGETATION GROUPS AT W I N SITES LOCATED IN UL8 MAPPING UNITS * LYNTON ITE Vegetation Groups A B C A B C A B A C B C 3 3 3 Smooth Gramsland Bhrubby Heaths Grassy Heaths Rough Pasturem Improved Palrtures ULS Mapping Unit Coarse ~rarsland/Nardu8 3 Coarse ~rassland/Eblinia Bracken 1 2 Sub-mhrubm/Hestherm 1 1 Sub-mhrubm/Bilberry 1 1 Sedge & Rush Moorland Farmland A# nmb.r & B C 3 1 3 6 6 1 1 Sub-mhrubr/Gorre 2 1 1 1 1 3 1 2 44 47 36 3 2 1 10 1 1 of recorded main mites falling in each ITB vegetation group that are located in each m8 unit -- predicted mituation u recorded 1978 balance of vegetation if agricultural w e increued, 10+ yrs - predicted balance of vegetation if agricultural ume decreued, 10+ Jr# 1 FIGURE 11.2 ALTITUDE SECTORS - LYWTON FIGURE 11.3 # Moderate Rainfall (1ool-1200mrn.40-48in pa) * RAINFALL SECTORS Fairly High Rainfall (I 201-160Own,48-64in pa) - LYNTON r High Rainfall (I 601-2200rnm, 64-88in pa) b FIGURE 11.4 TOPOGRAPHIC Cli~FiACTERISTICS-LYNTON P OOII 0 0IIII000I0 CI##C#CtOOO I#ICI#I##I#O #OO#$I##COII tOOI#I+ttOI \ C#O#Itt+It Ot###O#IC# Ot##lt+tP ##OIOl#IO 000100##0 000000000 0000000# 0 - J - I aoads Present L Buildings Present * Frequent F i e & Bwm&&es Score>lO, on scale 0-25 - . FIGURE 1'1 .S - UHD GRWP HILL 1 8taep HI11 . 4. 3 HI11 H I & Pl.t#elI LAND TYPES - LYNTON FIGURE 11.6 MOORLAND CORE, FRINGE AND FARTILAND - LYNTON C ] CORE 0 FARMLAND FRINGE RECLAIMED 1687-1970 1117-1887 1903-1958 1887-1903 }j,Dala 1! ! Post 1800 hotooala I 1 ! ; FIGURE 11.7 ..,IUIIOD OW VEGETATION CLASS FREQUENCY AT PAIN SITES CW. - LYNTON FIGURE 11.8 1978 - LOCATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF VEGETATION MAIN SITES Predicted if Agriculture Increased Overall Frequencies of Vegetation Croups - LYNTON Predicted if Agriculture Decreased KEY TO FIGURE Croup 1. Improved Pastures Croup 2. Rough Pastures Group 3. Grassy Heaths Croup 4. Shrubby Heaths 11.8 Class I : Lolim/Holcus/Pteridium Class 2 : Lolium Class 3 : Lollum/Trifolium Class 4 : Herb - ..richLoljum Class 5 : Agrostij/Juncus Class 6 : Festuca/Juncus Class 7 : ~grostis/~olcus Class 8 : Festuca/Agrostis Class 14: ~estuca/Vaccinium Class 15: Festuca/Nardus/Vaccinium Class 16: ~estuca/~ardus/Molinia Class Class Class Class Class 9 : Calluna/Molinia/Vaccinium 10: 11: 12: 13: Vaccinium/Calluna ~ardus/~~ha~num/~alluna ~rfophorum/Calluna Calluna KEY TO FIGURES 11.8 AND 11.9 Heaths Grassy Heat& FIGURE 1 1 . 9 LkKI) GROUP-Vt:GETkTIOIi CKOUP ASSOCIL'I IOGS - I.Y1:7 0:; VEGETATION GROUP FREQUENCIES AT S I T E S I N LANI) CROUPS PREDICTED CHANGES AT MAIN S I T E S . ..... .... Hill Margin ...... @8 .: .:::::...-" ............ .::::-.:: 2. ;: ~ FIGURE 11.10 UPLAND L A N D S C A P E S STUDY VEGETATION MAP OF LYNTON dominant w=iSMOOTH GRASSLAND fescue/ bents COARSE GRASSLAND Nardus Mdinia BRACKEN bracken SUB-SHRUBS heathers bilberry SEDGE & RUSH MOORLAND IE3 BEI cotton grass deer Jumus (all) Sphagnum L bog myrtle se&as WOODLAND (Map by Geoffrey Sinclair, Environmental Information Services) I WIDECOMBE in the MOOR and BUCKLAND in the MOOR WIDECOMBE - PLATE 1 View from Bonehill Down across the East Webburn valley towards the south eastern edge of Hamel Down. The large fields on the background slopes are probably 1 9 ~ ~ century enclosures. The more irregular, smaller fields with hedgerow boundaries in the valley floor are much older. Foreground vegetation is probably shrubby heath of class 13, Calluna heath, in its bracken phase. (Photo by P.Ainsworth) FIGURE 12.1 THE STUDY AREA OF WIDECOMBE I N THE MOOR AND BUCKLAND I N THE MOOR Crown Copyright Reserved STUDY AREA 12: WIDECOMBE I N THE MOOR AND BUCKLAND I N THE MOOR, DEVON PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT The study a r e a of Widecombe and Buckland (Figure 12-1 ), i n t h e Dartmoor region, i s 51 km2 i n e x t e n t and l i e s wholly within t h e Dartmoor National Park on its western f r i n g e , northwest of Ashburton. A l t i t u d e s between 122 and 427 m (401-1 400 f t ) dominate t h e a r e a (Figure 12-21, but t h e r e is a small s e c t o r of low ground i n c l u d i n g a l t i t u d e s below 122 m around Buckland and Hamaford Manor i n t h e south, and a higher a l t i t u d e s e c t o r including land above 427 m on Hamel Down i n t h e north ( P l a t e 1 ) . Most of t h e a r e a (some 65%) is dominated by moderate s l o p e s ( P a r t I, P l a t e 171, but t h e r e a r e a l s o s i g n i f i c a n t p a r t s dominated by s t e e p and very s t e e p s l o p e s along t h e v a l l e y s of t h e Dart, t h e Webburn and t h e East Webburn, and on t h e e a s t e r n s l o p e s of Hamel Down. C l i m a t i c a l l y Widecombe, i n r e l a t i o n t o t h e 12 study a r e a s , can be described a s w a r m and moderately wet ( P a r t I, 2.32). January and October monthly mean temperatures, from approximate d a t a o f f . a height n a t i o n a l maps, are estimated a s 3.1 and 1 0 . 1 ~ ~ With d i f f e r e n t of around 280 m between t h e south and t h e north of t h e a r e a , mean temperatures a r e l i k e l y t o be t h e order of 1.5-2.0°C colder i n t h e highest s e c t o r s than they are i n t h e lowest ( P a r t I, 2.31). Annual average d a i l y sunshine hours a r e 4.0 and t h e average number of days with snow l y i n g is 15. The l e n g t h of growing season f o r g r a s s has been c a l c u l a t e d (Smith 1976) a s between 293 days ( 8 March-26 December) a t 80 m, and 257 days (25 MaFch-7 December) a t 240 m i n t h e South Devon-Dartmoor areas. Most of t h e area has f a i r l y high r a i n f a l l (1 201-1 600 mm, c. 48-64 i n pa) with a small p a r t i n t h e southwest having high r a i n f a l l (1 601-2 220 mm, c. 64-80 i n pa). A s remarked i n P a r t I , 2.33, Widecombe is t h e one study a r e a t h a t f a l l s e n t i r e l y i n t h e c l i m a t i c a l l y non-marginal category, a s defined by Parry (1978). Geologically t h e g r e a t e r p a r t of t h e a r e a o v e r l i e s Dartmoor g r a n i t e , while t h e southeast corner, approximately south of a l i n e between and Buckland, overlies weakly metamorphosed Poundsgate Carboniferous s h a l e s and g r i t s (Culm Measures). The only ' d r i f t s 1 mapped a r e narrow bands of alluvium along t h e r i v e r courses, e s p e c i a l l y those o f t h e East and West Webburn Rivers, s o t h a t s o i l s g e n e r a l l y r e f l e c t t h e underlying o r adjacent rock types. The depth of weathered granite-derived m a t e r i a l on which s o i l s a r e developed over most of t h e a r e a is however q u i t e variable. The g r a n i t e i n t h i s a r e a mainly c a r r i e s s o i l s which a r e moderately a c i d i c i n t e r g r a d e s between t y p i c a l lowland Brown E a r t h s and t h e d r e s t r o n g l y a c i d and leached moorland podzol s o i l s . The n a t i o n a l sail map t h u s shows most o f Widecombe w i t h i n a mapping u n i t dominated by t h e s e Brown Podzolic S o i l s w i t h a s s o c i a t e d Brown Earths. More aoid moorland s o i l s , dominated by Peaty Podzols i n a complex with subordinate poorly drained Peaty Gleys and Gleys, Brown Podzolic S o i l s , shallow s k e l e t a l s o i l s ('Rankers1) and Peaty S o i l s , a s e c t o r 1-2 km deep along t h e from Hamel Down westwards. I n t h e southeast, coinciding with Culm Measure outcrop, a s e c t o r is with subordinate poorly drained Gley S o i l s and Brown On t h e a g r i c u l t u r a l land c l a s s i f i c a t i o n map t h e best q u a l i t y land is a small e x t e n t i n grade 3, around Spitchwick i n t h e lower a l t i t u d e , Brown Earth s e c t o r i n t h e south. Grade 4 land i s widespread, around Poundsgate, t h e v i l l a g e s of Buckland and Widecombe, and along t h e v a l l e y s of t h e East and West Webbupn Rivers. A complex mosaic of grades 4 and 5 land occurs over t)he remainder of t h e a r e a , with grade 5 occupying most of t h e ground. I Topographic c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s a r e shown i n Figure 12-3. Road accebs is good throughout, a t l e a s t i n terms o f frequency, and t h i s has its impact by encouraging t o u r i s t traffic t o v i r t u a l l y t h e whoae area. Settlement has a l s o spread widely, but with c o n c e n t r a t i o n s Yn Widecombe, Ponsworthy , Buckland and Poundsgate. The i n t e n s i v e l y farmed s e c t o r s , as a s s e s s e d by t h e frequency of f i e l d boundarieb, a l s o emphasise t h e widespread use o f t h e area i n t h e present $r p a s t , only commom land (ULS 1979) being g e n e r a l l y free of a c l o network of f i e l d boundaries. 4 The d i s t r i b u t i o n of land types ( P a r t I, 4.15 and Table 4-11 s shown i n Figure 12-4. The upland land group occupies 641 o f t h e a r e a , t h e upland land type being most prominent, with some s t e d p upland p a r t i c u l a r l y along t h e v a l l e y s i d e s , and a s e c t o r of upladd p l a t e a u i n t h e northwest. Upland margin land is important i n t h e south i n t h e a r e a previously noted a s o f lower a l t i t u d e over C u h Measure shaly and sandstone rocks. H i l l land is o f l i m i t e d extehq, with t h e l a r g e s t t r a c t covering t h e common land of Hamel Down t h e north. I LAND-USE HISTORY I I n p r e h i s t o r i c times t h e evidence of settlements ( P a r t I, P l a t e 181, c a i r n s and t h e boundary banks known as ' p a r a l l e l reavesl ( P a r t I , 4.23) shows t h a t a s i z e a b l e population then l i v e d i n southern and western Dartmoor. The next s u b s t a n t i a l phase o r settlement followed t h e a r r i v a l of t h e Saxons i n t h e 7 t h centuri. I AD. Pressures on land gradually increased t o extend settlement t o a l t i t u d e s above 305 m (1 000 f t ) . The importance of t h e s e uplands a s l i v e s t o c k grazing i n t h e r e g i o n a l economy, and t h e organised way t h i s grazing was managed, a r e seen i n t h e system by which, i n t h e 13th century, p a r i s h e s such a s Buckland and Widecombe paid dues f o r summer moorland grazing only t o t h e e x t e n t t h a t they could maintain t h e i r s t o c k i n winter on t h e i r farms ( P a r t I, 4.25). It i s l i k e l y t h a t during t h e 12th and 13th c e n t u r i e s c u l t i v a t i o n was a t i t s maximum. Additional f a r m income was l a t e r provided by r a b b i t warrens ( P a r t I , 4.28). I n t h e e a r l y 19th centupy, enclosures extending t h e farmed land became f e a t u r e s of land management ( P l a t e 11, sometimes with s h e l t e r b e l t s . A t t h i s time c u l t i v a t i o n extended again t o a new peak. Vancouver (1808) noted t h a t , by judicious c u l t i v a t i o n , farmers produced 'excellent turnips, barley, clover, wheat, , beans and p e a s t . His d e s c r i p t i o n of t h e higher ground i n oats the area as 'excessively broken into abrupt and huge i r r e g u l a r i t i e s , terminating i n craggy and f r i g h t f u l p r e c i p i c e s ' i s however a r a t h e r more dramatic r e a c t i o n t o t h e scenery of Widecombe than w e would f e e l today. I n t h e T i t h e Commutation Survey of 1840 f o r Widecombe p a r i s h , 642 was described as common and moor, while 21% was c u l t i v a t e d , and 4% was wooded (Public Record Office). The view taken of Widecombe then was t h a t i t was ' i n t h e h e a r t of Dartmoort and consequently 'exposed i n a very g r e a t degree t o winds ' , again a d e s c r i p t i o n we would not f i n d easy t o and storms recognise. Buokland a t t h a t time was almost a l l w i t h i n one ownership and described a s being very poor. ... ... The study a r e a was surveyed by t h e Ordnance Survey ( 0 s ) first i n 1884. Using successive e d i t i o n s of OS maps, r e c e n t a i r photographs, and t h e f i e l d maps of t h e 1 s t Land U t i l i s a t i o n Survey from t h e l a t e 1930s ( P a r t I , 4.50-4.52) it is possible t o identify t h e location of moorland core, moorland f r i n g e and farmland a t d i f f e r e n t periods. From t h i s study, Figure 12-5 shows t h e e x t e n t s of core, f r i n g e and farmland t o be 48, 12 and 401 r e s p e c t i v e l y . The d i s t r i b u t i o n of moorland core p a r t i c u l a r l y follows t h a t of t h e common l a n d s (ULS 1979) along t h e e a s t e r n , southwestern and north c e n t r a l borders of t h e a r e a , with only l i m i t e d , fragmented a r e a s of core remaining i n t h e single ownership s e c t o r s . The s i g n i f i c a n c e of commons i n r e t a i n i n g up t o now a moorland c h a r a c t e r i n t h i s study a r e a is emphasised i n t h e ULS. The moorland f r i n g e s e c t o r i s almost equally divided between moorland reclaimed f o r a g r i c u l t u r e , and farmland reverted t o moor ( P a r t I , Table 4-6). Considering t h e d i s t r i b u t i o n of moorland f r i n g e i n r e l a t i o n t o t h e d i s t r i b u t i o n of land types, t h e moorland f r i n g e is concentrated i n t h e upland and upland p l a t e a u land types ( t h e s e c o n t a i n 70% of f r i n g e a r e a s ) with t h e remainder almost a l l i n t h e s t e e p upland and upland margin land. O f t h e s e types, r e l a t i v e l y more moorland f r i n g e occurs i n t h e upland p l a t e a u land than would be expected from i n t h e a r e a . This is i n general conformity s i t u a t i o n i n t h e 12 study a r e a s a s a group ( P a r t I, Table 5-13). I For changes i n t h e e x t e n t of t i l l a g e and i n stock numbers, Mini t r y of Agriculture s t a t i s t i c s f o r t h e study a r e a between 1900 and 965 have been s u m a r i s e d i n P a r t I, Figures 4-4 t o 4-7. With t i l l h g e , t h e graph shows a slow g e n e r a l f a l l , i n t e r r u p t e d by a tempoqh-y i n c r e a s e between 1940 and 1945 and a sharp f a l l between 1960 and 1905. For l i v e s t o c k , t h e r e are c o n t r a s t i n g p a t t e r n s . Sheep numbers slowly declined between 1900 and 1935, then dropped sharply by some 50% between 1935 and 1940, remaining a t a g e n e r a l l y steady l e v e l s i n c e then. C a t t l e remained g e n e r a l l y steady i n numbers between 1900 and 1955, then increased a b r u p t l y by some 50% between 1955 a n d 1965. ULS (1979) estimate t h a t between 1884 and 1977 t h e areal of crops and g r a s s increased s i g n i f i c a n t l y from 34 t o 42% o f t h e t t a l area. I n t h i s same period woodland f e l l by about 2% of t h e a r e a occi~py7.61 i n 1977. It 0 During t h e 1960s and 1970s t h e r e has been f u r t h e r land reclama i o n f o r a g r i c u l t u r e . A s shown i n Figure 12-6, p a r t of t h i s land was moorland f r i n g e that had r e v e r t e d a f t e r e a r l i e r c u l t i v a t i o n , b u t s i g n i f i c a n t a r e a s have been reclaimed from land t h a t had p e r s i d t e d a s moorland s i n c e a t l e a s t around 1800. This a c t i v e reclamabion from moorland core r a t h e r than from e x i s t i n g f r i n g e is c l e a r l y important i n e c o l o g i c a l and landscape terms, s i n c e moorland dore can d i f f e r i n s o i l c h a r a c t e r and, a s shown i n P a r t I , 5.68-5471, can o f t e n a l s o d i f f e r i n its vegetation from formerly farmed land that has r e v e r t e d . II VEGETATION 4 Figure 12-7 includes t h e frequencies with which vegetation c l a s e s occurred a t 75 main sites recorded i n 1977. The l o c a t i o n land Hdath c l a s s i f i c a t i o n of each site a r e given i n Figure 12-8. vegetation a t recorded s i t e s i n Widecombe has two p a r t i c d l a r f e a t u r e s . There is a low proportion (5%) of grassy h e a t h s ( P a r t I, 3.16), l i m i t e d t o Festuca/Vaccinium heath ( c l a s s 14), occurning s c a t t e r e d throughout t h e area, and a high proportion of a single shrubby heath ( P a r t I , 3.18) c l a s s , Calluna heath ( c l a s s 13) whdch has t h e highest percentage occurrence (31%) of any c l a s s i n t h e area. This dry heather moor vegetation shows a s t r o n g southwesdern b i a s i n i t s d i s t r i b u t i o n through t h e 12 study a r e a s . Impor a n t c o n g t i t u e n t s p e c i e s , along with heather (Calluna v u l g a r i s ) , i n c l de spp.) and bell-heat e r b i l q e r r y (Vaccinium m y r t i l l u s ) , gorse (Erica c i n e r e a ) . I n Widecombe t h i s class is particul ly concentrated on t h e common grazangs. ULS (1979) have noted an i n c r e a s e of heather moor on common land between 1966 and 19 7 , a fall in grazing associatea with pressuhe. Calluna/Molinia/Vaccinium heath, c l a s s 9 , which may be consideped as a wetter phase of Calluna heath, i s a l s o p r e s e n t , p a r t i c u l a r l y i n t h e northwest. (m 1 I II I I I I I i II I i I The c o n t r a s t i n g end-groups of t h e v e g e t a t i o n range a t main sites (improved p a s t u r e s and shrubby h e a t h s ) t o g e t h e r account f o r 75% of t h e recorded s i t e s . This s h a r p c o n t r a s t between a dominantly shrubby heath v e g e t a t i o n p e r s i s t i n g e s p e c i a l l y on t h e common g r a z i n g s and a dominantly improved g r a s s l a n d elsewhere, is a developing t r e n d noted by ULS a s a f a c t o r i n landscape evolution. The distribution of improved pastures and rough pastures p a r t i c u l a r l y follows t h e v a l l e y s of t h e West and East Webburn Rivers ( P a r t I , P l a t e 22). Improved p a s t u r e s a r e mainly herb-rich a rye grass/clover Lolium g r a s s l a n d , c l a s s 4 ( P a r t I , 3.121, dominated community t y p i c a l of r e c e n t l y sown swards. Much of t h e rough p a s t u r e c o n s i s t s of Agrostis/Juncus and Festuca/Juncus g r a s s l a n d ( c l a s s e s 5 and 61, ( P a r t I , 3.14), which have some degree of s o i l drainage impedence. Bracken, Pteridium aquilinum, i s a c o n s t i t u e n t of a l l t h e rough p a s t u r e c l a s s e s and a l s o can occur i n t h e most f r e q u e n t improved p a s t u r e c l a s s , s o t h a t i t is t h e r e f o r e widespread and prominent i n t h e v e g e t a t i o n of t h e v a l l e y s i d e s . ULS (1979) noted a s u b s t a n t i a l expansion i n t h e prominence of bracken cover between 1966 and 1977. Within t h e woodlands, which a r e p a r t i c u l a r l y concentrated along t h e v a l l e y s of t h e Webburn and D a r t ( P a r t I, P l a t e s 17, 22), v e g e t a t i o n was recorded a t 13 s i t e s . The 3 woodland groups, upland a c i d woodlands, lowland a c i d woodlands and lowland b a s i c woodlands, ( P a r t I , 3.25) a l l occur i n Widecombe. The most common woodland t y p e ( 5 s i t e s recorded) is pedunculate oak/ash woodland, and t h e r e were 3 s i t e s of a c i d oak/birch woodland. These woods a r e s u r v i v o r s of a major r e p l a n t i n g of many woodlands w i t h c o n i f e r s which has been i n p r o g r e s s s i n c e t h e period 1946-1951 (ULS 1979). Table 12-1 g i v e s t h e a s s o c i a t i o n between v e g e t a t i o n c l a s s e s a t main s i t e s i n t h e grassland-moorland range and t h e land t y p e s i n t h i s study a r e a . Figure 12.9 i n c l u d e s a schematic i l l u s t r a t i o n of t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p between land groups and v e g e t a t i o n groups, using a s k e t c h of land group d i s t r i b u t i o n based on F i g u r e 12.4. H i l l l a n d s i t e s a r e dominated by Calluna heath but i n c l u d e t h e few g r a s s y heaths. The dominant upland l a n d group, and t h e upland l a n d t y p e w i t n i n t h i s , c o n t a i n s s i t e s of improved p a s t u r e s , rough p a s t u r e s , and again, Calluna heath. Upland margin is dominated by improved p a s t u r e s i t e s but a l s o i n c l u d e s s i g n i f i c a n t p r o p o r t i o n s of rough p a s t u r e and shrubby h e a t h s i t e s . POTENTIAL VEGETATION CHANGE 1 I n an a r e a l i k e Widecombe and Buckland, i n which a promin n t a g r i c u l t u r e , a s i g n i f i c a n t f o r e s t r y i n t e r e s t and a s u b s t a n t a1 t o u r i s t pressure i n t e r a c t , i n a National Park, t o g i v e 0 en competing p r e s s u r e s on land-uses and vegetation, it is p a r t i c u l d ' l y d i f f i c u l t t o p r e d i c t t r e n d s of vegetation change over t h e nkxt 20-30 years with any confidence. A simple assessment of f o r e s t r y p o t e n t i a l ( P a r t I, 5.95-5.100) based on land type proportions and an a l l o c a t i o n of Uand preferentially t o agriculture, then t o f o r e s t r y on standbrd assumptions r a t h e r than l o c a l land and ownership f a c t o r s , suggeSts t h a t ( P a r t I , Table 5-19) very l i t t l e 'unplantable' land is present and t h a t around 40% could be used f o r f o r e s t r y compared t o t h e predent 8%. Clearly f o r e s t r y expansion a s an a l t e r n a t i v e r e t a n t i o n o f upland open land could be a c r i t i c a l policy i s s u e 1 A g r i c u l t u r a l l y , ULS (1979) found t h a t some two-thirds of farm rs planned t o maintain t h e i r present l e v e l s of management. On t h e o t h e r hand, t h e remainder s a i d they wanted t o i n c r e a s e s t o c w n g r a t e s , improve rough grazing and/or buy more land. This c o h e would lead t o f u r t h e r grassland improvement schemes, p a r t i c u l a P l y l i k e l y t o involve upgrading present rough pastures. However, o f t h e t o t a l rough grazing, ULS (1979) g i v e 30% a s 'not improvable' b u t 'of some grazing value1, and 55% as having improvement potentLa1 l i m i t e d f o r physiographic reasons, while only 15% is c l a s s e d a s r e a d i l y improvable. They base t h e i r e s t i m a t e s on t h e c r i t e p i a developed and under t r i a l i n h i l l and upland a r e a s by t h e A g r i c u l t u r a l Development and Advisory S e r v i c e Resource Plan ng Grow. ULS considers t h a t stocking d e n s i t i e s could be i n c r e a s d, p a r t i c u l a r l y on moorland a r e a s held by i n d i v i d u a l farmers on a freehold b a s i s , and t h i s would involve v e g e t a t i o n changes i n s ch a r e a s from shrubby heaths t o grassy heaths, with piece a 1 reclamation of land f o r p a s t u r e under i n t e n s i v e a g r i c u l t u r e . WS have a l s o drawn a t t e n t i o n t o t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f l e g i s l a t i o n leadung t o s u b s t a n t i a l changes i n t h e management of common g r a z i n g s whkch again could e l i m i n a t e many of t h e present shrubby heaths. I n t e n s i f i c a t i o n of management might involve t h e use of h e r b i c i d e s f o r d i f f e r e n t i a l c o n t r o l of g o r s e and bracken. The o v e r a l l e f f e c t of changes such a s t h e s e would be t o i n c r e a s e t h e proportion of improved p a s t u r e types along t h e v a l l e y s and t o a c c e l e r a t e a s h i f t I from shrubby h e a t h s t o grassy h e a t h s on t h e moorland. 1 : However, a l t e r n a t i v e l y , s i n c e t h e majority of farmers i n d i c a t e d t o ULS t h a t they d i d not intend t o i n i t i a t e major changes i n t h ir farming p r a c t i c e , and w i t h National Park p o l i c i e s t h a t seek t o s u s t a i n much of t h e present landscape c h a r a c t e r , a s well a s he trend t o higher energy c o s t s , it is p o s s i b l e t h a t t h e s c a l e , o f eventual change due t o a g r i c u l t u r a l i n t e n s i f i c a t i o n might b e accommodated w i t h l e s s impact on t h e landscape. Even if t h i s i s s o , pressure from increased tourism is another factor to be considered. Walking, r i d i n g and camp f i r e s concentrated i n favoured open land l o c a t i o n s could i n i t i a t e funuamental changes i n t h e composition of heath vegetation s i m i l a r t o those t h a t could be caused by increased grazing pressures. The outcome of a p o l i t i c a l and economic balance between t h e s e a l t e r n a t i v e major o p t i o n s is impossible t o f o r e c a s t . Turning though from t h e s e imponderables t o a s i m p l i f i e d p i c t u r e of predicted vegetation change, a p p l i c a t i o n of t h e standard courses of change discussed i n P a r t I (5.74-5.77 and Figure 5-41, as summarised i n Appendix 2, could l e a d t o t h e s i t u a t i o n s discussed below. The most frequent vegetation c l a s s e s a t t h e sampled s i t e s were: from t h e improved p a s t u r e group, herb-rich Lolium grassland, c l a s s 4; i n t h e rough p a s t u r e s , Agrostis/Juncus grassland, c l a s s 5; i n t h e grassy heaths, Festuca/Vaccinium heath, c l a s s 14; and i n t h e shrubby heaths, Calluna heath, c l a s s 13. I n considering t h e l i k e l y o p t i o n s f o r change, c l a s s 4 i s a t t h e a g r i c u l t u r a l l y ' b e s t ' end of t h e improved pasture succession, representing recently reseeded grassland. The suggested t r e n d s under a g r i c u l t u r a l expansion o r d e c l i n e would be l i k e l y t o maintain such grassland. If f o r any reason an a r e a of t h i s c l a s s became less a c t i v e l y managed it would be l i k e l y t o change gradually through o t h e r improved p a s t u r e s and eventually become scrub woodland a s a r e s u l t of t h e s u b s t a n t i a l sources of t r e e seed l o c a l l y a v a i l a b l e . The rough p a s t u r e Of c l a s s 5 is a s s o c i a t e d o f t e n with some degree of s o i l wetness and f r e q u e n t l y has a high proportion of brambles and bracken present. S i t e s of t h i s c l a s s may well r e p r e s e n t an end p o i n t of improvement under l e s s favourable economic conditions, but i n a climate of agricultural intensification could be cultivated, reseeded, f e r t i l i s e d , and drained where necessary, t o become improved p a s t u r e s s u i t a b l e f o r s u s t a i n e d use. Woodland again i s a l i k e l y outcome of s u b s t a n t i a l d e c l i n e i n a g r i c u l t u r a l use of t h i s c l a s s . The grassy heaths and shrubby heaths of c l a s s e s 14 and 13 & r e i n d i c a t e d i n P a r t I , Figure 5-4 a s linked and l i a b l e t o change between each o t h e r i n response t o i n t e n s i f i e d o r reduced grazing and burning regimes, t h e former favouring grassy heaths, and reduction favouring shrubby heaths. Under increased use a change o f t h e Festuca/Vaccinium heath towards rough p a s t u r e is more l i k e l y t o l e a d t o a d r i e r rough p a s t u r e community such a s Festuca/Agrostis g r a s s l a n d , c l a s s 8 , than t o t h e Agrostis/Juncus grassland t h a t is t h e present most widespread rough p a s t u r e type. Figure 12-8 includes p r e d i c t i o n s of vegetation c l a s s e s t h a t could develop a t recorded s i t e s on e c o l o g i c a l grounds under t h e standard assumptions of gradual change due t o a moderate l e v e l of a g r i c u l t u r a l i n t e n s i f i c a t i o n or decline. Figure 12-7 shows t h e differences these predicted changes would produce in the frequencies of vegetation c l a s s e s a t t h e recorded main s i t e s . It must be emphasised again t h a t t h e s e p r e d i c t i o n s are based only on t h e standard a p p l i c a t i o n of g e n e r a l p r i n c i p l e s and do not consider i n d i v i d u a l s i t e and management conditions. With t h i s r e s e r v a t i o n , it is estimated t h a t an i n t e n s i f i c a t i o n of a g r i c u l t u r e t o a moderate degree i n Widecombe could l e a d t o ove a l l incbeases i n t h e proportions of improved p a s t u r e s and grassy he t h s a t t h e recorded s i t e s , t h e former from 37 t o 58% o f s i t e s and t h e l a t t e r from 5 t o 37% of s i t e s . These i n c r e a s e s would be balance by a f a l l i n rough pasture vegetation (from 20 t o 5% of s i t e s ) , t h e disappearance of shrubby heaths. The predicted outcome 0 moderate d e c l i n e i n a g r i c u l t u r a l use would be f o r f a l l s i n S t e s with improved p a s t u r e s (from 37 t o 29%) and rough p a s t u r e s ( f r o t o h3%) balanced by an i n c r e a s e i n grassy heaths (from 5 t o 15% of s i t e s ) and i n shrubby heaths (from 38 t o 43% of S i t e s ) . I I n con9idering t h e o v e r a l l impact of t h e s e predicted vegeta i o n changes on t h e landscape t h e increased a g r i c u l t u r a l i n t e n i t y outcome could involve a change i n vegetation group a t 63% of s i e s , while t h e d e c l i n i n g a g r i c u l t u r e s i t u a t i o n would have a dess i n t e n s i v e e f f e c t , with 33% of t h e main sites changing t q e i r vegetation group. 1 1: 1 Figure 12-9 shows t h e predicted changes a t main S i t e s i n r e l a t i o n t o l a n d groups. With a g r i c u l t u r a l i n t e n s i f i c a t i o n h i l l land would change most markedly, with shrubby heaths replaced by grassy heaths, while d e c l i n i n g a g r i c u l t u r e would i n c r e a s e v e g e t a t i o n v a r i e t y i n t h e upland and upland margin land groups. The Upland Landscapes Study vegetation map of Widecombe (ULS 1979) is included h e r e as Figure 12-10. Table 12-2 c o r r e l a t e s t h e ITE vegetation c l a s s a t main s i t e s * w i t h t h e ULS mapping u n i t i n which t h e sites are s i t u a t e d . The most prominent map u n i t , 'farmland*, is dominated by p a s t u r e s i n t h i s a r e a but includes a few heath sites ( s e e Appendix 3 f o r an o v e r a l l c o r r e l a t i o n of ULS u n i t s and XTE c l a s s e s f o r 11 a r e a s ) . The 'bracken' u n i t n e c e s s a r i l y covers a range of c l a s s e s s i n c e t h i s s p e c i e s can grow i n a range of p l h n t communities. Main s i t e s i n t h e 'sub-shrubs/gorse' u n i t a r e maihly Calluna heath. Table 12-3 g i v e s t h e predicted balance of vegetation c l a s s e s t h a t could occur i n t h e ULS map u n i t s i f t h e standardiaed courses of change under a g r i c u l t u r a l i n t e n s i f i c a t i o n o r d e c l i n e took place. Heavier grazing, with o t h e r management pressures, co4ld change s i t e s i n t h e 'bracken' and 'sub-shrubs/gorset units t o mainiy g r a s s y h e a t h s rathe? than t h e shrubby heath p l a n t communit/es t h a t they now mostly a r e . These mapping u n i t s would change t h ir charbcter most conspicuously under i n t e n s i f i e d a g r i c u l t u r e . W t h d e c l i n i n g a g r i c u l t u r e t h e moorland-pasture c o n t r a s t would p e r s i t , thou$h pasture s i t e s would decrease and heaths i n c r e a s e i n he 'fartoland' and 'grassland' u n i t s . i I R ( i n c l u d i n g a d d i t i o n a l s i t e s recorded i n 1979, s e e P a r t I , 5.66-I 5.67) I I CONCLUSION Widecombe is an area of relatively favourable environment and widely spread settlement in which agricultural intensification is reasonably possible. It also is an area of intensive recreational pressure under the planning aegis of a National Park, and has a suitable environment for forestry expansion. How these conflicting interests of agricultural or forestry expansion and landscape conservation will balance out over the next 20 years is uncertain. To add to the uncertainty, the future of the commons, which virtually sustain a strong heath vegetation component in the present landscape, is unknown. Unless active policies retain heath vegetation on these commons, and preserve the surviving deciduous woodlands, the present important contrast between heaths on moorland ridges and grassland in wooded valleys will be blunted or disappear. Heaths will decline and rough pastures and improved pastures increase to give a simplified farmland/forest balance to what is now a farmland/moorland/woodland/forest mosaic. REFERENCES PARRY, M.L. (1978). Climatic Change, Agriculture @ Settlement. Dawson-Archon Books. PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE Manuscript IR 18 1571. SMITH, L.P. (1976). The Agricultural Climate of England and Wales. Tech. Bull. 35, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, HMSO London. Buckland in the Moor UPLAND LANDSCAPES STUDY. (1979). Widecombe Parish Report. Unpublished report to the Countryside Commission, June 1979. VANCOUVER, C. (1808). General View -of-the Agriculture of the County of Devon. Reprinted by David and Charles, Newton Abbot, -- - 41-42. 1 TABLE 12-1 CORRELATION OF VEGETATION CLASSES AND LAND TYPES - WIDECOMBE Land Group and Typr - Bill Vegct.tion Group mnd C l a s s Steep B i l l (118 Improved P a s t u r e s Upland Blgh p l a t e m u (4) (') Steep (5) Upl-d Upland Plateau (8) 1 a a 2 3 2 I 2 1 10 5 7 0 1 1 7 1 6 1 2 1 1 1 14 Bemths 1 1 8 GI"., Upl-4 Margin ( 6 ) 1 I Rough P s s t u l e . ~~ ~ ~ 1 1 1 15 16 e shrubby ne.tb. 1 3 1 10 11 ~ ~ -~ ~- ~ -- -- ~ ~ -~ 18 a s 2 I As number of mite8 of each vegetation c l m 8 located i n each land type. L m L t y p e numbers u u8eQ en +emp&er maw, Figure f Z I - 4 - * ~ ~~ - -~ ~p 11 e 1 1 - WIDECOYBE :ABLE 12-2 CORRELATION OF ULS VEGETATION MAPPING UNITS AND ITE VEGETATION CLASSES ITE Vegetation Class ULS Mapping Unit Number of ITE Sites in Area of ULS Unit Improved Pastures 1 Smooth Grassland 6 2 3 Rough Pasture* 4 5 6 7 2 1 Grassy Heaths 8 Shrubby Heaths 1 4 1 5 1 6 9 1 0 1 1 1 2 1 3 1 2 Coarse ~rassland/flUrdu~ 1 Coarse Graasland/Molin&z 1 1 Bracken 3 3 2 1 Sub-shrubsAieathers Sub-shruba/Bilberry 1 Sub-ehrubs/Gorse 2 Sedge 61 Ruah Moorland arml land As number of recorded 38 2 3 3 1 8 s 1 1 1 1 #itel in each ITE vegetation elms that are located in each UL8 unit 3 TABLE 12-3 PREDICTIONS OF CHANGE IN THE BALANCE OF VEGETATION GROUPS AT SITES LOCATED IN ULS YAPPING UNITS - WIDECOYBE ITE Vegetation Groups Smooth Grassland Rough Pasture# Improved Pastures ULS Mapping Unit A B 1 4 3 1 1 C A B Shrubby Heaths Grassy Heaths C A 1 B C A B C 2 3 2 2 1 1 1 1 13 1 13 16 6 5 Coarse ~rassland/Nardus Coarse Graseland/Mo~inia Bracken 1 5 1 4 3 3 3 Sub-shrubs/Heather# 6 Sub-~hr~b#/Bilberry Sub-shrubs/Gorse 1 1 11 1 11 11 3 6 3 5 Sedge k Rush Moorland - - - Farmland As number of recorded A B C - - 26 33 21 7 2 6 2 sites falling in each ITE vegetation group that are located in each ULB unit - #ituation u recorded - predicted balance of vegetation if agricultural use increased, 1- - predicted balance of vegetation if agricultural use decreamed, lo+ er'$yr# FIGURE 12.2 ALTITUDE SECTORS - WIDECONBE . , 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 O O 0 0 0 0 0 0 O t O 0 0 0 . 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 O D 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ' 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 I 0 0 0 0 0 0 # 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 O 0 0 4 O O 0 0 ~ 0 o o o a o o o o o o o o o o O 0 0 0 O O O O t O O 0 0 * 0 # 0 0 0 0 0 0 # t : * 0 0 0 0 4 : 9 * t t O O t # t * 1. 0 4: 4: # # 1: 4: 0 0 0 O O O t t 0 0 0 4: 1: # 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 . 0 0 0 0 0 1 . 0 0 0 0 0 0 # 0 0 0 0 * ~ : * # 0 0 0 # 1 . * 0 ~ O t # t D O O # I D I O t O * t t 1 : # O # P ~ 1 0 0 ~ O # * * # O # 1 . 1 . 1 . 0 0 0 0 t ~ : ~ ~ O * ~ f 1 . # 0 0 1 : # # # # I 1 . 0 0 * # o o * + # # * # ~ . o o o ~ 0 0 0 9 * ~ : * * * # 0 0 0 1 : O O O O * # ~ I : P # 1 : 0 * 1 . 0 0 0 9 * P t P # ~ 0 1.a:*P1;I:Po*1.1..#* 4: # a: 1. t. D: 1: :I 1: ,J 1. 4: (: 0 4: t 0 # t 1. 1. 1. + Dominantly 0 Altitudes <244~1(800ft) + Dominantly Altitudes 24l+-427m(800-1400ft) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 o ~ 0 0 O t 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ' 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 o o O O O ~ o ~ 1.4.0 t 4 . 0 0 0 t t 0 0 C l t t ~ O O O O 1 : ~ 0 . 0 0 0 0 0 0 ' 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 D 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 O O O O D O o o o o ~ 0 0 0 0 0 D 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 O a O ~ O O C ~ O O O O O O 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 o o o o n u o o o o o o o 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 O O O O O 0 0 0 0 0 0 +Dominantly Altitudes 427m(1400ft) . r FIGURE TOPOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS 12.3 - WIDECOMBE - O O # # # O # # # t # O # O O # # # # * # # O # # # # 0 0 # # * 0 # # O # # * # # # * * $ # # * # # * # # # # # # * # O * # # t O # O O 0 0 # * O o # # # O # # # # # # # * * + # # # # # # # # + O # # # * * # # * # * # O r r t t # r r + t # O l # # # # # # * # * O # # # # # # # # O # # # # # # # # * ~ # # # # # * # * # # # * # # O O * # # # # # # # # # * O # * O # # # # t # # # # # # + - Roads P r e s e n t 0 C B 0 O 0 # # # O O O # O O O O * O 0 O O O O O O # O # 0 0 # 0 0 0 0 0 0 * 0 0 0 0 0 # # 0 0 # # * * 0 O # O O O # O # * * ~ * * # 0 # 0 0 0 # # # # # 0 ~ 0 # # # 0 0 # 0 P 0 0 0 0 0 0 # 0 # 0 t + # t f 3 O # 0 0 0 # # 0 # # + # 0 * O O I O # * O # # # 0 0 0 0 0 # # # # 0 * # # # 0 0 0 0 # # # 0 0 1 # # 0 O O * # # O # * * # # # O # O O # # # # O # # # O # # O O # # # # O O O # O # ) Buildings Present 0 * O # # 0 O # 0 * # * * # # # # 0 O 0 0 O O O # # # O O O t # # # # 0 0 0 0 # 0 # * # # * # 0 0 0 # 0 0 # # * # # O t * * * O * O # # # # # # # # O * # O * * O * # # # 0 0 * ~ # # # 0 * # * 0 0 0 0 0 ~ t t O i ~ # # 0 0 O O # # # # # # # # O O O # # * * # # # O O O 0 0 # # # * 0 # # # 0 0 O O # # * # O # # # # 0 ~ # # * # # 0 # 0 0 0 0 # # # # # O # # O O O O # # * # # O O # * O O + Frequent F i e l d Boundaries FICURc 12.4 LAND TYPES t- - - - - - - - - - 4 4 4 1 3 1 - - ~ - - - - - 4 - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - 14 1 4 - 3 - - - - - - - - - - 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 7 7 7 - - - 4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I - - - - - - - - - - I - - - - - - - - - - - 5 5 5 - ------------------------1 - - 1 - - - - - - - - - - - --1 - HIU UND GRLYJP 1 3 4 - I - Steep Hlll HI11 HI@ - - 6- - - - - - - - 4 1 - ' - - - -- .- 1 - - 1 - - - - WIDECOMBE --5 --5 - 4 - - 5 5 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 - - - - 7 7 7 7 7 7 - 7 ' - - 5 7 7 7 7 8 - 7 7 5 - - 7 7 8 7 7 8 8 7 8 7 7 7 . 7 7 7 7 8 7 7 7 ' 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 - 7 - 7 7 7 ' - 7 5 - - 7 7 7 - 7 7 8 7 - - - 5 7 7 7 7 - - 7 7 7 7 - 7 7 7 7 5 7 7 7 7 7 7 - 7 - - - - 7 7 7 - 7 7 7 7 7 - 5 5 - 7 7 7 7 7 8 7 7 - - - - 5 7 - 5 5 5 5 7 7 - - 'J 5 - - - - - - ---- C J - - - - ---- - 5 . - steep upland - --------- - - - - - 6------- - - - 6 - - - 6 6 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 6 - 6 - 6 - - - 6 - - - - - - - - 6 ' - - - - 6 - 6 6 - - A & - - .. .-. .- - - - - - - - '6.6 6 6 - - - 6 6 - - 6 - - 6 6 - - - - - 6 6 6 6 - 6 6 - 6 6 - 6 6 - - ' 6 6 6 6 6 - 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 ---- - - ------~ - UPUVD MARUICIN 6 UMI GRCUP Upland m g l n 7 UPlsM' Plateau 8 V p l a M Placesu . F I G U R E 12.5 MOORLAND CORE, F R I N G E AND FARMLAND OCORE =FRINGE RECLAIMED 8" AFFORESTED MOORLAND 0FARMLAND - ' WIDECONBE FRINGE REVERTED 1804- 1904 a 0 I 1 Mil. t- -'"r--4 K ,,, 1 ' . FIGURE 12.7 VEGETATION CLASS FREQUENCY AT MAIN SITES - WlDECOMBE FIGURE 12.8 LOCATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF VECETATISN MAIN SITES - WIDECOMBE ..... .. , i 1977 ! 1 - Predicted if Agriculture Increased . *- Predicted if Agriculture Decreased Overall Frequencies of Vegetation Croups . . a' '... : KEY TO FIGURE Croup 1. Improved Pastures 12.8 Class 1 : ~olium/~olcus/~terldium Class 2 : Lolium Class 3 : Lolium/Trifollum rich Loliwn Class 4 : Herb - Oroup 2. Rough Pastures Croup 3. Grassy Heaths Group 4. Shrubby Heaths Class 5 : ~~rosti;i/Juncus Class 6 : Festuca/Juncus Class 7 : ~grostis/Holcus Class 8 : ~estuca/Agrostis 1 1 Class 14: Festuca/Vaccinium Class 15: ~estuca/Nardus/Vaccinium Class 16: Festuca/Nardus/Molinia Class Clbss Class Class Class 9 : ~alluna/~olinia/Vacciniusl 10: ~accinium/Calluna 11: ~ardus/~pha~num/Calluna 12: Eriophorum/Calluna 13: Calluna KEY TO FIGURES 12.8 AND 12.9 m 5 w Heaths FIGURE 12.9 LAND GROUP-VECETkTI ON CROUP ASSOCIATI ONS-KIDECOGRE VEGETATION GROUP FREQUENCIES AT S I T E S I N LAND GROUPS' PHEDlCTED CHANCES AT MAIN SITES. Hill Up1 and p g -q' k~.pZ Margin b l n SlLrs 1977 l g ~ c u l r ~ n l s . &~-lrulLvrr Decreased la )TL. UPLAND LANDSCAPES STUDY VEGETATION MAP OF W IN THE MOOR AND BUCKLAND I N THE MOOR FIGURE 12.10 SMOOTH COARSE Mdinia BRACKEN bracken SUB-SHRUBS hO8thers .. bitberry - SEDGE 6 LAND A L ~ bog myrtle I (Map by Geoffrey Sinclair, Environmental Information ~e$vices) APPENDIX 1 GRID REFERENCES OF VEGETATION SITES The vegetation classification and the analysis of vegetation-land-historymanagement relationships are based on data recorded at sites in each area by the methods outlined in Chapter 3 or Part I of this report. Diagrammatic maps showing these sites and their vegetation class are included in each study area account. In order that sites may be located more accurately from Ordnance Survey maps, their grid references are listed here. For 'main sites' recorded in 1977 or 1978 on which classification was based, 8-figure references are given; for additional sites sampled in 1979 there are 6-figure grid references. Woodland sites, not included on maps in the area accounts, are also given in these lists. The full vegetation data recorded at each site are held by ITE. It must be emphasised that, as acknowledged elsewhere, field work at all sites was only carried out by ITE through the goodwill and permission of landowners and/or tenants. The listing of a site here gives no right of access without the agreement of the owner and/or tenant in each case. Lunedale Site Number 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 ' Grid Reference 84852930 84062870 85462852 83302814 84682792 86062775 87442750 92652389 82492753 83922734 85302718 86702693 80382707 81742692 83152675 94102374 85922636 79552650 80952632 82326181 85122579 81582552 82952530 84342515 85232491 88502450 89862440 91292409 80762490 82152465 82532449 84952535 86352416 87672395 87102375 Site Number Grid Reference Site lNumber Grid Reference Woodlands Shap Rurql and Shap I Shap Rural and Shap (continued) Site Number Grid Reference Site Number Grid Reference Site Number Grid Reference Woodlands 48261361 48501403 49801525 50951317 51821 359 52021405 50281 41 5 50821445 50351526 51621573 54481085 53381060 Grid Reference Sited Numbe Grid Reference Heptonstall Site Number Grid Reference Site Number Grid Reference Site Number Grid Reference Woodlands 98982850 98932880 98502888 98132890 97762920 97252958 97202985 97163070 97103107 96603128 98502769 98232817 97412820 97122818 lonyasd and Hartington Mid13le Quarter I II r Grid Referen: Sit4 Numbe Reference r I~.b,"nce 4-4- oo lands Llanfachreth Site Number Grid Reference 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 75232871 77252877 78252875 79292879 75472835 77752824 78752823 79732822 75062772 78242775 79252774 75242675 76282675 77252675 78262675 79402663 81252678 74272580 75232574 77252575 78242574 79252574 80242574 8 9 10 11 13 14 15 16 17 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Site Number 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 Grid Reference 77232378 78222380 81252374 74782324 76752325 77722326 78702327 79742325 81762326 75232275 76152260 77242276 78232275 79252275 80252273 81252279 74762226 75752228 76742227 77742225 78602225 74212172 76202166 Site Number 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 Grid Reference 809 783 753 749 776 756 759 754 756 764 784 799 766 769 782 785 236 291 216 201 214 202 204 224 220 214 229 232 280 281 218 223 Woodlands 1 2 81112326 81472328 L sb t Ystw th $@d hands Glascwm Site Number Grid Reference Site Number Grid Reference Site Number Grid Reference 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 Woodlands I nlais,Higher and G1 I I Grid Reference Numbe Grid Reference Site Number Lynton Site Number Grid Reference Site Number Grid Reference Site Number Grid Reference Woodlands Site Nurber 1 2 25 6 7 a ld 1% la 13 14 1d '4 1 Grid Reference hi428005 Site Number 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 ~;!;;;!! p2407904 167007855 167927855 68927846 69927852 70927852 71957852 72957852 67487802 71427804 72507809 73447805 67967750 Grid Reference APPENDIX 2 PREDICTED COURSES OF VEGETATION CHANGE AT MAIN SITES In Part I of this report (5.74-6.77 8nd Figure 6-4) generalimed trend. of gradual vegetation c h q e u e conmidered which could follow i r o ~ agricultural intensification or decline. In predicting pommible change at the recorded main sites in each study um theme trend* have beon applied in a st8ndard way to a11 sitem, ignoring their individual land 8nd uny-t conmiderations, since no adequate information is avail8hle to permit theme to be t8ken into account. The table m h w s the ch8nges between vegetation clna8es which have bean applied in these area discussion# mid in the generalined prediction. o f possible change in Part I. Om .~ricultur.l decline clum 14 1s coas1d.r.d ~d elm.. 16 t o c l u . O ln Llufaehr.th. T.Wty (See P l w r c 5-4 In Part 1). mm 1lk.l~ tm 7 - v . 4s- t.olum 18, id .id.eem.b. APPENDIX 3 ultrTS ttfD rT8 r.cart on btv€. been otl 1. rta rppl lD thl! vory Ir. tLa etE€aa€d at lecordbd by G.,8t!rclat! durl d f9670 a,rd agsl'|r durlag UIS relatlottshlps €rl,st gtrd tbe IlE veg€t. lr',S fro! deta coll€cted polBt. rhlcb laltr trl r1. of tbe IT& elte loca 1o! bave b€e! lnc b.l of ITE cl.rier at tbe rtatrderd pradictloDt of t! each preaelt lc.tfoD or decllDe trs alro €ndr.t, ibe overall corr€lrt Tbe 12th arerl e:tettt Dap6 lor ot I gell rbo nade tbc rhlch reductlont clr'Dger h or. lottaa 'aool ln tba oxteit :ot th. znd Lrod Utlllrtlon .rou!d. 10?8). It th. r.pplaE cl.astllcrtr.oD 18 de.irrDlc url.tg on rhlcb ,1t€r. Eacb ITB rlte c.,D . p.rtlcul.t IrLg urpptittg a o! t€ducttotrr ol tbe lrl,g I t! tbc area accottrte ad3ltttr8 t.r 1! €.c! ItLg rapphg r[tt. vsgetatlon cbrlga to 6a(h .11 LB uDlt tbat could foIlor .tr: gl"€D for ltudy .reer lldlvldl ar€ glvc! .nd dLrcurded , har tro I'IS lap bocsuse ot ' v€g€tatloo. f,e ire po.rlblc lada. by provl,dt Dg Tbc rbltr otrr the UI6 Eapa rere DrpD by f1€ld t d€Dtlllc.tlor ol tbat ,la vt.sual pro[hetrce, ot tr13!t or ccbl!.tlGr o! cbarlctell3e rpcclf 1c plrnt cruun1 lat. Bouadarlot b.tras! tbore tb€ f leld r[d lt h.s trot.d by tha aulvcyor th.t lsat 6re necelsgty to corrtlotly racurrlag pattorat lsettoos 1D€vltably gasator rho! r lLllt€d 'J,,d/ reduced scale ol .rG requlrrd. Tbe D.ptlrg lE L€y. th€ reproduced napa Flgur€r 1-10 o! 12-10), c rf '( te on th€ Dapr) It llrt.d. fb. u|tlt !.Dcl g1 lf-expl.netory but ara, gtv€! Ln IEfl, Dtiola ITE 11t on tt of of tbe clags€g beve be€n do fron 5OO0 n2 quadret , rath€r theD fert ally 1n ltt The IIE clasBes apply to . wlt each study are8, betreelr theae slter. of tbe rhols lnforDctloD De€ded efe Dore honogeneous TableF 1a and b correlate tbe (T.blb 1a) of grdup (Table 1b) rtth ss falltng froD nep overlays, To relat€ the 2 vegetstloa grouplnga ln ecch ITE vegetatioa groqp tbat I and aF tbe p+rpentage of.11 B,lteg h.d Dy codDut.r anslysl3 o Thc clr'slllc.tlon ts based , ro, lr dlrcuat€d Lr Part tr lror tbc fleld-ats€ €d r€coldl ol vo8et.tlon do lot al! to ptovtds Tb. I'IS latra al! to eonvet . study .roa rbtl€ accqtthg tabl.y raara othsr!. Bore ol r1t€r thlt 1! each ftE ULS D.tr u!1t 1! iht ch lly coarld€ratlo! of tlon troupr @1y. Tablel 2a 2 reya:t! th. p€tc€ntage ol I h crci ULg r.p?t Dg udtt (f citod t! ..ch III€. Deppidg uot le 2b). From Table 2a, improved pastures clearly fall almost entirely within the mapped 'farmland'; rough pastures have almost half their sites in 'farmland' with a further third in the 'smooth grnssland' and 'bracken' mapping units; grassy heaths are quite evenly spread across 6 of the 9 mapping units; and rather more than half the shrubby heath sites fall in the lsub-shntbs/heathers' and 'sedge and rush moorland' units, with most of their remaining Sites in the 'coarse grassland' and 'bracken' units. Looked at from the different angle of Table 2b and simplifying the ITE classes to simply consider a pasture/heath ratio, we have the following general position: In areas mapped as farmland: The probability that a site will be pasture is about 7 times greater than that it will be heath. In areas mapped as smooth grassland: Pasture or heath are about equally probable at a site. mapped as In gmsslsad/ Nardus, bracken or sub-shrubs/ gorse: Heaths are about 3 times as probable at a site as pastures. In areas mapped as coarse grassland/ A site is about 6 times more likely klinicr, or sub-sh~bsfiilberry: to carry heath than pasture. In areas mapped as sedge and rush moorland, or sub-shmbs/heathers A site is about 15 times more likely to carry heath than pasture In accounting for the range of ITE classes occurring in some UL8 mapping units there are a number of points to consider. 1 The rapid method of locating ITE sites in respect of UL8 classes by overlaying map reductions in the office may be too inaccurate to be certain that the actual locations of ITE sites are always being correctly correlated to the position of map unit boundaries. This is likely to some extent, and particularly so for small mapped areas, but the quite close correlation between ITE classes and the UL8 map units of sub-shrubs/heathers, sedge and rush moorland, m d f m l m d , suggests that this is not a major issue. 2 ULS units other than the 3 mentioned above may in fact be very heterogenous in terms of their contained vegetation. Thim ham been to a degree accepted by the surveyor as inevitable in sumarising a complex situation the method of mapping is said to have a resolution of approximately 5 ha, ie the size of the ITE quadrat itmelf often a mosaic of amaller areas of contrasting plant communities. It is thus certain that this accounts for some of the complexity of associations seen in the Tables, but it is unlikely to be the Complete explanation. - 3 - UL8 units based on prominence of certain species, for example bracken or gorse,cornbine together assemblages in which the named species are certainly dominant but in which subordinate species can show considerable contrast. Thia aspect accounts for the ride range of ITE classem in, for example, the bracken unit. Bracken can be a prominent species on a wide range of generally freely drained soils as a component of contrasting improved pasture, rough pasture or heath communities. 1 Pbintm 3 and 4 indicate the c o w approachdm. The VL8 map unit# r *act current vegetation in v getatidn records and clumem r tent184 change c m be a~.e#sed f 04 enntary y relate he mtudy y give a character of %he dif .ore directly to the area lmdmcapem, the firrer b u i s frO. perhapm demirable, to exuple Spi getation 1Nkely r4lationmhip between th rkport, opd the sapping unit able mB vegetation rap.. APPENDIX 3: TABLE lb CORRELATION OF ULS VEGETATION MAPPING UNITS WITH ITE VEGETATION GROUP6 AT SITES ULS Mapping Unit Smooth Graseland Coarse Grassland/Nardus -- Bracken sub-shruba/lleathere Sub-ahrub@/Bilberry Sub-rhrubs/Gorre Sedge and Ruah As the number of sites in each ITB group falling in each ULS unit - 2 Heaths ! APPENDIX 3: TABLE 2a CORRELATION OF U W VEGETATION MAPPING UNITS WITH ITE VEGETATION GROUP8 AT SITES ULS Mapping Unit Smooth Grassland Improved Pastures ITE Vegotatian Class Grassy Rough Heaths Pastures - 3 Shrubby Heatha 2 Coarse Grossland/Nardus Coarse Graaeland/MoZ~n&z Bracken Sub-shrubs/Heathera Sedge and Ruah Moorland All QLE units % 100 100 100 As the % of 811 site# in eaah ITI regetation group that fall' in oach m8 mapping unit 100 1 .I