Ref: CSFF030002

Lead: Forestandland@gmail.com

Group members: 8

Length of agreement: 5

Area of group (Hectares): 3279

We will deliver multiple environmental benefits by focussing on several of the top priority types identified in Natural Character Area 036 Southern Pennines:

  • Managing moorlands to restore and enhance blanket bog, wet heath and upland mire habitats to benefit flood risk management, carbon storage, water quality, biodiversity, drinking water resources and historic features
  • Enhancing and creating low-input grassland habitats, including unimproved pastures, rushy pastures, species-rich pastures and hay meadows where this is situated either adjacent to or within SPA and SAC-designated sites to benefit habitat connectivity, water quality, flood risk management, landscape character and biodiversity
  • Restoring drystone walls within moorland fringe locations, upland pastures, around farmsteads and along tracks, where this will reduce soil erosion, reduce sediment transfer into the Calder and Aire river catchments and strengthen the landscape character
  • Enhancing and expanding the area of wetland and riparian habitats within the floodplain of the River Calder and its tributaries in locations where this will benefit flood risk management, water quality, landscape character and biodiversity
  • Enhancing existing woodlands and expanding woodland cover in locations where well managed woodland can benefit landscape character, biodiversity, water quality and flood risk, in addition to wider climate change, economic and social benefits (especially the northern fringe of this NCA and the deep incised valleys within the (upper) Aire and Calder catchments).
  • Restoring or maintaining the South Pennine Moors SSSI (also SPA and SAC-designated) and its co-joining, un-designated, low-input grassland habitats meets the needs of priority bird species such as the Twite and breeding waders – for example Lapwing, Curlew and Snipe; all of which demonstrate a high degree of inter-dependence between the two habitats for both breeding and feeding.

Working with