97 - Arden : Analysis: Landscape Attributes & Opportunities

Analysis supporting Statements of Environmental Opportunity

The following analysis section focuses on the landscape attributes and opportunities for this NCA.

Further analysis on ecosytem services for this NCA is contained in the Analysis: Ecosytem Services section.

Landscape attributes

Mature hedgerow oaks and hedgerows that mark many of the field boundaries.

Justification for selection:

• Evidence to suggest loss and deterioration of oak trees and hedgerows. Many have fallen into disrepair through poor management or abandonment. Numbers on the decline and failure to nurture new generations.
• Veteran oak trees with obvious cavities, splits or holes may provide important roost sites for bats such as Soprano pipistrelle bats and potential nest sites for birds.
• Mature oak trees provide important food plant for rare priority species such as false mocha moths that feed on oak leaves.
• Defining feature across whole area.

Ancient and plantation woodlands scattered throughout the area including ancient coppice with woodbanks.

Justification for selection:

• This National Character Area (NCA) has woodland covering 8 per cent of the NCA and ancient woodland covering 3 per cent, making up nearly half of all woodland cover.
• Woodland is primarily found in small isolated pockets well dispersed throughout the area.
• Broadleaved woodlands support a range of priority plant species such as the narrow leaved helleborine and spreading bellflower. Records show that the there are two main populations for these two species in the UK; in the West Midlands with very good numbers in Arden, and on the Welsh borders. This priority species is regarded as threatened and consideration should be given to expansion of habitat.

The river valleys and associated narrow alluvial floodplains of the rivers and their habitats of grazing marsh and lowland meadows.

Justification for selection:

• The river valleys cut through the rolling landscape, providing distinctive local landscapes and hosting remnant areas of important wetland habitat.
• Priority habitats include wet woodlands, floodplain grazing marsh and lowland meadows.

Complex and contrasting settlement pattern with densely populated urban areas such as Birmingham and Coventry. Others relatively dispersed.

Justification for selection:

• 32 per cent of the area is urban. Main urban settlements are located around the edge of NCA. 83 per cent of NCA is green belt.
• Villages are mainly found along river valleys.
• Farmsteads are mainly isolated.
• Transport infrastructure of M42, M5, M6 and M40 motorways.
• Former and existing mining settlements, red brick terraced housing.

Contrasting with the smaller, well hedged fields are the larger more regular fields of the former deer parks and estates.

Justification for selection:

• Large country houses and mature parkland estates such as Packington Hall, Stoneleigh Abbey and Arbury.

Heathland remnants particularly on the poorer soils.

Justification for selection:

• Heathland remnants found in roadside hedgerows particularly in southern Arden.
• Small, fragmented heathland found in urban, central and northern areas.

Landscape opportunities

• Conserve, enhance and restore the area’s ancient landscape pattern of field boundaries, historic (including farm) buildings, moated sites, parkland and pasture and reinforce its well wooded character.
• Protect and manage woodlands particularly ancient woodlands and wood pasture to maintain the character of Arden.
• Manage and restore hedgerows especially in the north-eastern part of the area (enclosure patterns) and restore parkland, ancient trees and stream side trees plus manage and replace in’field trees and hedgerow trees.
• Maintain and restore areas of heathland particularly in southern Arden, Arden Parklands and Birmingham Hills, lowland meadows and pastures and floodplain grazing marshes.
• Manage arable cultivation to encourage rare arable plants and range- restricted farmland birds and mammals, following appropriate management options under Entry Level Stewardship.
• Restore habitats associated with river valleys particularly the Blythe and Tame.
• Create new green infrastructure with associated habitat creation and new public access on former mining sites and close to urban populations in the West Midlands Green Belt.