44 - Central Lincolnshire Vale : Analysis: Ecosystem Services

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Water availability
• Soils

State – This is an important area for food crops especially cereals.

Water availability is generally naturally high and available for supporting spray irrigation of crops.

Farmland covered 77 per cent of the total NCA area in 2009. Arable agriculture predominates with 46 per cent of farmland used for cereal production and 30 per cent for other crops particularly oil seed, which has increased significantly in recent years, while 20 per cent is grass and uncropped land.

Less than 1 per cent of soils are classed as Grade 1, 14 per cent is Grade 2 and 80 per cent is classed as Grade 3 and less than 1 per cent is Grade 4.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – Arable production remains the mainstay of agricultural activity across the area. While water availability is generally high there is still the need to plan for the long-term availability of this resource through management measures such as rainwater harvesting and water storage.

Agri-environment schemes can enhance a range of ecosystem services of benefit to agricultural production (Ecosystem services from Environmental Stewardship that benefit agricultural production, Natural England Commissioned Reports, Number 102, Food and Environment Research Agency, 2012).

Raising the organic matter content within some soil types can improve their ability to retain nutrients and make them available to food crops. An increased organic content can also benefit soil structure for some soil types, increasing drought resilience and increasing the value of the niche for many soil-dwelling fauna.

Opportunities – Encouraging uptake of sustainable agricultural practice and agri- environment schemes which benefit the natural environment and which help to maintain viable agricultural production.

Carefully considering the timing and impact of agricultural and land management activities on vulnerable soils and under vulnerable soil conditions especially when wet. Also encourage the use of low pressure machinery.

Encourage measures which secure the use of water storage and rainwater harvesting.

Encourage management measures that increase organic matter levels in soils to increase fertility and drought resistance and the use of arable leys in arable crop rotations.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Food provision
• Sense of place/inspiration
• Sense of history
• Regulating soil quality
• Regulating water quality
• Biodiversity
• Climate regulation

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Woodland and plantations
• Trees

State – Total woodland cover in 2011 was 6,273 ha, 8 per cent of total area. 4,074 ha was broadleaved and 1,646 ha coniferous. The main areas of woodland are Bardney Limewoods and on the sandy soils of the Coversands and the Fen Edge Gravels.

Forestry Commission managed woodlands are significant in the NCA with large coniferous plantations on former heathland sites around Market Rasen and to a lesser extent by Woodhall Spa. There are also some coniferous and mixed Forestry Commission plantations within the Lincolnshire Limewoods area on sites of former ancient woodland. Much of this resource is approaching harvesting age.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – New woodland planting in the NCA would increase opportunities for timber provision. Planting would need to be sensitively carried out to enhance sense of place and biodiversity, retain rare species of flora and fauna and minimise conflict with food production.

Woodland opportunity mapping guidance has been produced for the East Midlands which provides detailed guidance on woodland creation opportunities within the area.

Tree planting can benefit other ecosystem services including those which underpin food provision. For example tree planting on soils vulnerable to erosion and alongside watercourses will help regulate soil quality, water quality, flow and availability.

Opportunities – Increase native woodland planting to provide a potential source of commercial timber as well as to enhance landscape character and ecosystem services.

Seek opportunities for woodland planting within green infrastructure and relating to new development and the urban fringe, especially in relation to Lincoln.

Seek opportunities to incorporate tree planting in places where benefits to other ecosystem services will be maximised such as within farmland areas to regulate soil and water quality and within flood plains to regulate flood flows.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Timber provision
• Climate regulation
• Water regulation
• Biodiversity
• Sense of place/inspiration
• Biomass energy
• Sense of history
• Regulating soil quality
• Regulating water quality

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Geology – soils and aquifers
• Rivers and watercourses
• Waterbodies

State – The Lincolnshire Limestone aquifer underlies most of the NCA. It is regionally important for supply of water in the area, mostly for public water supply, but also for spray irrigation, other farm use and industry as well as supporting the base flow of watercourses and surface water features. Large demands are placed on the aquifer to meet public water supply demands and resources are fully committed to existing users and the environment (Grimsby, Ancholme and Louth Catchment Abstraction Management Strategy, Environment Agency, 2013).

The predominant boulder clay derived soils underlain by mudstone bedrock mean soil water availability is generally naturally high.

On average, abstraction may be available for 222 days per year from the River Witham and the River Bain (Witham Catchment Abstraction Management Strategy, Environment Agency, 2013) and for 135 days per year from the River Ancholme.

The Trent Witham Ancholme Surface Water Transfer Scheme (TWA) transfers water from the Trent to the Witham via the Fossdyke and into the Ancholme via pumping at Short Ferry into Toft Newton Reservoir. This meets demand for public water supply and industrial uses within the Ancholme Valley as well as spray irrigation licences.

The Fen Edge Gravels provide a locally important groundwater resource with potential opportunities for consumptive abstraction.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – Low flow levels are detrimental to the biodiversity of the rivers.

Rainfall within the NCA is relatively low – much current land uses persist because of abstraction while rainwater collection and storage and changes in farming systems and land use can reduce the need for abstraction and would better enable farms to deal with increased temperatures and droughts and reduced abstraction availability.

Increases in semi-natural habitats, grassland and woodland will improve water infiltration increasing ground water stocks.

Availability of water within the Lincolnshire Limestone aquifer is dependent on rainwater recharging where it outcrops west of the NCA.

The TWA scheme has a major impact on water availability in the Ancholme catchment, helping meet the needs of a number of large abstractions and maintaining water levels. Anglian Water Services abstract water from the river at Cadney for public water supply while Brigg power station uses significant amounts. Employing sustainable measures to enhance water availability within the Ancholme catchment while reducing abstraction needs will reduce reliance on this scheme.

Opportunities – Maintain ecological flow levels in watercourses by managing abstractions carefully.

Seek to reduce existing levels of licensed abstraction by working with licensees to manage abstraction needs and encourage uptake of sustainable approaches to help reduce demand through for example in-situ rainwater harvesting, in- field water conservation and less water demanding agriculture and generally through more efficient use of water in all uses.

Seek opportunities where feasible to create new habitat areas to slow the flow of water across the landscape to increase infiltration and ground water stocks.

In both rural and urban areas, adapt existing drainage schemes and design new sustainable drainage schemes to maximise infiltration and recharge aquifers and ground water to help maintain river levels.

Work with the Environment Agency and others to plan for more sustainable availability of water within the NCA such as encouraging water storage and rainwater harvesting.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Water availability
• Biodiversity
• Regulating water flow
• Regulating water quality
• Food provision
• Regulating soil erosion
• Regulating soil quality
• Recreation
• Sense of place/inspiration
• Geodiversity

No information available.

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Woodlands
• Miscanthus
• Short rotation coppice (SRC)
• Soils
• Grassland

State – Existing woodland coverage at 8 per cent means there is some potential for biomass energy production.

The yield potential for miscanthus is high throughout the area and it is currently grown at several locations.

The yield potential for SRC is generally medium throughout the area.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – There is potential for the biomass provision through bringing woodlands into management, particularly coppice management of deciduous woodland and as a by-product of commercial timber production.

Care is required in the siting of energy crops to avoid adverse impacts on landscape character and biodiversity; however the gently undulating topography of the NCA means plantings of SRC and miscanthus can be sensitively accommodated.

Planting of miscanthus, SRC as well as trees in flood plains can help alleviate flood risk.

There may be potential for using silage cropped from grassland to generate biogas (Wetlands West Annual Report 2009/10, Appendix C).

Opportunities – Expand the area of native woodland and bring woodlands into coppice management, generating a local supply of biomass.

Plant biomass crops where they do not adversely impact on semi-natural habitats and the character of the NCA, for example where they can complement existing riverside vegetation or around urban areas where they can help screen urban intrusion.

Incorporate growing of biomass crops and woodland with the reinstatement of active flood plains.

Seek opportunities for grassland harvesting to produce biogas.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Biomass energy
• Climate regulation
• Biodiversity
• Regulating water flow
• Regulating water quality
• Regulating soil erosion
• Regulating soil quality
• Water availability

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Soils, especially peaty soils and those established under permanent vegetation.
• Trees and woodland

State – The soils over most of the NCA have a low carbon content (0-5 per cent) especially under continuous arable farming where cultivation and drainage has led to loss of organic content.

There are scattered pockets with a high carbon content (5-50 per cent) are associated with heathland areas and areas once covered by wetland habitat in the valley floors including the area of ‘loamy and sandy soils with naturally high groundwater and a peaty surface’ which cover 4 per cent of the NCA in the upper Ancholme valley. These thin remnants of former peat coverings have largely oxidised away as a result of drainage and cultivation, although some pockets of deeper peats may remain. These soils are at high risk of further peat loss (therefore soil carbon loss) through wind erosion.

Higher soil carbon content is found under remaining semi-natural habitats, woodlands and areas of permanent pasture where organic-rich soils have been able to develop under the undisturbed vegetation.

Carbon will also be locked up in the woodlands of the NCA.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – Cultivation of undisturbed habitats results in a rapid loss of soil carbon.

For the loamy and sandy soils with a peaty surface in the upper Ancholme Valley, soil carbon loss can be reduced through changes in land management, including establishing permanent vegetation, raising water levels and reducing tillage. Use of nurse crops and windbreaks can reduce wind erosion on cultivated land.

Reducing drainage and tillage, increases soil capacity to store carbon while land managed under organic arrangements tends to have higher soil organic carbon content.

Raising soil organic matter also increases the water holding capacity of soils and thus resilience to drought conditions.

Increasing the cover of permanent vegetation in the NCA including pasture, woodland and semi-natural habitats will increase soil organic matter content and carbon storage while more carbon will be stored within the timber of increased woodland cover.

Opportunities – Protect remaining undisturbed habitats and permanent vegetation from cultivation.

Encourage management measures which will protect loss of soil carbon especially from the peaty soils of the upper Ancholme Valley and generally encourage agricultural management measures that increase soil organic matter levels on all soils.

Where appropriate seek to increase the cover of permanent vegetation including woodlands, semi-natural habitats, permanent pasture and other non cultivation agricultural land uses to improve the capacity of the NCA to store carbon.

Plan for opportunities for carbon sequestration through the restoration of former mineral extraction sites and elsewhere through creation of suitable wetland and other habitats.

Promote the role of the natural environment in helping to secure a low carbon economy.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Climate regulation
• Biodiversity
• Regulating water flow
• Regulating water quality
• Biomass energy
• Regulating soil erosion
• Regulating soil quality
• Water availability
• Sense of place/inspiration

No information available.

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Woodlands and woodland soils
• Permanent grassland and semi-natural habitats, especially where they lie close to watercourses
• Hedgerows

State – For information regarding the current state of water quality within this NCA, refer to the Environment Agency (Draft river basin management plan maps).

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – Arable agriculture is the main land use across the NCA. Diffuse pollution from agriculture is considered to be one of the issues for water quality failures in the Ancholme catchment19. Furthermore physical modification of natural watercourses profile has limited their ecological potential.

Regulation of the water quality of the River Ancholme is especially important as it drains directly into the internationally important habitat site of the Humber Estuary.

The main soil type of the NCA can pose a risk to water quality due to poor water infiltration potentially causing run-off from farmland and diffuse pollution to water courses from applied manures and agrochemicals.

Within the Ancholme Valley there is generally low run-off risk but the prevalence of watercourses, drainage ditches and localised flooding means there is a risk of diffuse pollution from applied manures, fine sediment or agrochemicals. Also the susceptibility of the cultivated peaty soils in the upper Ancholme Valley to wind erosion means there is a pollution risk to watercourses from organic matter, sediment and agrochemicals.

Opportunities – Work with the farming community to ensure in-field soil analysis on a landscape scale affords a reduction in rates of phosphate transferred into the NCA’s watercourses while also reducing the current expenditure of farm businesses. Also seek to reduce agrochemical inputs through greater use of crops with lower requirements, conversion of arable to pasture (especially alongside watercourses).

Seek opportunities where feasible to re-naturalise sections of the River Ancholme and its flood plain to improve its ecology and enhance water quality.

Seek opportunities where feasible to convert arable land to other appropriate uses throughout the NCA to enhance water quality especially in the Ancholme Valley including opportunities to re-wet areas and establish permanent vegetation.

Expand the network of semi-natural wetland habitats, woodland, hedgerows and grassland adjacent to watercourses, field drains and waterbodies to capture sediment and nutrients.

Adapt existing drainage schemes and design new sustainable drainage schemes to incorporate habitats to purify water.

Design these in conjunction with green infrastructure.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Regulating water quality
• Regulating soil erosion
• Biodiversity
• Regulating soil quality
• Sense of place/inspiration
• Geodiversity

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Rivers and river channels
• Functioning flood plains and their wetland habitats
• Geomorphology and generally gentle topography
• Other semi-natural habitats
• Woodlands, tree belts and dense hedgerows
• Extensively grazed permanent grasslands
• Soils with high organic matter

State – The NCA is crossed by many streams flowing from the Wolds towards the heavily modified courses of the main rivers: the straight course of the canalised River Ancholme which flows north into the Humber and River Witham which flows south to The Wash.

The current extent of semi- natural habitats and permanent vegetation cover within the catchments is very limited which limits water infiltration rates however, the woodland cover of 6,273 ha or 8 per cent of the NCA area in 2011 will provide some benefit.

Precipitation rates are relatively low in this NCA compared to the national average, however because most of it is underlain by non-porous mudstones, rainwater infiltration is limited, surface run-off and surface water flooding can be issues and surface water and sewer flooding has occurred in Middle Rasen and Market Rasen (Grimsby and Ancholme Catchment Flood Management Plan Summary Report, Environment Agency, 2009)

The main sources of flood risk within the Ancholme’s catchment are from river flooding from the Rasen in Market Rasen, the Ancholme in Brigg, and the impact of the Ancholme not being able to flow freely to the sea at high tide at South Ferriby while the breaching of the Ancholme’s embankments could cause rapid flooding across its flood plain.

Currently the main sources of flood risk within the Witham’s catchment in the NCA include river flooding from the Bain in Horncastle.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – The main soil type of the NCA tends to have poor water infiltration due to clay subsurface layers with potential for rapid water run-off. It requires management techniques to maintain good structure and improve water infiltration on farmland such as careful planning of cultivations, minimum tillage, sensitive grazing and techniques to avoid compaction and to build up organic matter levels.

Creating permanent vegetation including semi-natural habitat, woodland and grassland benefits water flow regulation by increasing infiltration, in intercepting run-off flows from arable land and built up areas and in slowing down the flow of flood waters.

Low population levels mean relatively few people and properties are at direct risk of flooding; however, much agricultural land is within the Ancholme flood plain. Current flood protection measures primarily protect large areas of arable farmland from regular inundation though this approach has impacted on natural river and flood plain ecology and function. EA’s preferred strategy is to reduce bank and channel maintenance where appropriate and help to improve the flow between the river and its flood plain (River Witham Catchment Flood Management Plan Summary Report, Environment Agency, 2009). This will mean an increase in the frequency of future flooding and there will be a need to ensure future land management is able to adapt to these conditions.

In the upper Ancholme valley EA’s aim is to manage flood risk by maximising the potential of the flood plain to retain water to benefit locations elsewhere in the catchment.

Measures proposed to reduce flood risk in Horncastle include storage of water in the flood plain upstream of the town and outside of the NCA. This will have benefits to water flow regulation along the River Bain in the NCA.

Opportunities – Where feasible seek opportunities to re-store and re-naturalise some sections of the rivers, watercourses and flood plains of the NCA in conjunction with changes in farming practices and environmental enhancement.

Explore opportunities to sustainably use wetland habitats for food provision. For example, using flood plain grazing marsh for cattle.

Reduce run-off from agricultural land and where feasible instigate measures to slow flood flows at times of flooding to reduce flood risk downstream while reducing erosion from the peaty soils in this area to benefit water quality (see below).

Seek opportunities where appropriate to enhance woodland creation, tree belts and dense hedgerows as well as semi-natural habitats and areas of grassland to increase water infiltration and impede cross land flows.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Regulating water flow
• Biodiversity
• Regulating water quality
• Regulating soil erosion
• Regulating soil quality
• Climate regulation
• Recreation
• Geodiversity
• Sense of place/inspiration

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Soil type, geological processes
• Organic matter
• Permanent vegetation and semi natural habitat.
• Woodland and hedgerows

State – There are eight main soilscape types in this NCA, the most significant by area being:

• Soil A – Slowly permeable seasonally wet slightly acid but base-rich loamy and clayey soils (51 per cent), the main soil type which has developed from the underlying boulder clay. This soil has impeded drainage, is of moderate natural fertility and has a loamy texture. The types of semi-natural habitats which develop on this soil include seasonally wet pastures and woodlands.
• Soil B – The naturally wet very acid sandy and loamy soils (17 per cent) which have developed over the Coversands and the Fen Edge Gravels. This soil has very low fertility and has a sandy texture. The type of semi-natural habitats which develop on this soil includes mixed dry and wet lowland heath habitats.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – Soil quality is closely linked to organic matter content. Allowing permanent vegetation to establish and minimising cultivation enables organic matter build up and soil quality to be maintained and enhanced.

The organic matter content of soils under cultivation can be built up using techniques which include the addition of organic waste and the use of green manure crops combined with minimum tillage techniques.

Exploring ways to increase the cover of permanent vegetation where feasible in the NCA including pasture, woodland and semi-natural habitats will increase soil organic matter content.

Soil A is easily damaged when wet so there is a need to minimise compaction and capping risk which can cause and exacerbate run-off problems. Careful timing of activities is required to reduce this likelihood. Increasing organic matter levels can help reduce these problems.

Soil B is easily worked but has a weak structure which can be easily damaged by cultivation and grazing. Topsoil compaction can occur as well as cultivation pans. Depletion of organic matter through cultivation can reduce the stability of this soil type and make it more vulnerable to wind erosion and water erosion with consequent impacts on water quality.

Additions of organic matter can increase stability where cultivated.

Opportunities – For soil A, employ land management practices which minimise the negative impacts of soil structural deterioration to avoid compaction, poaching or puddling soils. Also employ management techniques to maintain or improve water infiltration and build up organic matter levels.

For soil B, ensure that good structural conditions are maintained where under cultivation by employing practices which build soil organic matter levels. Also consider use of wind breaks and other wind erosion control measures. Seek opportunities to convert arable land to permanent vegetation especially where benefits to other ecosystem services can be maximised.

Work with land managers to improve the timing of agricultural activities on vulnerable soils and under vulnerable soil conditions especially when wet. Also encourage use of low pressure machinery.

Encourage management measures that increase soil organic matter levels and measures to reduce levels of cultivation, such as direct drilling, to protect soil structure and conditions for soil fauna and to increase water infiltration.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Regulating soil quality
• Food provision
• Climate regulation
• Regulating water flow
• Regulating soil erosion
• Biodiversity
• Sense of place/inspiration

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Semi-natural habitats, woodland, riparian margins, hedgerows
• Gentle topography
• Permanent pasture on sloping land

State – While the majority of the soils within this NCA are not susceptible to erosion soil B of the Coversands and Fen Edge Gravels is at risk of wind erosion when dry and is also easily eroded if heavily trafficked or after heavy rain.

Lime-rich loamy and clayey soils in the Horncastle area (covering 7 per cent of the NCA) have impeded drainage and are easily compacted by machinery or livestock if accessed when wet, increasing risks of water erosion.

In the upper Ancholme Valley are found loamy and sandy soils with naturally high groundwater and a peaty surface (covering 4 per cent of the NCA) which are at low risk of water erosion but high risk of wind erosion and peat erosion with consequent soil carbon loss.

The steep slopes of the Wolds escarpment are generally covered in shallow lime-rich soils which are sometimes unstable and prone to loss through erosion particularly where cultivated or bare soil is exposed.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – The erosion of soil impacts on many other ecosystem services particular to the water services, soil quality and climate change.

Assets that assist in combating soil erosion are very similar to those that assist in water infiltration and reducing cross land water flows. Better management of soils to combat erosion will lead to improvements in water quality and water flow.

Erosion of organic matter from soils reduces soil carbon levels impacting on climate regulation. Soil B and the peaty soils of the upper Ancholme are particularly at risk of this.

Woodlands, tree belts and dense hedgerows increase water infiltration, impede cross land flows, and shelter from wind erosion. Semi-natural habitats and grassland also serve to reduce soil erosion. Grass buffer strips in areas of arable production intercept surface water run-off thereby reducing soil erosion risk. Wind erosion to peaty soils can also be controlled by rewetting.

Building up organic matter in soils reduces the chance of compaction and therefore erosion on susceptible soils.

Opportunities – Seek opportunities to re-wet areas of peaty soils and establish permanent vegetation cover such as wet grassland to prevent wind erosion.

For lime-rich loamy and clayey soils with impeded drainage- work with landowners and managers to improve the timing of agricultural activities under wet conditions. Also encourage use of low pressure machinery.

For the shallow lime-rich soils of the wolds escarpment – seek to protect existing pasture and permanent vegetation cover, seeking opportunities to convert existing land under cultivation to permanent pasture (avoiding overgrazing), woodland or semi- natural habitat.

Generally promote good soil management to minimise risk and impacts of erosion such as by establishing sensitive grazing regimes and by avoiding cultivating steep slopes, reducing the intensity of cultivation, establishing permanent ground cover, increasing field margins and buffer strips, increasing soil organic matter and avoiding compaction.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Regulating soil erosion
• Regulating water quality
• Biodiversity
• Sense of place/inspiration
• Regulating soil quality
• Food provision
• Geodiversity

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Semi-natural habitats
• Hedgerows and field margins
• Roadside verges Gardens

State – There are 1,030 ha of non woodland semi-natural priority habitat within the NCA including 736 ha of lowland heathland and 170 ha of lowland meadow. These provide important habitats for pollinating insects, as do the small-leaved lime-dominant ancient woodlands, species rich hedgerows, road verges, field margins and gardens.

Semi-natural habitats tend to be restricted to particular areas (such as heathland within the Coversands and Fen Edge Gravels where crop growing is not so significant), and are not interspersed within the agricultural landscape. In the main crop growing areas the habitats for pollinating insects are likely to be very limited.

Most farmland is used for growing crops, most of which is for cereal production not requiring insect pollination, however there are significant areas of crops grown which do require pollinators including oilseeds which covered 9,142 ha in 2009, 11 per cent of total NCA area.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – Pollinators play a vital role in food provision in this area, in the pollinating of oilseed rape for example, but research shows significant declines in the abundance, range and diversity of many pollinator species nationally (Bees and other pollinators: their value and health in England. Review of policy and evidence, Defra 2013).

A strong and widespread pollinator population will support production of a wide variety of food products and productivity levels in this NCA sustaining a diversity of food provision into the future.

Away from the localised concentrations of semi-natural habitats and the ancient lime woodlands the network of pollinator habitats is very limited within the agricultural landscape and this limits the ability for pollinators to supply this service to a significant level.

Increases in habitat for pollinators in arable areas through creation of semi- natural habitats, increases in floristically enhanced field margins, new and enhanced hedgerows and appropriate road verge management will increase delivery of this service.

Some traditional farming systems can benefit pollinators such as bumble bees because they use rotations involving legumes such as clover.

Opportunities – Enhance habitat networks for pollinator species within the agricultural landscape with particular emphasis on increasing the network of unimproved flower rich grasslands across the bulk of the clay vale.

Encourage use of nectar and forage mixes in arable land and planting of species rich hedgerows as well as the take up of agri-environment schemes which floristically enhance field margins and hedgerow habitats, to increase the availability of nectar sources in proximity to food crops requiring pollination.

Work with landowners to protect, manage and enhance existing pollinator habitats including road verges and green spaces. Manage them for structural diversity and allow flowering plants to flower and set seed.

Encourage the principles of organic management of land to favour pollinators.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Pollination
• Pest regulation
• Biodiversity
• Sense of place/inspiration
• Food provision

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Semi-natural habitats
• Hedgerows and field margins
• Roadside verges
• Gardens

State – The habitats in the area support a variety of species, such as beetles, which can regulate the populations of pests such as aphids, however, as above, these habitats are very limited across the agricultural landscape and consequently the diversity and spread of pest regulating species and the capacity for natural pest regulation will be limited.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – Natural pest predation and regulation is an important ecosystem service for food provision. A healthy diversity and network of habitats which support pest regulating species such as invertebrates, birds and mammals throughout the agricultural landscape will reduce reliance on pesticides in crop production with knock on benefits to biodiversity and pollination services.

Improving the network of semi-natural habitats and linkages between them through creation of new areas of habitat, hedgerow planting and appropriate management of existing habitats and hedgerows will benefit pest regulating species.

Pesticides and tillage can reduce the abundance and diversity of natural enemies of pests which require refuges free from disturbance.

Opportunities – Protect semi-natural habitats and seek opportunities to create new semi-natural habitats, species rich hedgerows and wider field margins close to areas of agricultural production to create a network of habitats for pest regulating species.

Encourage take up of agri-environment schemes especially those to enhance field margins and hedgerow habitats and support management and creation of meadows.

Encourage land management which reduces pesticide use and cultivation such as organic farming and pasture.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Pest regulation
• Pollination
• Biodiversity
• Food provision
• Sense of place/inspiration

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• The tranquil rural landscape
• Woodlands Historic assets, traditional buildings, farmsteads and villages
• Landform
• Semi-natural habitats

State – Elements of the Vale landscape that help give it its sense
of place which visitors and residents are likely to value and gain inspiration from most include:

• Its rural tranquillity and lack of urban influence with its sparse settlement pattern linked by the network of quiet lanes.
• The woodlands, especially the ancient woodlands of the Lincolnshire Limewoods including Bardney Limewoods NNR, the Forestry Commission woodlandsand well-managed publicly accessible plantations.
• The sites of ancient abbeys and deserted medieval settlements.
• The brick and pantile villages and farmsteads.
• The Wolds escarpment and the extensive views over the Vale it provides.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – Habitats and landscape features have been lost through modern commercial agricultural practices which dominates the landscape of the Vale, diminishing established sense of place.

The settlement pattern and tranquil qualities of the Vale can be protected through the careful control and design of new development.

The intrinsic sense of place of the Coversands and Fen Edge Gravels can be enhanced through the managed conversion of coniferous plantations back to heathland and native woodland habitats.

The former natural character of the watercourses and flood plains has been almost completely lost through the very extensive modifications with consequent impacts on other ecosystem services.

A small part of the inspiring landscape of the adjoining Wolds AONB crosses into the NCA. Its proximity is likely to help preserve the deeply rural character of the Vale and keep major development at bay. Building on the links the Vale has with the Wolds is likely to strengthen public appreciation of its landscape.

Ash dieback Chalara fraxinea may have a significant impact on sense of place with ash being a common species in the Vale.

Opportunities – Maximise uptake of agri-environment schemes to protect, manage and enhance historic and landscape features thereby protecting and enhancing sense of place.

Carefully control new development by locating it within existing settlements. Ensure the location, form and design of new development be guided by landscape character assessment objectives, village design guidance and design briefs including use of characteristic materials.

Work with the Forestry Commission to maximise opportunities for heathland and native woodland restoration on plantation sites.

Seek opportunities for re- creating active flood plains and flood plain habitats, including appropriate restoration of sand and gravel extraction sites, to help define the rivers, the flood plains and strengthen sense of place.

Raise awareness of the Vale’s assets and links with the AONB, to raise the value people place on them to help protect and enhance the area.

Plan for a landscape depleted of ash by planting replacement characteristic tree species.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Sense of place/inspiration
• Tranquillity
• Biodiversity
• Recreation
• Sense of history
• Regulating water flow

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Archaeological and historic features
• The widespread medieval earthworks of former villages and religious establishments
• The villages and towns, churches and the local vernacular
• Ancient woodlands

State – The aspects of history that are likely to be most evident to the general public are the numerous deserted and shrunken medieval villages like Spridlington, and the profusion of former monastic sites such as Tupholme and Barlings as well as the area’s traditional buildings with a local vernacular of brick and clay tile, the distinctive Tudor red brick tower of Tattershall Castle and the old stone churches of the villages.

The numerous ancient woodlands of the Vale also contribute to the sense of history, especially the Bardney Limewoods and wider Lincolnshire Limewoods which may have been continuously wooded since the end of the last ice age.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – The earthworks of the shrunken villages and monasteries as well as ridge and furrow provide a tangible link to the medieval landscape but are highly vulnerable to ploughing while management under permanent pasture will help preserve them.

Ancient woodlands are important parts of the historic landscape, forming much of the remaining fragments of land which has seen permanent vegetation cover and undisturbed soils for hundreds, even thousands of years with some, like the Bardney and Lincolnshire Limewoods, providing a link back to the original wildwood that covered the UK. They are reservoirs of archaeology, economic history and wildlife, and a source of inspiration for local culture and folklore.

Care is needed in the planning of new development in the villages and settlements of the Vale to prevent erosion of sense of history.

Some of the impacts of modern agriculture have been negative on the historic character of the NCA; such as the removal of hedgerows, neglect of farm buildings and other traditional farmland features.

Promotion and interpretation of the historic assets of the NCA such as will raise awareness and understanding and lead to greater demand for their protection.

The extraction of sand and gravel resources of the Fen Edge Gravels enables discovery of buried archaeology but also permanently destroys historical features.

Opportunities – Protect existing pasture with archaeological features, including ridge and furrow, from conversion to arable use, seek opportunities to protect buried archaeology through reversion of arable land to pasture and reduce cultivation damage by encouraging direct drilling and shallow tilling.

Protect and enhance ancient woodlands, improve their management and raise awareness of them.

Protect the historic settlement pattern and vernacular architectural character through informed planning and development control including requiring the use of traditional building materials and architecture in new developments.

Protect and enhance elements of the historic farmland landscape including existing hedgerows, replanting hedgerows where they have been lost to strengthen historical field patterns and restoring traditional farm buildings.

Promote wider awareness of the historic environment to encourage its enjoyment, understanding and protection and where possible provide improved public access to sites of historic interest.

Plan sand and gravel workings carefully to ensure that valuable historical assets are protected.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Sense of history
• Recreation
• Sense of place/inspiration
• Tranquillity
• Biodiversity
• Geodiversity

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Thinly scattered population
• Deeply rural character
• Sparse network of quiet minor roads
• Dark night skies

State – Tranquillity is a significant feature of this NCA, with 71 per cent of the area in 2007 classified as undisturbed – from urban development, noise (primarily traffic noise), and other sources of visual and auditory intrusion.

The most tranquil areas are within the Ancholme Valley and in the Bardney Forest area.

The Vale still retains a sense of remoteness, shared with much of Lincolnshire, and it is valued for its peace and tranquillity. This is provided by its thinly scattered population, sparse network of quiet minor roads and general lack of urban development. In turn skies are largely unaffected by light pollution at night.

Intrusion in the NCA comes from the M180 and Brigg power station in the north, the A-roads that cross the area further south, while there is further local disturbance around the mineral extraction sites of the Fen Edge Gravels. Also in the north some visual intrusion comes from Scunthorpe’s steelworks and the cement works by the Humber.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – Tranquil countryside is highly valued by the public with safeguarding tranquillity levels being important for well-being, quality of life and the rural economy.

The main threats to tranquillity include urban and peri-urban development and road traffic.

A sense of tranquillity is most likely to be associated with the areas of ancient woodland that occur around Bardney, as well as along the undeveloped stretches of rivers and streams and within and surrounding the area’s more remote villages.

The AONB seeks to keep the Vale tranquil and ensure major development does not have negative impact of the landscape character through its management and Management Plan policies.

There has been change in the extent to which the area is ‘intruded on’. In the 1960s only 4 per cent of the area was categorised as disturbed. By the 1990s this had risen to around 15 per cent and by 2007 to around 28 per cent.

Visual intrusion from sand and gravel extraction works and other development can be mitigated through careful design, planning and woodland screening.

Opportunities – Protect and enhance tranquillity through influencing land use, transport and development decisions in the NCA.

Promote the value of the Vale’s tranquillity to help protect it.

Promote the use of measures that reduce noise and light pollution and visual intrusion in new and existing developments.

Protect tranquillity by focussing new residential development within existing settlements.

Plan new developments carefully to minimise car use and seek development not dependent on car use.

Screen urban and industrial influences such as gravel extraction sites with woodland, building links with other woodlands, hedgerows and semi-natural habitats.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Tranquillity
• Sense of history
• Recreation
• Sense of place/inspiration

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• High levels of tranquillity
• Historic sites and nature reserves
• Accessible woodlands
• Access land and access network
• The Wolds AONB
• Villages and towns
• Waterways and river corridors
• Topography
• Quiet network of minor roads
• Long distance cycling and walking trails
• Existing suite of promoted routes

State – The Vale has a considerable area of accessible woodland, much of which is of considerable interest to visitors such as that of the Limewoods.

The River Witham corridor provides an important recreational asset and a key sustainable transport link for residents of Lincoln to access the Bardney Limewoods, the monastic sites and the Woodhall Spa/Tattershall area.

The River Ancholme has a multiuser trail which provides a key north south link from the Humber to Bishopbridge.

The quiet minor road network combined with the gentle topography is an asset for cycling and two national cycle network routes pass through the Vale.

Recreation assets also include the proximity of the Wolds AONB, the Viking Way, Woodhall Spa inland resort, the National Trust managed Tattershall Castle and some of the nearby lakes of former gravel extraction sites.

Permissive access on pasture land on the Wolds scarp at Horkstow provides expansive views across the Ancholme Valley.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – The generally high tranquillity levels will be valued by visitors to the NCA.

Recreation has strong links to health and wellbeing including both physical and mental health and reducing isolation.

Nationally, walking is the most popular way that people engage with the natural environment accounting for three quarters of all visits.

Public access is limited in this NCA with a total of 513 km of Rights of Way (a density of 0.63 km per km2) and a mere 54 ha of open access land. The Lincolnshire Rights of Way Improvement Plan (ROWIP) has identified the need to strengthen the network.

A small part of the Wolds AONB extends into the NCA around Claxby.

The Central Lincolnshire Joint Planning Unit has produced a green infrastructure strategy which is mainly focussed on linking Lincoln with the wider countryside.

There is scope to enhance access and increase scope of existing suite of promoted routes across the NCA.

Opportunities – Support the implementation of the Lincolnshire ROWIP to develop an integrated network of rights of way increasing facilities for visitors and residents for walking and other recreational activities which will improve people’s health and wellbeing.

Promote the tranquillity and other recreational assets of the Vale and work with local authorities and local partnerships to develop sustainable tourism strategies which build on these assets while protecting the tranquil and rural qualities of the NCA.

Build on the links to the Wolds AONB to encourage sustainable recreation in the Vale.

Work with local authorities and others to promote and develop green infrastructure, especially key links from Lincoln into the NCA, to maximise sustainable transport provision and its use to help minimise adverse impacts of greater visitor numbers in the Vale.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Recreation
• Sense of place/inspiration
• Sense of history
• Biodiversity

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Lowland deciduous woodland including ancient woodland such as Bardney Limewoods
• Wet woodland
• Lowland heathland/acid grassland

State – There are over 2,814 ha (3 per cent of the NCA area) of priority habitats within the NCA including 1,242 ha of lowland mixed deciduous woodland, 874 ha of wet woodland, 350 ha of lowland heathland, and relatively small areas of lowland meadow, flood plain grazing marsh, reedbed and lowland calcareous grassland.

1,152 ha (approximately 1 per cent of total area) is nationally designated as SSSI covering 18 sites most of which are in the southern half of the NCA. As of March 2011, 61 per cent of SSSI area was in unfavourable recovering condition whereas 38 per cent was favourable.

There are 256 local sites covering 4,062 ha (5 per cent of the NCA).

The 384 ha Bardney Limewoods National Nature Reserve incorporates several of the ancient limewoods of the Vale.

The Vale is one of the top ten NCAs in the country for the following species of principal importance for the conservation of biodiversity in England (S41 species): skylark, tree sparrow and yellowhammer.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – Distribution and extent of semi-natural habitats tends to be a reflection of the value of the land for agricultural production. The sandy infertile soils of the Fen Edge Gravels has enabled a cluster of habitat sites to remain while on the Coversands much former heathland has been converted to conifer plantation. Other than within the Lincolnshire Limewoods area, semi-natural habitats are extremely limited across the rest of the NCA.

Extent and condition of heathland sites could be enhanced through appropriate management of Forestry Commission sites.

Biodiversity opportunity mapping has been carried out across the area.

A network of connected habitat features supports biodiversity and enables species movement through the landscape boosting related ecosystem services such as pollination and pest regulation (however, non-native invasive species may also benefit). Reinstating lost hedgerows throughout the Vale will help achieve this.

There is considerable scope to improve biodiversity within the farmed landscape through agri-environment schemes. For example grants have been used to target farmland birds to ensure the provision of winter food resource, summer chick rearing habitats and nesting habitats.

Sand and gravel extraction has potential to provide new opportunities for wetland habitat creation and increased habitat connectivity through good quality restoration of sites within the Fen Edge Gravels however these need to be planned carefully to minimise impacts on existing biodiversity and archaeology.

Opportunities – Protect, enhance and expand semi-natural habitats across the NCA. Use biodiversity opportunity mapping to identify how this can be achieved within the landscape and at a landscape scale.

Strategically plan areas of habitat creation to maximise connections between existing biodiversity rich sites to enable greater movement of species through the landscape while seeking to address issues of invasive non-native species.

Continue enhancement and linkages of habitat within the Lincolnshire Limewoods.

Work with landowners and farmers to ensure biodiversity features are incorporated into the farmed landscape to maximise value for biodiversity, pest regulation and pollination.

Encourage land management practices that benefit farmland birds.

Seek opportunities to sustainably use wetland habitats for food provision such as flood plain grazing marsh for cattle grazing.

Maximise biodiversity gains from the restoration of sand and gravel extraction sites while respecting established landscape character.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Biodiversity
• Sense of place/inspiration
• Tranquillity
• Regulating soil erosion
• Regulating soil quality
• Pest regulation
• Recreation
• Sense of history
• Geodiversity

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Superficial deposits – glacial till, Coversands and Fen Edge Gravels
• Soils
• Topography
• Bedrock geology
• Geomorphological features
• Local clay for brick and tile building materials
• Stone from the bedrock of adjacent areas
• The Lincolnshire Limestone aquifer

State – The land use of the NCA relates strongly to its superficial geology and the soils that have developed. This is most markedly seen in the contrast between the areas of glacial till and the areas of Coversands and the Fen Edge Gravels.

The scarp slope of the chalk wolds is a prominent and distinctive topographical feature.

There is one nationally important geological site in the NCA: South Ferriby Chalk Pit SSSI which provides good sections of Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous rocks.

Fossils in the mudstone bedrock provide a very valuable record of the fauna of the Jurassic period of earth’s history.

The sand and gravel deposits of the Fen Edge Gravels are an important resource for the construction industry.

The mudstones of the Vale have provided clay for the brick and tile local building materials while stone hewn from the bedrock of adjacent NCA’s feature widely in the churches and more substantial buildings.

The Lincolnshire Limestone which dips beneath the younger mudstone bedrock of the Vale forms an important aquifer.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – Landforms and geological exposures are valued both directly for their educational use and as defining features in the landscape as well as underpinning the overall landscape character.

Extensive lengths of the river systems throughout the NCA have been artificially manipulated and natural geomorphological processes are severely impaired.

Re-naturalisation of rivers would enable natural geomorphological processes to take place again as well as benefitting other ecosystem services.

The several open water lagoons within the Fen Edge Gravels are a legacy of this demand for the sand and gravel resources here.

Opportunities – Protect and improve the condition and accessibility of geological and geomorphological sites that help in the understanding of the area’s geodiversity.

Seek opportunities to re-naturalise sections of watercourses to provide more opportunities to understand geomorphological processes and also enhance their riverine character, wetland habitats and associated ecosystem services.

Seek opportunities to raise awareness of geodiversity and relate geodiversity to the character and development of the NCA’s landscapes, agriculture, settlement pattern, buildings and industries.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Geodiversity
• Sense of history
• Sense of place/inspiration
• Recreation
• Regulating soil quality
• Biodiversity