154 - Hensbarrow : Analysis: Ecosystem Services

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service – 

• Grazing livestock
• Milk and meat

State – The predominant farm type within the NCA is grazing livestock. Cattle are most numerous, followed by sheep with around 14,927 grazing animals in total. Dairy farming is very common in the area. There are also a few mixed farms and some specialist poultry farms.

By far the most important land use coverage by hectarage is grass and uncropped land at 5,913 ha, 90 per cent of the farmed area. The other land uses of any significance are cereals at 269 ha, 4 per cent of the farmed area and other arable crops at 126 ha or 2 per cent of the farmed area.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – The wet and warm Atlantic climate is conducive to a long growing season which is reflected in the stock husbandry regime of animals being ‘out’ for a much greater proportion of the year.

A relatively small farm size and mixed livestock systems (beef, dairy and sheep) means that margins are very low and expansion is difficult. Food production, based on a rough pastoral farming landscape, is a key service in this area. Extensive, slow-reared beef and sheep dominate quality food products.

Between the years 2000 and 2009, the number of pigs farmed in the area sharply increased from 266 to 1224.

Opportunities – Working with the local farmers to develop appropriate opportunities and markets for local cattle ensuring the links to the area’s sense of place are maximised.

Continue to encourage and expand good grazing management of rough common land such as the found on Goss Moor, thus encouraging good soil management and maintaining or improving the moorland and heathland ecosystems.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• 51 ha coniferous woodland
• 1,583 ha of existing small broadleaved woodland

State – 13 per cent of the NCA is covered by broadleaved woodland and only approximately 1 per cent is taken up by coniferous woodland felled land/land prepared for planting. The small area of coniferous woodland is the main source of timber production.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – There is very little timber production in the NCA. The small areas of conifer plantation are remnants of attempts to produce timber during the post-war period.

The quality of timber produced within these plantations is low due to the wet nature of the ground the harsh climatic conditions and the nutrient-poor soils.

Many of the locations chosen for planting were in the poorest locations. These areas are often poorly served by the road network. These areas were often previously rich in biodiversity. Pockets of habitats may still survive within plantations and show potential for restoration.

Opportunities – Clearance of conifer plantation at maturity provides opportunities for the restoration of semi-natural habitats; the enhancement of landscape character; Consideration should be made within these schemes of appropriate species to be planted.

Increased habitat connectivity can be provided by woodland creation linking with existing semi-natural habitats which will provide benefits for species such as the marsh fritillary butterfly.

Increased and enhanced management of the deciduous woodlands would release small volumes of timber suitable for local use (predominantly as wood fuel), improve habitats, help to regulate water flow and increase the stability and quality of soils.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Streams and rivers
• Water available for abstraction
• Mine adits
• Relatively high levels of precipitation
• Pools and mires formed in old mine workings

State – There are no reservoirs in the NCA. The mains water supply comes from Coliford Lake up on Bodmin Moor.

There are many small rivers and streams in the region but the River Fal is the only river of any size. It rises in the heart of the NCA and cuts through a steep valley on its short journey to the sea.

The entire area overlies an impermeable basement rock of granite so water is available for abstraction. This is accessed by some people using private bore holes. Long abandoned mine adits are also sometimes used to provide private water supplies.

Pits left over from mining and china clay workings have filled with water forming various wet habitats.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – The pastoral nature of the agricultural land does not require that large quantities of water be abstracted from rivers or boreholes.

With the increasing prices of mains supply water, using boreholes to gain a private water supply is becoming more popular and might eventually have an effect on the groundwater level.

The china clay industry uses a lot of water for their water cannon and settling tanks; however, much of the water that they use, they recycle.

Opportunities – Seek opportunities to realise the energy producing potential of fast-flowing streams and rivers, particularly where this coincides with the restoration and maintenance of historic structures, features and management practices. The location of these will need to be carefully considered due to the designation of some rivers and the species reliance on river flows.

Encourage good environmental management of wetland habitats, especially mires, increasing the capacity of habitats to retain water.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Water availability
• Regulating water quality
• Biodiversity
• Climate regulation
• Regulating soil erosion

No information available.

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Secondary woodland and areas of scrub and gorse

State – There is little standing, accessible biomass in the area with woodland restricted to mainly steep slopes.

There are opportunities for small-scale wood fuel production.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – Opportunity for specific energy crops is small within the NCA but local wood fuel may be available in the form of small section wood from hedgerow and woodland management and the arisings from scrub and management associated with good agricultural practice and habitat enhancements.

Clearance of areas of scrub and secondary woodland to expose high quality grassland and heathland habitats and the management of hedgerows may generate some material suitable for local wood fuel, and would enhance the ecological network and connectivity.

Yield maps indicate that the majority of the NCA has the potential for a medium yield of miscanthus and a low yield of short rotation coppice. In terms of landscape, opportunities for biomass planting are restricted to lower areas in the south where planting can be integrated within existing mixed crops or link existing woodland, landform or higher hedges creating areas of enclosure.

Opportunities – Ensure that opportunities are pursued which enhance the biodiversity of the area through appropriate management of scrub and that arisings from this are considered as an economic resource in the form of wood fuel.

Consideration should be given to the impact of extraction on the soil and buried archaeology within any area.

Management of vegetated Cornish hedgerows can supply a small amount of wood for local use while enhancing the longevity of these key features in the landscape.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Biomass energy
• Biodiversity
• Sense of place/inspiration
• Sense of history

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Carbon rich peaty soils
• 1,709 ha of predominantly deciduous woodland
• Areas of permanent pasture

State – Carbon storage in the soils of Hensbarrow is low, ranging from 0 to 10 per cent, although there are small pockets with a higher carbon content scattered throughout the area under areas of heathland and moor.

Historically grazing and burning have released carbon dioxide from the area.

Valleys contain many pockets of permanent woodland and wet grassland habitat. These features contribute to the regulation of climate through both carbon storage and carbon sequestration.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – Peat rich soils play an important role in storing carbon. Wet peat is particularly effective as a carbon store but releases the carbon if the peat dries out.

Areas of permanent grassland and woodland maintain higher levels of carbon storage than regularly cultivated soils. Where permanent grassland occurs, appropriate application of organic matter will result in higher levels of carbon storage and improved soil condition. The use of nitrogen fertilisers on poorly structured soils is likely to result in the release nitrous oxide gases.

The secondary and ancient woodlands also support soils with higher carbon levels and contribute to the storage and sequestration of carbon.

Opportunities – Continue to manage moor and heath via grazing and blocking of drainage ditches where needed, thus helping to fortify them against drought.

Careful management of existing habitats and development of new habitats that can both provide links to the ecological network and play a role in climate regulation should be considered and implemented. These changes may also provide economic benefits resulting from reduced inputs of inorganic fertiliser.

Maintain areas of secondary woodland and ancient semi- natural woodland through positive, traditional management keeping disturbance of soils to a minimum.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Climate regulation
• Regulating soil quality
• Regulating soil erosion
• Regulating water flow
• Biodiversity

No information available.

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Pasture, especially permanent pasture
• Wet heath and moorland

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 – Water quality is important to this area in support of much of the heath and moorland biodiversity.

Careful management of livestock, particularly controlling access to watercourses and waste management, is essential to maintaining good water quality.

The large percentage of agricultural land given over to pasture is less likely to be fertilised often with artificial phosphates which is good for water quality.

Moorland burning increases levels of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), acidity and water dis-colouration.

Opportunities – Seek opportunities to establish extensively managed permanent grassland, and areas of scrub and woodland along coombes, steep valley sides and near watercourses.

Increase the amount of farmland managed under principles established by the Catchment Sensitive Farming initiative. Fencing watercourses, where appropriate will reduce sedimentation and nutrient loading.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Regulating water quality
• Water availability
• Regulating soil quality
• Regulating soil erosion
• Biodiversity
• Food provision

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Woodland Heath and moor
• Network of Cornish hedges

State – Most of the water courses in the NCA are fast flowing and have a flashy nature.

The valley woodlands catch and slow precipitation before it becomes surface water. The extensive network of Cornish hedges slow the rate at which surface water reaches rivers and streams.

Heath and moorland act as natural sponges, holding precipitation and reducing the quantity that reaches the area’s watercourses.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – Heavy rainfall causes many watercourses to flow very fast which causes erosion of their banks. This is particularly apparent in the china clay area where there is often little vegetation on the spoil heaps, to slow the surface water.

The network of Cornish hedges remains fairly intact as they are seldom removed or replaced by fencing.

The area of heath and moor is less now than in the past but in recent years efforts have been made to restore such habitats. For example the blocking of drainage ditches on Goss Moor to re-wet some areas.

Opportunities – Continue to manage heath and moorland to allow slow percolation of water through the peaty soils.

Where feasible create new semi-natural habitats. Increase amount of farmland managed under principles established by the Catchment Sensitive Farming Initiative.

Protect Cornish hedges and build new hedges where they can slow crossflow.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Slowly permeable wet, acidic, peaty soils
• Free- and poor-draining soils, affected by high rainfall
• Permanent pasture
• Semi-natural habitats

State – The acidic soils are predominantly gravelly and peaty but with patches of brown-earths capable of cultivation in the lower-lying areas.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – Peaty soils have low strength when wet and are easily damaged by unsustainable burning practices, overgrazing, compaction and loss of vegetation. Most of the peat is under heath which is well managed.

Management of the freely draining acid loamy soils over rock is difficult on what is steep, often very stony land. There is generally low risk of poaching, but organic topsoil can poach when wet. The freely draining slightly acid loamy soils have potential for increased organic matter levels through management interventions.

Organic matter may be being lost through tillage across more intensively farmed areas away from the open moorland. Lack of organic matter makes soils more susceptible to compaction and erosion.

Improving soil quality through increasing organic matter will have potential benefits in regulating soil erosion by making it more stable and able to withstand heavy rainfall. It may also contribute towards climate change regulation, storing more CO2, though the capacity of these soils to make a significant contribution is limited.

Opportunities – Re-wetting of areas of degraded peat soils can improve structure and stability of the soils, particularly when combined with careful and appropriate stock management.

Exposed and bare areas of peat soil would be improved through re-vegetation.

Ensure levels of organic matter are maintained in all soils, minimising tillage operations where possible.

Identify and apply grazing regimes that increase sward diversity and increase levels of organic matter. Manage with extensive, and where appropriate, mixed grazing regimes to reduce stocking densities and avoid soil compaction.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Regulating soil quality
• Regulating water quality
• Climate regulation
• Regulating water flow
• Regulating soil erosion

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Woodlands
• Pasture
• Cornish hedges
• Heath and moor

State – All soils across the area are prone to some degree of erosion or have historically suffered degrees of erosion.

Soil erosion occurs principally locally in association with livestock regimes such as overwintering stock and fodder production.

The loose sandy soils of the china clay tips erode very easily until they get a good covering of vegetation.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – The freely draining slightly acid loamy soils have an enhanced risk of soil erosion on moderately or steeply sloping land where cultivated or bare soil is exposed. This is exacerbated where organic matter levels are low after continuous arable cultivation or where soils are compacted. There is also the potential for wind erosion on some coarse-textured cultivated variants.

The slowly permeable wet very acid soils with a peaty surface are at risk of gullying/hagging (and loss of particulate organic matter) from rapid run-off and/or where surface vegetation is damaged or lost. They are vulnerable to occasional mass flow events and can be affected by wind erosion where the soil is bare. The intensive management of stock (dairy and beef) leads to soil compaction which provides a higher risk of soil erosion.

Opportunities – Reverse or remove drainage in appropriate areas to re-wet peaty soils making them less prone to desiccation, oxidation and subsequent wind and water erosion.

Increase sward diversity to increase laying down of organic matter on improved grasslands and a wider variety of species to help knit together substrate.

Manage grazing regimes to reduce or minimise soil compaction and poaching.

Retain and enhance the network of Cornish hedges and give careful consideration to the relocation of gateways to ensure soil is not lost from fields into watercourses.

Promote good management of top soils and employ minimum tillage techniques in locations where it may help to maintain good soil structure.

Introduce, where appropriate buffer strips across fields to help reduce soil migration on slopes.

Where organic matter is low, increase organic matter inputs to improve soil structure. Measures will be beneficial that retain water in situ, ensure good vegetative cover, and avoid overgrazing/trampling or damage by mechanised activities.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Regulating soil erosion
• Regulating soil quality
• Regulating water quality
• Regulating water flow

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Heathland and moorland
• Species-rich grassland
• Cornish hedges

State – The patchwork of semi-natural habitats provides a food source for pollinating insects. However due to the lack of horticulture in the NCA the main benefactor is biodiversity rather than food supply.

Cornish hedges are often flower-rich and provide movement corridors between habitats.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – A range of habitats support a significant number and variety of important plants, providing an important and widespread base for pollination.

Heathland is particularly good due to the late flowering heathers and gorse.

Pollination opportunities can be enhanced through increasing the diversity of vegetation and habitats.

Opportunities – Increase area of land covered by semi-natural habitats, to increase the diversity and number of flowering plants and increase the area and range of habitat mosaics where different habitats lie in close proximity.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Pollination
• Biodiversity
• Food provision

No information available.

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Granite tors and slopes scattered with moorstone
• Cornish hedges Moorland and heath
• Fast-flowing streams and rivers falling through shallow, steep- sided wooded valleys
• Open and expansive area of undeveloped, farmed land punctuated with simple settlements
• The ‘Cornish Alps’ of the china clay area

State – The exposed granite in the east of the area helps to add a dramatic, wild and ancient feel to the land.

Cornish hedges vary greatly in the area from being stony to being high and grassy to being covered by trees which form tunnels over the roads. They greatly add to the character of each different part of the landscape.

Lively streams and rivers help to add touches of interest.

Heath and moor create patches of wilderness amongst the agricultural and industrial land.

The Cornish Alps are visible from much of the NCA. The turquoise-blue flooded pits add to the strangeness of the landscape.

The woodlands and farmland of the east create a rural idyll.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – Hensbarrow has a strong sense of place, dominated by its granite mass evidenced in Cornish hedges, walls, clapper bridges, crosses, standing stones and stone stiles and china clay extraction resulting in an almost lunar landscape of waste heaps and flooded pits.

Recent solar farms near Luxulyan have made a very obvious mark on the rural part of the landscape.

Settlement pattern is of dispersed hamlets, isolated farmsteads and clustered miners cottages with traditional building materials of local granite, cob, slate roofs and slate hangwalls linked by enclosed, narrow winding roads on lower ground and open unenclosed, tracks across the moors, overlain by a pattern of towns and larger villages associated with the mining industry.

Industry, both past and present has a strong influence on the culture of the mining towns. There is an independent culture in the area of china clay extraction where the workers were known as ‘china men’.

Opportunities – Ensure that the important aspects and features that make up the unique character of the place are conserved and enhanced, while maintaining vibrant, viable future uses and occupation of the landscape.

Identifying, protecting and reinforcing the distinctive elements and features of the landscape are essential to maintaining the distinctiveness and inspirational character of the area.

Encourage any new building development to fit in with the settlement pattern and local vernacular of granite and slate.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Mining heritage
• Prehistoric and medieval earthworks and structures
• Ancient Cornish hedges 27 Scheduled
• Monuments, 164 listed buildings
• 1.5 per cent of the NCA forms the Luxulyan and Charlestown section of the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site

State – The industrial history dominates due to the vast tips and pits associated with china clay extraction, many abandoned mine buildings that scatter much of the NCA and the china clay extraction.

There are other relics of industry including water wheels and the stunning viaduct in the wooded valley at Luxulyan which is in part of a Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site.

In the east of the NCA the age of some of the Cornish hedges is apparent because they include huge granite boulders in their form.

Many of the farmsteads contain a good survival of unaltered traditional agricultural buildings.

Main beneficiary – International

Analysis – World Heritage Site status conferred on the mining heritage and landscapes of the area seeks to enhance the conservation, access and interpretation of the surviving assets.

The heritage assets of the area contribute to tourism in the NCA, with a focus on Wheal Martyn Museum and the Clay trails

Continued protection and enhanced interpretation of the wealth of heritage present is essential.

Opportunities – Continuing to conserve and enhance both the physical remains and access and interpretation of the internationally important historic environment will further complement and contribute to the diversification of business opportunities across the area.

It provides opportunities for increased access and recreation, learning and research and, appropriately managed, enhanced biodiversity interest.

Using traditional, locally sourced materials and vernacular design to inform new development will reinforce the character and locally distinctive nature of the area.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Areas of semi- natural habitat which feel remote and undisturbed
• Dark night skies

State – The highest tranquillity score for the NCA is 31 and the lowest is -46.5. On average the tranquillity level of the NCA is not very good.

The area has small havens such as Breney common and the Luxulyan Valley which are quite free of modern infrastructure.

Other areas are less tranquil due to obvious pylons, power stations, solar farms and roads such as the old A30. Although the centre of Goss Moor, away from the power lines has a very tranquil feel.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – The most tranquil areas of the NCA are within the heart of the extraction areas due to their inaccessibility, however the industrial process within the area mean that these areas are also adjacent to some very disturbed spaces.

The eastern side of the NCA is generally a tranquil area but some road noise can normally still be heard.

The north and west of the NCA have obvious intrusion from power lines and roads. The towns and villages of the area often have signs of urban decline.

Opportunities – In the remaining tranquil areas ensure that the sense of tranquillity is maintained by encouraging only appropriate levels of development.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Open access land
• Public rights of way
• Cycle paths
• Eden Project
• Horse riding
• Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum

State – 10 per cent of the NCA (1,218 ha) is classified as being publicly accessible and there are 93 km of public rights of way at a density of 0.78 per km2.

The world-famous Eden Project is the main visitor attraction within the area.

There are various cycle paths associated with the Eden Project and Goss Moor.

Main beneficiary – National

Analysis – The vast range of experiences is available to visitors and residents (such as walking, mountain biking, cycling, and birdwatching) allow for a dispersal of activities across much of the area.

The impact of these activities on the protection of soils should always be considered.

The Eden Project and the associated areas do, however, receive a far higher proportion of the NCA’s visitors. Many of the visitors will be national or even international.

The west and northern areas tend to attract more local visitors.

Opportunities – Maintain and improve the quality of recreational assets and other quiet recreational routes by supporting opportunities to connect and link with new multi- user routes, and sustainable transport schemes, particularly in areas close to where people live such as St Dennis and Roche, to give more opportunities to more people to access the environment.

Encourage links between the Eden Project and other local attractions and facilities to continue economic regeneration of the NCA as a whole.

Look to build upon the strong sense of place and history of the area to widen local recreational and regeneration opportunities of the area, while building sustainable businesses.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Internationally and nationally designated sites and habitats
• Range and wealth of species including marsh fritillary and royal fern

State – The NCA includes 3 Special Areas of Conservation (SAC), Goss Moor which is a National nature Reserve and a total of 9 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) either wholly or partly within the NCA.

2,022 ha of the NCA are designated as priority habitat.

Many of the designated areas are woodland, moorland or heathland.

Main beneficiary – International

Analysis – 88 per cent of the SSSI area is deemed to be in unfavourable recovering condition. There have been problems with over or undergrazing of many heath and moorland areas but recent years have shown a determined effort to bring them back under tighter management.

Areas of priority habitats without designation are often degraded due to past attempts to improve the area for agricultural production such as the installation of drainage and improvement through fertilisers.

Opportunities – Explore opportunities to improve the condition of all important sites and habitats.

Further action should be taken to increase the area of important habitats where possible, increase the connectivity of sites and habitats, and create more habitat where appropriate.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Biodiversity
• Sense of place/inspiration
• Regulating water quality
• Regulating water flow
• Climate regulation
• Pollination

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Nationally designated sites
• Historic, localised tin and copper mining
• China clay extraction
• Quarrying
• Tin and copper mining
• Local stone often used in vernacular buildings
• Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site

State – The predominantly granite geology underpins all aspects of the landscape of this area. It contributes significantly to the sense of place, history, recreation and is a major attraction for visitors to the area. The geology is expressed in the tors and moorstone and through its use as a building material.

The weathered granite has given rise to large deposits of china clay which is mined on an industrial scale.

There are five geological SSSI including Roche Rock and Luxulyan Quarry.

The Luxulyn area is included in the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site.

Main beneficiary – International

Analysis – The range and variety of geology and geodiversity across the area has been widely studied and continues to allow for the study and interpretation of earth sciences.

The area provides examples of how mineral deposits have been won (streaming, mining and open cast) and their impact globally, now recognised as a Cornwall and West Devon World Heritage Site.

The Hensbarrow Downs area is an example of modern china clay industry.

Opportunities – Identify and realise opportunities for enhanced access to, study and increased understanding of the Internationally important geodiversity across the area to allow further information to be gained.

Opportunities should be explored to continue to use local stone in building development.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

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