93 - High Leicestershire : Natural Capital and Key Ecosystem Services

Introduction

High Leicestershire NCA provides a wide range of benefits to society. Each is derived from the attributes and processes (both natural and cultural features) within the area. These benefits are known collectively as ‘ecosystem services’. The predominant services are summarised below. Further information on ecosystem services provided in High Leicestershire NCA is contained in the ‘Analysis’ section of this website.

What is Natural Capital?

Natural capital means “the elements of nature that directly or indirectly produce value to people, including ecosystems, species, freshwater, land, minerals, the air and oceans, as well as natural processes and functions” (Natural Capital Committee, 2017).

It is helpful to consider natural capital in the form of a logic chain that represents the links between ecosystem assets, services, benefits and value to people. The figure below displays that logic chain. The quantity and quality of ecosystem assets (woodland, bogs, etc) support different types of ecosystem services, such as carbon sequestration or water filtration. These ecosystem services then provide different benefits to society, providing value for people. The figure also shows how management interventions, as well as pressures and drivers of change, influence this chain. Other capital inputs are also often needed for people to obtain the benefits from ecosystem services (a simple example is the processing of trees to produce wood products).

As an example, an area of woodland (ecosystem asset) may reduce air pollution created by traffic on a nearby road. This woodland is therefore improving air quality (ecosystem service) in the local area which results in cleaner air and improved health in the adjacent residential street (benefit). This cleaner air has a value because we know it impacts the health and wellbeing of communities.

Sometimes for ease of understanding, economic framing is used to give these benefits a monetary value. The figure below shows how natural capital assets support the provision of ecosystem services, benefits and value. The roots of the tree show how aspects of asset quality are critical to the provision of ecosystem services. The roots also show that geodiversity underpins the ecosystem assets and therefore the ecosystem services and benefits they can provide. It is important to remember that this diagram, and natural capital frameworks more generally, are a simplification of how nature works in practice.

Natural Capital within this NCA

In 2018, Natural England published ‘Natural Capital Indicators: for defining and measuring change in natural capital’ (Lusardi et al., 2018). This report identified key properties of the natural environment vital for the long-term sustainability of benefits, which can act as indicators of change.

These indicators are designed to inform our understanding of the state of our natural assets. The indicators highlight the importance of our natural assets for delivering which ecosystem service and the benefits they provide for society. The indicators and datasets identified in Natural England’s Natural Capital Indicators Project provide the foundation for the Natural Capital Atlas Profiles.

Natural England’s Natural Capital Atlas Profiles provide an “off the shelf” natural capital evidence base for each county or city region. They have a wide variety of uses with more information in the How to Start Using Your Natural Capital Atlas.

The Natural Capital indicators are presented on the map below by broad asset theme, displaying the natural capital within the NCA.

It is noted that not all indicators listed within the Natural Capital Atlas Profiles are included within the map as data is not yet available to measure them. Refer to the “Indicator Gaps and Limitations” of the Natural Capital Atlas Profiles for further information.

Natural Capital Atlas Profiles

The following Natural Capital Atlas Profiles cover counties within this NCA:
 

• 22: Leicestershire and Rutland
• 22: Leicestershire and Rutland
• 29: Northamptonshire

Provisioning services (food, fibre and water supply)

Food provision: With its fertile soils and over 96 per cent of the NCA being Grade 2 and 3 agricultural land, this is a nationally important area for agricultural food provision including principally arable crops such as wheat, beans and oilseed rape; grassland supplying lamb, beef and associated foods; and woodlands, coverts and spinneys supplying game.

Water availability: High ground in the NCA forms a watershed supplying numerous streams and rivers which drain outside the area. There are three main rivers in the NCA: the Eye Brook, the Chater and the Gwash. Tributaries flow towards the rivers Eye, Wreake and Sence. Although they are small streams, they do cover approximately one-third of the NCA. All these streams form part of the Soar Catchment Abstraction Management Strategy. The Eye Brook and River Gwash are currently at moderate potential ecological status, while the River Chater is currently at poor potential ecological status. There is also a small section at the north-eastern edge of the NCA which forms part of the catchment sensitive farming area for the River Eye SSSI. This river suffers from high phosphate levels and catchment sensitive farming is aiming to reduce these in the north of the NCA. The Eyebrook Reservoir supplies Corby with potable water. Good water levels are maintained all year round in the 201-hectare reservoir (Eyebrook). Rutland Water reservoir is located just outside the north-eastern boundary of the NCA. A small part of the southern Lincolnshire Limestone aquifer is located in the far east of the NCA. The aquifer is an important source for public water supply but currently has an ‘over-abstracted’ CAMS status (The Welland Catchment Abstraction Management Strategy, Environment Agency, 2007) Minor aquifers occur in the glacio-fluvial gravels, the Bytham Sand and Gravel Formation and river terraces at the Wreake-Soar confluence. For information regarding the current state of water availability within this NCA, refer to the Environment Agency (Abstraction Licensing Strategy).

Regulating services (water purification, air quality maintenance and climate regulation)

Regulating soil erosion: Two-fifths of the area has soils with impeded drainage. Part of the River Eye England Catchment Sensitive Farming Delivery Initiative Priority Catchment is located in the north-east of the NCA. Soil erosion is identified as an issue within this catchment, particularly from bank erosion and direct deposition into watercourses from livestock (directly accessing watercourses) and erosion from mixed and livestock farming practices.

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

Cultural services (inspiration, education and wellbeing)

Sense of history: A sense of history is evident in the survival of ridge and furrow patterns reflecting the workings of open field townships, for example at Hungarton. The historic character is further reinforced by clusters of ancient oak/ash woodland (surviving from the Leighfield Forest) on the undulating land around the Eyebrook Reservoir and River Chater. The area contains a wide variety of field patterns of diverse origins, including some remaining evidence of piecemeal enclosure reflected in the irregular hedged boundaries, nationally rare and important remnants of ridge and furrow and winding ancient lanes along the river valleys of the limestone lowlands and rolling farmlands. Vernacular architecture is distinctive in its use of a subdued red brick in the western and central parts of the area which is replaced by deep orange to rust brown ironstone towards the east. Burrough Hill iron-age hill fort is located on one of the highest points in Leicestershire in Burrough Hill Country Park. There are also many fine country houses from the 17th and 18th centuries such as Quenby Hall and Noseley Hall set within parkland.

Tranquillity: Tranquillity levels remain high in the NCA despite the notable decrease in undisturbed areas from 84 per cent in the 1960s to 63 per cent in 2007, largely attributable to growth in traffic on roads such as the A47, A6003 and B6047. Landscape characteristics particularly important in conveying a sense of tranquillity are the secluded valleys and winding green lanes which provide a quiet, empty, remote rural character in a sparsely settled landscape.

Recreation: Located next to large populations such as Leicester in the east, this NCA offers a network of relatively extensive and evenly distributed rights of way, totalling 648 km at a density of 1.14 km per km2, as well as a small amount of open access land covering 31 ha or just 0.05 per cent of the NCA. The area includes a section of the Leicestershire Round walking route, the Macmillan Way, the Midshires Way (a long-distance route suitable for horse riders and cycle users) and the junction of two sections of the National Cycle Network (63 and 64) linking Burton upon Trent to Peterborough and Market Harborough to Lincoln. The reservoir at Eyebrook, a privately owned trout fishery, provides an important recreation resource with opportunities for birdwatching and fishing. It also provides an additional resource, to Rutland Water, for cycling. Quiet country lanes offer opportunities for walking and cycling while Burrough Hill Country Park includes a toposcope. There are a series of Wildlife Trust nature conservation sites including Prior’s Coppice, Launde Big Wood, Launde Park Wood, Great Merrible Wood, the SSSI at Tilton Cutting and Ketton Quarry nature reserve. The area has a strong and continuing tradition of shooting, equestrian and hunting activities.