121 - Low Weald : Analysis: Ecosystem Services

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Mixed farming
• Heavy clay soils
• Orchards
• Rivers
• Vineyards

State – Largely pastoral owing to heavy clay soils; more than two-thirds of the area classified as Grade 3 agricultural land. Lighter soils on higher ground allow more mixed farming, characterised by lowland cattle and sheep, dairy and the production of cereals.

More arable and horticulture to the east.

The rivers provide important spawning grounds for sea trout.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – Dairy farming has declined markedly but livestock numbers have not fallen proportionally as land is grazed by beef cattle and sheep.

In the east, hop growing has all but died out. Fruit growing continues but has been scaled-back. New orchards tend to be planted with dwarf trees.

In some areas new crops such as vines are flourishing due to effects of climate change.

Opportunities – There are opportunities to use measures such as agri- environment schemes to manage the agricultural landscape to retain its distinctive character and productivity, while improving its contribution to biodiversity and protection of vulnerable soils and historical evidence, for example by restoring boundaries such as shaws and hedgerows, returning arable land to pasture where appropriate and creating field margins to buffer fields and improve connectivity.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Woodland
• Conifer plantations

State – Densely wooded with around 29, 000 ha of woodland covering 16 percent of the NCA, over half of which is ancient.

Mostly broadleaved, often remnant coppice.

Oaks, often veteran, are significant species in woods, hedgerows and fields.

Some conifer plantations.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – Not much commercial timber production considering wooded nature but there is increasing interest in locally-sourced hardwood for both high-end timber and woodfuel supplies.

Care needs to be taken to assess traffic impact and balance timber production potential with protection of rural roads and lanes.

Dead wood also needs preserving in some areas for biodiversity value and its role in the nutrient cycle and soil formation.

Opportunities – Low Weald has been identified as an ‘outstanding’ priority for woodland conservation, particularly in relation to coppice restoration.

Positive and sensitive management of existing woodlands to increase the commercial production of quality hardwood timber could benefit biodiversity, woodland structure and the local economy.

Extending the area of broadleaved woodland would create new and sustainable sources of timber on sites less sensitive than many existing woodland areas, further supporting the market for quality hardwood timber.

Felling of conifer plantations on former ancient woodland sites would provide a one- off source of timber and replanting with appropriate native broadleaved species.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Timber provision
• Climate change
• Biodiversity
• Sense of place/inspiration
• Sense of history

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Reservoirs
• Rivers

State – There are no significant aquifers in Low Weald, though it is next to the Brighton chalk aquifer.

Arlington and Bough Beech reservoirs supply around 350,000 households (water company websites).

There is ‘no water available’ from the Ouse catchment in the south, while there is ‘water available’ from the Arun and the Adur catchments (The Adur and Ouse Catchment Abstraction Management Strategy, Environment Agency, 2013). The Medway is ‘over licensed’ (The Medway Catchment Abstraction Management Strategy, Environment Agency, 2013), while the Beult, has ‘no water available’.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – A lot of water in the east is used for agriculture and farmers have overcome summer water shortages through the construction of winter storage reservoirs. Water abstracted from the Adur catchment is mainly used for public water supply and relies on surface waters. Summer flows are unable to support high levels of abstraction so flows are supported by augmentation releases from Ardingly reservoir (outside of the NCA).

Water is pumped from a downstream point into the Bough Beech Reservoir located in the upper parts of the catchment to supply Sevenoaks -around 100,000 people (Sutton and East Surrey Water). Arlington Reservoir is filled by the River Cuckmere and supplies around 250,000 people in Eastbourne, Polegate, Hailsham and Heathfield areas (South East Water).

Pressure from new development and rising household demand is increasing the need for water, with resources finely balanced between meeting the demands of existing abstractions and the need to protect river flows.

Opportunities – Encourage promotion of sustainable water use by homes and businesses supplied from the catchments.

Measures to find additional storage for seasonal flood waters in Low Weald may present opportunities for increasing water provision.

Ensure that future development addresses water resource planning and encompasses the highest standards for water efficiency and that sustainable urban drainage systems are incorporated.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Water availability
• Biodiversity
• Recreation
• Regulating water quality
• Regulating water flow

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Orchards
• Remnant hop gardens
• Sussex cattle
• Southdown sheep

State – There are traditional orchards surviving.

Some remnants of the hop growing industry in Kent exist.

Red Sussex cattle are still reared on farms in Low Weald.

Southdown sheep are still bred in Low Weald.

Main beneficiary – National

Analysis – Historically the area was important for growing hops with the Golding variety(still popular and source of many varieties across the world) was developed in Low Weald.

Very little, if any, commercial hop growing exists now but the surviving plants provide an essential gene pool of local varieties.

Low Weald was a major producer of fruit. Many apple varieties bear names reflecting their association with the area such as the “Crawley Beauty” which was identified in a garden effectively now under Gatwick Airport and “Forge” which, as its name suggests, was popular with those employed in the iron industry, being a particularly versatile cottage garden variety favoured for cider-making. Fruit production has declined but remains an important industry, particularly on the lighter soils in the east.

The Sussex cattle breed was refined in Low Weald, notably by the Child family around Arlington in the 18th and early 19th centuries. The Sussex Herd Book Society was formed after a public meeting in Horsham in 1878. These cattle were used as much for ploughing and pulling carts as beef until the early 20th century as they could cope with heavy clay soils better than horses. Today the breed is valued for its docility and hardiness, making it popular for conservation grazing.

Although Southdown sheep are synonymous with grazing the South Downs, Low Weald farms were important for the development of the breed during the 19th century and the area still has several pedigree flocks.

Opportunities – Support brewers and growers to exploit the resurgence in interest in traditional ales, local produce and current research into new hop varieties to revive the hop industry.

Initiatives to promote local, historical varieties of fruit should be encouraged.

Promote creation or restoration of community orchards as part of quality green infrastructure and recreation provision in new development.

Encourage use of Sussex cattle for conservation grazing locally and commercial beef production, supporting local marketing initiatives which promote its local and heritage qualities.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Genetic diversity
• Food production
• Pollination
• Sense of place/inspiration
• Sense of history
• Recreation

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Woodland
• Wet woodland

State – Woodland covers 16 percent of the NCA and provides a source of local woodfuel.

Willow grows well.

Plantings of miscanthus and short rotation coppice are currently rare within the NCA.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – Overall the potential yield for short rotation coppice is identified as medium and that for miscanthus as high.

Low undulating topography will help to assimilate biomass crops into the landscape while the characteristic pattern of small fields with dense boundaries will visually enclose them. Care should be taken to avoid planting on higher ground and in areas where semi-natural habitat or heritage assets may be damaged.

There are a number of initiatives promoting sustainable local woodfuel.

Opportunities – The existing pattern of mixed types of woodland, including coppice, has potential to accommodate some short rotation coppice. Care should be taken to maintain the balance between woodland and other land uses and avoid over-planting which could adversely affect character.

Low Weald is identified as an ‘outstanding’ priority for woodland conservation, particularly in relation to coppice restoration. There are opportunities for increasing provision of wood fuel by Increasing the area of native woodland, improving management of existing woodlands and supporting initiatives to explore and promote local markets for sustainable wood fuel.

Low Weald is identified as a potential “Forest District so there is enthusiasm for creation of woodland and this presents opportunities for increased provision of wood fuel, including reinstating traditional coppice management to produce wood fuel in appropriate locations for local use.

Some dead wood needs to be retained in situ for biodiversity value.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Biomass energy
• Biodiversity
• Sense of place/inspiration

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Woodland
• Hedgerows and shaws
• Wet woodland
• Semi-natural wetland habitats
• Gill woodland

State – Nearly all of the soil in the NCA has low carbon content at 0 to 5 percent. Some of the loamy and clayey flood plain soils with naturally high groundwater may be peaty at depth or include small areas of peaty topsoil, providing a small store of carbon.

The high coverage of woodland throughout the NCA contributes to the sequestration and storage of carbon both in the organic-rich woodland soils and in the growing and standing timber.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – Maintaining areas of permanent pasture in flood plains is likely to help preserve carbon-rich soils. Regular and repeated cultivation will result in a loss of carbon from all soils.

Maintaining areas of ancient semi- natural woodland with minimal intervention will help protect carbon- rich woodland soils and the stored carbon in standing and fallen trees.

Expanding and extending the area of woodland will increase carbon sequestration rates and long-term carbon storage across the area.

Opportunities – Significant potential for the restoration and creation of wetlands within the NCA is identified by the Wetland Vision.

Carbon sequestration can be increased by increasing soil organic matter on cultivated soil and by reducing the frequency or area of cultivation.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Climate regulation
• Biodiversity
• Recreation
• Tranquillity
• Regulating water flow
• Regulating water quality

No information available.

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Rivers
• Soils
• Reservoirs
• Woodland
• Wet meadows and riverside vegetation

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 – The Arun and Western Rother, Stour, Medway and Eden and the Beult are priority catchments under the catchment sensitive farming scheme (Defra catchment priorities identified under the England Catchment Sensitive Farming Delivery initiative).

Legacy from past agricultural intensification within the NCA and upstream continues to contribute to diffuse pollution.

Fewer livestock and more responsible use of pesticides and fertilizer in the last 20 years has reduced pollution, though run-off from silage and slurry stores and soil wash from cattle poaching, particularly around gateways and watercourses, can be a problem in some areas.

Sediment, pesticide and nitrate pollution often originates in adjacent, higher land outside the NCA.

Water quality is particularly important in the reservoirs that provide water for the surrounding areas.

Poor water quality issues exacerbated by increased abstraction, particularly during periods of low flow are likely to worsen with climate change and rises in population in Low Weald and adjacent NCAs due to proposed new development.

Non-native invasive species are present in most watercourses.

Opportunities – Work with farmers both in Low Weald and in adjacent NCAs to manage farmland under the principles established under the England Catchment Sensitive Farming Delivery Initiative, such as improved drainage, hard bases for livestock feeders and gateways, roofing of manure stores, better pesticide treatment and providing alternative drinking sources to keep livestock away from watercourses.

Work with land managers to buffer watercourses and reservoirs by building up vegetation, including woodland on banks to slow the pathway of run-off to improve water quality, regulate soil erosion and reduce subsequent sedimentation.

Opportunities include landscape- scale improvements in soil management and an expansion of permanent grassland and wetland habitats adjacent to watercourses and in flood plains, such as through stewardship schemes which have already been introduced around many watercourses.

Promote responsible use of water by domestic and business users and ensure new development includes sustainable urban drainage systems.

Work to eradicate non-native invasive species, particularly along river banks and encourage the establishment of native vegetation to reduce soil exposure. Promote awareness of the importance of biosecurity, particularly in areas of heavy public usage, to prevent spread.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Rivers
• Extensive grazing on meadows and permanent grassland in flood plains
• Wet woodland
• Artificial flood water storage structure and flood defences

State – Drainage is poor throughout the NCA due to the underlying impermeable Wealden clay and low-lying nature. Flooding occurs in many areas and is a particular problem in well-populated areas such as around Hailsham, Lewes and Tonbridge (Cuckmere and Sussex Havens Catchment Flood Management Plan, Environment Agency, 2009).

Surface water flooding is often occurs as a result of under capacity in the local drainage system and/or blockages within culverts or drains. There is significant flood risk in Lewes associated with the River Ouse as a result of surface water, urban drainage and groundwater flooding.

There is currently flooding from the Adur, although a combination of surface water flooding, urban drainage problems and under capacity of local streams causes localised areas of combined fluvial and urban flooding. There is low to moderate flooding along the River Mole.

The confluence of the Medway and the Beult has a high flood risk affecting local villages, while there is also significant risk of flooding in Tonbridge. The River Beult catchment has a relatively low gradient and has fluvial flood risk from typically frequent but less severe flood events around Smarden and Staplehurst.

During high flow, major attenuation of flood waters occurs at the Leigh flood storage reservoir and upstream of Tonbridge on the Medway flood plain (outside of the NCA) which helps prevent flooding in this section of the NCA (River Medway Catchment Flood Management Plan, Environment Agency, 2009).

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – Strategies to address flooding risk around Hailsham include the development of a Surface Water Management Plan (SWMP), while in the wider Cuckmere catchment the Catchment Flood Management Plan identifies the potential to develop strategies for river channel restoration and naturalisation.

The Ouse Catchment Flood Management Plan (River Ouse Catchment Flood Management Plan) identifies opportunities to store water or manage run-off to reduce flood risk, including use of agri-environment and woodland schemes to encourage change in land use.

The River Mole Catchment Flood Management plans seek to maintain and improve the capacity of the flood plain to store water. The Crawley area in the Upper Mole catchment is identified as an area of opportunity to store water to reduce flood risk (Thames, Arun and Western Streams, Adur, Ouse, Cuckmere and Sussex Havens, Medway, & Stour Catchment Flood Management Plans, Environment Agency. December, 2009).

The area’s permanent, particularly rough grassland helps reduce cross-land flows of water and has greater water infiltration properties, as do its shaws, hedgerows and woodlands.

Opportunities – Work with farmers and land managers to identify where there is scope for mitigating existing flood risk through a combination of measures including expanding and managing areas of semi- natural habitats that help to reduce cross-land water flows and have increased water infiltration properties.

Some localised flood risks may be reduced by promotion of sustainable urban drainage systems, particularly where hard surface water run-off is the major problem, for example at Horsham.

Avoid inappropriate development in flood risk areas and minimise run off from new development by integrating water storage features in the form of semi-natural habitats into new developments.

Work with farmers and land managers to explore potential within the Adur and Arun catchments for the storage of flood waters to reduce flood risk downstream (River Adur Catchment Flood Management Plan and Arun & Western Streams Catchment Flood Management Plan, Environment Agency, 2009), with a Land Management Plan to identify possible changes in land use and land management practices throughout the Arun catchment. This would aim to reduce run-off from surrounding countryside, to reduce soil erosion and achieve local flood risk benefits.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Soils
• Permanent grassland
• Rivers
• Woodland

State – There are 5 main soilscape types in this NCA; slowly permeable seasonally wet slightly acid but base-rich loamy and clayey soils, covering 74 percent of the NCA; loamy soils with naturally high groundwater 8 percent; slightly acid loamy and clayey soils with impeded drainage 8 percent; freely draining slightly acid loamy soils 4 percent; and loamy and clayey flood plain soils with naturally high groundwater 3 percent.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – The majority of soils within the area and particularly the slowly permeable seasonally wet slightly acid but base- rich loamy and clayey soils may suffer compaction and/or capping as they are easily damaged when wet, which in turn may lead to increasingly poor water infiltration and diffuse pollution as a result of surface water run-off.

Opportunities – Encourage extensive grazing and best practice in soil management, particularly in areas prone to flooding, to reduce compaction and capping and increase water infiltration rates.

Opportunities to increase the efficacy of this service include landscape-scale improvements in soil management and more informed nutrient management including the application of Nitrate Vulnerable Zone guidelines.

Encourage agricultural practices that retain permanent cover and build up organic matter on cultivated land, especially on free draining loamy soils in the east.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Woodland, hedgerows and shaws
• Farmland Clay soils

State – The vast majority of the area’s soils, the seasonally wet base-rich soils and the flood plain soils, covering 77 percent of the NCA, have a low risk of soil erosion. The loamy soils with naturally high groundwater are also generally at low risk of soil erosion except where coarser textured variants occur on sloping or uneven ground.

Erosion is a problem on the more undulating ground around Edenbridge where sandstone meets clay.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – Many of the slightly acid loamy and clayey soils with impeded drainage (covering 8 percent) are prone to compaction and capping/slaking, leading to an increased risk of erosion by surface water run-off, especially on steeper slopes. The freely draining slightly acid loamy soils (covering 4 percent) have enhanced risk of soil erosion on moderately or steeply sloping land where cultivated or bare soil is exposed, 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.

Maize growing for fodder is widespread and can result in increased risk of soil erosion where not properly managed.

Opportunities – Opportunities exist to restore hedgerows, shaws and buffer farmland to control velocity of cross-land water flows to reduce erosion risks.

Improvement of agricultural practices in some areas can also reduce problems of compaction.

Stewardship has been introduced around many watercourses and this can be extended to reduce erosion risks.

Increase organic matter content to improve structure and cohesion. Reduce cultivation where appropriate.

Extensive grazing regimes to minimise localised compaction.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Grassland
• Meadows
• Orchards
• Gardens
• Parkland
• Heathland

State – Fruit-growing is particularly important in the east of the NCA and relies heavily on supply of pollinators. There are some areas of heathland, mainly on commons.

Connectivity of semi-natural habitats, particularly the network of woodlands, shaws and hedgerows and the multiple watercourses, contribute to the movement of pollinators around the area.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – In the productive eastern area, orchards and soft fruit pollinators are critical for the future of insect dependent crops and increases in this service may be required in order to provide greater options for future cropping.

Fragmentation of the landscape due to land use change and development could lead to isolation of habitats.

Opportunities – There are opportunities to enhance the network and connectivity of suitable habitats in the agricultural landscape by creating conservation headlands, arable field margins and meadows.

This could have a beneficial effect on biodiversity generally by linking and creating a network of habitats and provide foraging, resting and breeding sites for pollinators.

Encourage nectar rich planting in gardens and public spaces.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Pollination
• Biodiversity
• Food production

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Woodland
• Farmland
• Hedgerows and verges
• Parkland
• Orchards
• Heathland and commons
• Rivers
• Ponds

State – The spread of semi-natural habitats throughout the agricultural landscape of this NCA, including field margins, shaws, hedgerows and ponds will support species that will aid pest regulation.

Oak is characteristic of the area a tree species noted for supporting a large number of invertebrates, a number of which are predatory. The notable bat populations within the area also contribute to pest regulation.

Mature elm has been lost from most of the Low Weald with the exception of parts which fall within the Dutch Elm Disease Control Area in east Sussex.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – Fragmentation and disturbance of semi-natural habitats will decrease the ability of predatory species to move within the farmed landscape.

Increasing diversity in species and structure of field margins will increase the ability for these areas to support populations of pest regulating species such as invertebrates, birds and mammals.

There is scope to improve the condition and extent of semi-natural habitat across the area. Linking semi-natural habitat to provide a sustainable functional network can help support sustainable populations of pest regulating species and enable them to move around.

Opportunities – Work with land owners, farmers and the local community to re-link the fragmented landscape by restoring hedgerows and shaws and creating corridors using field margins, road verges and rivers to allow predator species to move around.

Work in partnership to maintain and expand the area of semi-natural habitats, including the restoration of ponds, throughout the NCA to provide a range of niches to support pest regulating species including invertebrates, birds and mammals.

Maximise the effectiveness of mechanisms such as agri- environment schemes, by encourage the use of field margins, beetle banks and headlands in arable land, to encourage pest regulating species in close proximity to food crops requiring pollination.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Pest regulation
• Biodiversity
• Food production
• Regulating water quality
• Pollination

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Woodland
• Wood pasture
• Gill woodland
• Hedgerows
• Orchards
• Hop fields
• Traditional buildings
• Geology

State – Traditional villages, often formed from buildings in a distinct local vernacular architecture, surrounded by woodland are a feature of the landscape, as are the characteristic gill woodlands and views to the high ground of adjacent NCAs.

The historical land uses of wood pasture, orchards and hop yards, although declining in number and area, remain a distinctive and characteristic element of the landscape.

There are many geological sites of national importance.

Nearly 10,000 ha of parts of adjacent AONBs (High Weald, Kent Downs and Surrey Hills), along with over 13,000 ha of the South Downs National Park fall within the NCA.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – The abundance of ancient woodland, shaws and hedgerows and the wildlife they support give the area an intimate, rural character, despite a growing population, numerous major transport routes and the large urban complex around Gatwick Airport and Crawley.

Charles Darwin was inspired by the geological strata of the Weald and used it in his original estimates for Origin of Species.

Ditchling became a centre for exponents of the Arts and Crafts Movement with the foundation of the Guild of St Joseph and St Dominic by Eric Gill in the early 20th century. The Guild folded in 1989.

The protected landscapes within Low Weald contribute significantly to the sense of place and reflect the high quality of the surrounding landscape. It can make areas outside these boundaries a focus for development pressures which would be considered inappropriate within protected landscapes.

Opportunities – Restoring and creating where appropriate hedgerows, shaws and areas of woodland within existing and new developments can help maintain boundaries and protect the characteristic wooded feel of the area.

Traditional landscape elements formed by orchards and hop gardens, their characteristic tall shelter hedges should be preserved to maintain the distinctive character of the eastern part of the NCA.

Support the protection of heritage assets such as traditional farmsteads and historic oast houses from inappropriate conversion where they make significant positive contribution to the landscape.

Ensure that new development does not intrude upon the essential character of the surrounding protected landscapes.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Twenty-one registered historic parks and gardens, 85 scheduled monuments and 6,066 listed buildings
• Historic field patterns and boundaries.
• Ancient woodland
• Traditional villages
• Oast houses and other traditional farm buildings
• Industrial heritage sites
• Ancient woodland and veteran trees
• Gardens and other designed landscapes

State – There are manor houses, often medieval in origin and smaller historic designed landscapes in the grounds of country houses.

The area is rich in industrial archaeological sites, particularly relating to the Wealden iron industry.

The landscape is essentially medieval in structure with generally small fields, hedgerow boundaries, woodland peppered with farmsteads, small hamlets and villages.

Much of the woodland is ancient and veteran trees are a feature of parklands, villages and isolated in fields.

Main beneficiary – National

Analysis – Twenty-one registered parks and gardens fall within the NCA. Though many of these are centred in adjacent NCAs, Low Weald contains large parts of important estates which are a legacy of the wealth created during the iron boom in the Tudor period, for example Hever Castle.

Archaeological sites and heritage assets often lie under woodland and many are still to be discovered, therefore any management or development needs to take account of the possibility of concealed sites. Bracken and scrub are unchecked in many areas, causing damage to prehistoric earthworks and other archaeological sites.

The area’s historic sites, particularly the association with the Wealden Iron Industry, are perhaps less well appreciated than in neighbouring High Weald.

Strong sense of being an anciently settled and farmed landscape, with farmsteads (often of medieval origin) set in landscapes also enclosed in the medieval period and successively reorganised. The historical pattern of field enclosure and assarting from woodland remains mostly intact.

Although hop growing has now all but died out as a commercial enterprise, its mark on the landscape remains evident, most obviously in the oast houses of Kent and Sussex which have mostly been converted to other uses.

Low Weald has the highest survival rate of listed, traditional farm buildings in the south east and a high density of pre-1700 timber-framed buildings. Examples of vernacular buildings using local materials such as local brick and tile, flint in areas near the South Downs and Horsham stone are common across the area.

Bayleaf Farm was removed during the construction of Bough Beech reservoir and reconstructed at the Weald and Downland Museum in Singleton and is a fine example of a medieval Wealden farmhouse.

Opportunities – Opportunities to enhance the setting and interpretation of heritage assets should be identified and realised. Also work with local societies and interest groups to promote the appreciation and understanding of the area’s historic sites and nationally important industrial heritage.

Encourage preservation of historic buildings and the use of traditional building materials such as locally produced bricks and tiles and stone from local quarries in their conservation.

Unconverted oast houses, with surviving hop industry equipment, are extremely rare and efforts to protect them intact should be supported.

Encourage protection of characteristic field patterns and boundary features.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Woodland
• Villages
• Parkland

State – The area is densely wooded.

Five percent of the area is classed as urban and 52 percent ‘disturbed’ according to CPRE tranquillity mapping (CPRE Intrusion Map, 2007).

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – Development pressure has increased the spread of noise and light pollution from roads, notably the M23 and A24, and urban areas, particularly around Gatwick Airport.

The area retains much of its rural and tranquil nature in increasingly isolated pockets with small villages nestled amongst woodland and the farmed landscape.

Opportunities – There are opportunities to retain the remaining sense of tranquillity on woodland and agricultural land by protecting them from inappropriate development and protecting small villages from light and noise pollution by buffering through the use of woodland and shaws.

Ensure that adequate green infrastructure provision is integral to all development planning and encourage improvement of the public transport network to reduce disturbance on rural roads and lanes.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Tranquillity
• Biodiversity
• Sense of place/inspiration

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Rights of way
• Open access land
• Reservoirs
• 2 NNRs
• Rivers
• Cycle trails
• Canal
• Country park

State – Recreation is supported by the area’s 3,974 km rights of way network with links to the North and South Downs National Trails.

The Wealdway, a long-distance (80 miles) footpath between Gravesend and Eastbourne, crosses Low Weald in the north and south.

Open access land totals just over 1,930 ha (around 1 percent of the NCA).

National Cycle Network Route 21 runs through the NCA.

Arlington and Bough Beech reservoirs are important recreational resources within the NCA supporting activities such as birdwatching and angling.

Ditchling Common is a country park, popular for recreational activities such as walking and picnicking.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – The area is essentially rural in nature but contains areas of dense urban settlement, notably around Gatwick and Crawley. It is also within easy reach for large centres of urban population such as Medway, Brighton and Hove and South London.

Opportunities – Ensure access balances recreational enjoyment, with the protection of geological and historical features as well as biodiversity.

Promote sustainable tourism and recreational activities to minimise impact on the environment, while helping to generate income and employment.

Work with partners such as local authorities and health boards make the most of opportunities for improving well being of local communities through promoting use of the rights of way network, connecting green spaces, commons, parkland and accessible woodland.

The need to increase wetland areas for flood management may create opportunities for recreation. Likewise restoration projects such as that on the Wey and Arun Canal will present additional recreational facilities.

Rights of way and open access throughout the area should be enhanced in line with the local Rights of Way Improvement Plan, particularly where improving links to the Weald way and Northand South Downs National Trails. Plans to extend cycle networks should be encouraged and supported.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• 3 SAC
• 2,700ha is designated as SSSI
• 2 NNRs
• BAP priority habitats cover 9 percent of the NCA
• Rated in top 10 NCAs for several species
• Woodland, wood pasture and parkland
• Ponds, rivers and reservoirs

State – The Mens and Ebernoe Common are designated SACs for their broadleaved woodland (specifically beech) on acid soil, a favoured habitat for barbastelle bats. Ebernoe is also important for Bechstein’s bats.

Just under 5 ha of the orchid-rich chalk grassland of Lewes Downs SAC falls within the NCA

Ebernoe Common is also a NNR. It is a large wooded common with over 400 species of fungi and 375 species of plant and a breeding site for birds such as hawfinch and nightingale.

Ham Street Woods is also a NNR. This is typical of the ancient woodland that once covered the Weald and is broadleaved woodland supporting outstanding bird and invertebrate communities.

More than half the priority habitat is wet woodland. Low Weald is densely wooded and a high proportion of this is ancient.

The area is rated second nationally for density of ponds.

Most of the main rivers south of the Thames flow through Low Weald for part of their course.

Knepp Castle embarked on its rewilding project in 2001.

Main beneficiary – National

Analysis – Low Weald is densely wooded and supports a wide range of priority species, notably bullfinch and lesser-spotted woodpecker bats and invertebrates such as pearl-bordered fritillary and wood white butterflies and several rare moths. It is the top NCA for spiked rampion and in the top five for five other vascular plant species. It also contains important sites for rare lichens, bryophytes and fungi.

As the area is important for species such as lesser spotted woodpecker and many invertebrates that rely on dead wood, any woodland management programme needs to ensure that this is preserved in key areas.

It is identified as a potential “Forest District” so huge benefits can be achieved by linking existing woodland to create 30 percent woodland cover over an area of 5,000 ha.

Much woodland is ancient and its characteristic gill woodland is a rare habitat in SE England.

Woodland ponds are often legacies of the iron industry. Many are in poor condition through lack of management and siltation due to low flows or over-abstraction. There has been significant uptake of stewardship agreements for restoration and creation of ponds since 1999.

Several rivers are within Priority Catchment s with legacy pollution from past intensive farming, sediment and nitrates, fouling from slurry and damage to riverbanks by livestock particular areas of concern, both within the NCA and upstream. The rivers provide important spawning grounds for sea trout.

Unimproved hay meadows have been declining since the 1950s due to development and changes in farming practices and development. Some surviving pockets have been brought into environmental stewardship in recent years.

Low Weald, in common with other NCAs in south east England is particularly susceptible to colonisation by currently non-native migratory species, especially flying invertebrates. Thermal stress will also impact on native species.

Opportunities – Enhance or reinstate woodland management, including restoration of rides and glades where appropriate, and restore plantations on ancient woodland sites to native woodland.

Ensure planned development includes high quality green and blue infrastructure that benefits well-being and access to nature of local communities as well as enhancing biodiversity.

Protect the area’s historic parkland and wood pasture sites, for example by supporting initiatives such as the Western Weald Project.

Support creation and restoration of ponds, particularly those with high biodiversity or historical interest.

Restore meadows and create margins to fields and roads to buffer farmland and rivers watercourses and continuing to support projects such as the Weald Meadows Initiative.

Work with partners and land managers to identify, monitor and control non-native invasive species and diseases.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Biodiversity
• Sense of place/inspiration
• Tranquillity
• Biomass energy
• Recreation
• Regulating soil quality
• Regulating water quality
• Regulating water flow

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Clay
• Sandstone outcrops
• Quarries and brickworks
• Locally sourced building materials
• 11 geological SSSI
• 19 local geological sites

State – Claypits excavated for the brick and tile industry often exposed clear geological sections as well as fossil remains.

Numerous quarry sites display clear geological sections of Weald Clay and Upper Cretaceous Chalk with notable fossil remains.

Some of the geological SSSI are in unfavourable declining condition.

Main beneficiary – National

Analysis – Low Weald geological sites lie within the Weald Clay Groups and provide detailed coverage of the varied lithologies, particularly sandstone and limestone, in this unit.

Low Weald has a complex geology and has many sites of national significance including 11 geological SSSI and 19 local geological sites. Geological features include Jurassic-Cretaceous stratigraphy sites notable for well preserved fossils including insects, plants, fish and reptiles.

The SSSI of Auclaye, Clock House Brickworks and Smokejack Clay Pit have yielded well-preserved insect fossils. Smokejack Clay Pit also yielded dinosaurs Iguanodon and Baryonyx.

Many sites, including notable SSSI, are threatened by encroachment of scrub and bracken and have poor access.

There have also been problems with irresponsible fossil-hunting.

Opportunities – Promote use of locally sourced building materials as an expression of local geodiversity

Maintain and enhance earth science features by seeking to enhance existing exposures and agreeing conservation sections in active and disused quarries.

Improve access to and promote use of geological sites to improve understanding and appreciation of this important educational resource.

Encourage on-site interpretation such as sign boarding, trail guides and leaflets.

Encouraging assessment of the educational and research value of new sites.

Ensure that the importance and sensitivity of earth science SSSI and local geological sites are recognised in the planning process and that geological conservation is integral to the development process.

Clarify site management needs to agreed standards for local geological sites using standards similar to those for SSSI.

Promote responsible fossil collecting.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

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