National Character Area 159
Lundy - Natural Capital and Key Ecosystem Services
Introduction
Lundy 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 Lundy NCA is contained in the ‘Analysis’ section of this website.
Note: The natural capital in this NCA is mapped below. This displays more recent national and publicly available data sets as used within Natural England’s 2020 Natural Capital Atlas Profiles.
The predominant ecosystem services in this NCA are also summarised below. The text contained in this section is based on the previous NCA profiles in 2014, and so is not entirely current. Further information on ecosystem services provided in the North Northumberland Coastal Plain NCA is contained in the Analysis: Ecosystem Services page 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:
- 9: Devon
Note that numbers and figures in the body of the text are based on the 2014 profiles, unless otherwise stated.
Provisioning services (food, fibre and water supply)
Food provision: The waters around Lundy, excepting those of the No Take Zone, are fished for open sea species and seabed crustaceans. The establishment of the No Take Zone has led to increases in the size and numbers of locally caught lobster. There is agriculture on the island –Lundy lamb is a valuable high-quality but small-scale export to the mainland. Meat from the control of feral stock is also sold and consumed on the island in the Marisco Tavern. A small number of pigs (Gloucester Old Spots) and Highland cattle have now been introduced onto the island as well, for grazing, and their meat will be used in the tavern.
Biomass energy: Lundy has only stunted trees in narrow valleys, limiting the opportunities for biomass production from the existing woodland resource – any wood that is removed is burned in the tavern.
Water availability: Rainfall is the primary source of water, backed up by a borehole. Water is imported when necessary. For information regarding the current state of water availability within this NCA, refer to the Environment Agency (Abstraction Licensing Strategy).
Genetic diversity: The Lundy cabbage is a relative of the edible cabbage. This wild crop relative growing in the NCA is an important store of genetic diversity which could help with the development of new food plant
varieties.
Regulating services (water purification, air quality maintenance and climate regulation)
Climate regulation: Biological carbon storage in this NCA is very limited because of the general lack of mature woodland and the small areas of wetlands, although there is some peat in the latter. Small amounts of carbon are retained in mineral soils.
Regulating soil erosion: Soil erosion is not a major problem on Lundy although it is more obvious at the southern end in areas which historically acted as warrens for tens of thousands of rabbits.
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 place/inspiration: A sense of place is provided by rugged cliffs and the heathland plateau, by the drystone ‘quarter’ walls and by the vernacular building stone. Interpretation at MS Oldenburg’s mainland departure points gives information about Lundy and its wildlife.
The views across the sea to both England and Wales provide a calming, tranquil seascape in good weather and an exhilarating experience in stormy conditions.
The topography of the island is inspiring in itself – dramatic, sheer cliffs, the path up from the jetty, a secluded valley and a moorland plateau. There are no streetlights or light pollution on Lundy, and no mains electricity, so night skies can be outstanding.
Sense of history: Lundy has a tremendously rich history; a sense of this is created by the archaeological remains and the buildings on the island. More recent military history is also evident – there are remains of shallow trenches built during the Second World War to impede aircraft landing and taking off.
Tranquillity: Lundy feels far from the mainland and its hustle and bustle. There is very little light pollution and noise pollution.
Recreation: The whole of Lundy is accessible to visitors. People visit Lundy for walking, climbing and bouldering – the Devil’s Slide is a popular climb. There are continuing opportunities for ornithology and the waters around Lundy are famed for their marine fauna and flora. Recreational diving is popular here. Artists and poets are attracted to Lundy to escape to tranquillity.
Biodiversity: There are opportunities to conserve the island’s endemic species – the Lundy cabbage and the associated flea beetle. Lundy is famous for its marine life. It was England’s first Marine Nature Reserve and first Marine Conservation Zone with designated area of No Take Zone. Most of the island and its surrounding waters are covered by multiple designations for their habitats and species. The island provides nesting and breeding habitats for the assemblage of seabirds which depend on it.
Geodiversity: Lundy has geology unique in England in that its granite preserves a record of the opening of the Atlantic Ocean. Some of the dykes cutting the granite consist of a unique trachyte which has previously been commonly known as Lundyite. There is an accessible boundary between the slates and the granite and there are opportunities to study and conserve Lundy’s geology.
