38 - Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Yorkshire Coalfield : Analysis: Ecosystem Services

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service

• Arable and horticulture
• Livestock
• Soils

State – 44 per cent Grade 3 soils, 23 per cent Grade 4 soils.

Mixed farming with arable and horticulture cropping on 34 per cent of holdings, livestock on 34 per cent of holdings and the other areas accounting for horsiculture, fallow crops and buildings.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – Over 50 per cent of the NCA is developed and development pressure exists for more housing and employment sites reducing land available for food production, particularly around the urban fringe.

Numbers of cattle, sheep and pigs have declined in recent years in this area with more grazing being given over to horses and ponies.

In mixed farming areas there has been diversification in crop production.

Flood management within developed areas and across the valleys to protect properties may impact upon land available to produce food. Increased storm events during summer months may lead to crop losses within the floodplain.

Many areas around the urban fringe show signs of neglect and are not utilised for food production. There may be opportunities to promote and support bringing food production back into these areas improving sense of place and the quality of the landscape in these areas.

Opportunities – Seek opportunities to expand food production sustainably within neglected areas. Retain rural areas for food production and to retain separation of settlements by agricultural land.

Encourage the restoration and management of field boundaries to improve the character of the agricultural areas.

Identify appropriate new production opportunities and adapt management practices to respond to changes in climate and flood risk such as timing of agricultural practices and crop choices.

Principal services offered by opportunities

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service

• Broadleaved woodland

State – Woodlands in the NCA tend to be small and fragmented, often on steep valley sides where they are less vulnerable to either grazing or development pressure.

Total woodland cover is 9 per cent of the NCA with 2 per cent consisting of ancient semi-natural woodland. There is little in the way of commercial timber production.

South Yorkshire and Greenwood Community Forests are within the NCA.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – Historically the woodlands were important for timber provision to support the local industries as well as providing fuel for local use. This local supply chain does not exist to this level any more.

Many of the small woodlands lack adequate management and there may be opportunities to bring these woodlands under sustainable management that would support a small-scale local timber crop.

Increased tree planting within and close to developed areas can help regulate temperatures and reduce water runoff to help communities adapt and mitigate the effects of climate change. Tree planting can also assist with assimilating new development into the landscape.

Opportunities – Encourage better management of woodlands to increase timber production as well as enhance biodiversity and ensure the long term survival of woodlands.

Seek opportunities to enhance woodlands for multiple purposes, whilst increasing production of timber, in particular for woodfuel for local use.

Principal services offered by opportunities

• Timber provision
• Biodiversity
• Climate regulation
• Biomass energy
• Regulating water flow
• Sense of place
• Regulating soil quality
• Regulating soil erosion

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service

• Rivers
• Reservoirs
• Two small aquifers
• Ponds

State – Several major rivers cross the area, including the Don, Aire, Calder, Dearne, Rother and Erewash. In the north, surface water resources including the rivers Aire and Calder have ‘water available’ (The Aire and Calder Catchment Abstraction Management Strategy, Environment Agency, 2007), as do the rivers Rother, Don, and Dearne in the middle (north of Barnsley to south of Chesterfield), and the River Erewash in the south (The Don and Rother Catchment Abstraction Management Strategy, Environment Agency, 2003).

This NCA does not overlie any major aquifer. However, the north of the NCA around Bradford and Leeds overlies a minor Millstone Grit aquifer which has ‘water available’ (The Aire and Calder Catchment Abstraction Management Strategy, Environment Agency, 2007), while the middle of the NCA overlies a minor Coal Measures aquifer which also has ‘water available’ for further abstraction (The Don and Rother Catchment Abstraction Management Strategy, Environment Agency, 2003).

There are a few large reservoirs, notably the Eccup and Ardsley Reservoirs on the fringes of Leeds; and the Wintersett Reservoir near Wakefield.

Small farm ponds can play an important role locally to provide water for agriculture.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – The large urban populations and areas are reliant on large aquifers in other NCAs to support increased housing and economic development.

Ings are common in old mining areas due to subsidence and water levels within these sites are important in maintaining favourable habitat condition.

In some areas, such as the Lower Aire Valley, flood banks are artificially maintained to protect farmland and communities.

There are opportunities for farms to create ponds to increase their own water available for agricultural purposes.

Opportunities – Increase areas of semi-natural habitat within developed areas and in the countryside to increase water infiltration and reduce run-off. In particular increase permanent grassland areas within the floodplains.

Principal services offered by opportunities

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

No information available.

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service

• Woodlands

State – Woodland cover in the NCA is 15,411 ha or 9 per cent of the area.

Currently low biomass production in this area.

Woodland is found in scattered small patches higher in frequency around Leeds and to the north of Sheffield and Rotherham.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – The existing woodland cover in this NCA offers some potential for the provision of biomass by bringing unmanaged woodland under management. The large communities provide a potential high local demand for biomass energy such as for wood-fired boilers in schools.

There is generally a medium potential yield for miscanthus in the NCA, with a high potential yield around Rotherham and Leeds. There is a medium potential yield for short rotation coppice, with a low potential yield around Sheffield. A number of biomass plants are in the planning stage and may increase the need to supply more local biomass products.

Opportunities – Seek opportunities to improve management of woodlands to make them more productive and retain traditional skills at a local level.

Seek opportunities to increase miscanthus production in areas where there is a local need for the product and it does not detract from the provision of other services.

Principal services offered by opportunities

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service

• Soils
• Semi-natural habitats including grassland, heathland, wetland and woodland

State – The majority of the NCA has a low soil carbon content of 0-5 per cent (NSRI National Soils Map for England and Wales, Environment Agency, 2009) Carbon content is likely to be higher under the more than 15,000 ha of woodland (9 per cent of the NCA area), which will also continue to sequester carbon from the atmosphere. Soil carbon content is also likely to be higher under the more than 1,200ha of lowland meadow, semi-natural grassland, heathland and wetland in the NCA.

The long history of mining will have lead to damage to the soil structure and top soil, but this may slowly be improving again through restoration work to grassland and woodland.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – There is high pressure on the areas of semi natural habitat within the NCA from development. Many areas of semi-natural habitat are not managed, or are managed inappropriately because of their small and patchy distribution. This reduces their ability to sequester carbon. In agricultural areas management measures can be incorporated to increase carbon sequestration and storage.

Semi natural habitats also provide an important service in regulating temperature within developed areas. Increasing green infrastructure in developments will help future inhabitants adapt to climate change.

Many of the large cities industrial past means they have a history of large parks and cemeteries within the urban environment and this should be encouraged to help reduce the urban heat island effect in the future and reduce flood risk during storm events.

Increased tree planting within and close to developed areas helps sequester carbon and help communities to adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change. Tree planting can also assist with assimilating new development into the landscape.

Soils can be managed through sustainable agricultural practices which protect and bind the soil (such as the management of hedgerows, good grazing regimes and minimal tillage where soils are suitable) to help them retain their soil carbon levels.

Restoring soil structure on post-industrial sites and the opportunity for increased organic and carbon dioxide deposition in restored land would be a contribution to climate regulation, although probably only of local significance.

Opportunities – Protect areas of semi-natural habitats such as lowland meadows, heathlands, wetlands and woodlands.

Seek opportunities to better manage areas of grassland and woodland and expand them where possible to increase their carbon sequestration and storage.

Seek opportunities to include areas of semi-natural habitats in new developments and retrofit into developed areas. In particular look to improve the grassland and woodland networks within these areas.

Expand areas of woodland around settlement fringes, on restored mining sites and on parcels of derelict land and along and between developments.

Seek long term management of restored mining sites.

Seek to provide areas of semi- natural habitat that supports local habitat networks and provide recreation opportunities for the local population through restoration plans of currently worked mining sites.

Principal services offered by opportunities

• Regulating water quality
• Biodiversity
• Biomass energy
• Water availability
• Regulating soil erosion
• Regulating soil quality

No information available.

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service

• Rivers
• Aquifers
• Areas of semi natural habitat
• Hedgerows and woodland

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 – Most of the rivers running through the NCA feed into the Humber Estuary passing through densely developed areas and agricultural areas in the Coalfield. Where run off is high, it can impact on water quality further down the river system.

Due to the large urbanised area in the NCA water runoff into the waterways can contain pollutants and chemicals. Flash flooding and subsequent run off are exacerbated by the extensive hard surfaces and lack of drainage.

Incorporating sustainable drainage systems, including swales and semi-natural habitats in the urban areas, would help hold up water and improve infiltration rates during storm events and heavy rainfall, reducing the amount of pollution entering the waterways.

The permeability of the freely draining slightly acid loamy soils (23 per cent) may be valuable for aquifer recharge (the minor Millstone Grit and Coal Measures aquifers) requiring the maintenance of good structural conditions to aid water infiltration and the matching of nutrients to needs to prevent pollution of groundwater. Poor water infiltration of some of the soils will increase the risk of sediment and nutrient run-off and flooding.

Fast water runoff in storm events can impact on areas both within and outside the NCA. Improved water infiltration in new developments and in rural areas will help ease pressure on the river systems.

Opportunities – Protect areas of semi-natural habitats such as lowland meadows, heathlands, wetlands and woodlands.

Seek opportunities to better manage areas of grassland and woodland and expand them where possible to increase their carbon sequestration and storage.

Seek opportunities to include areas of semi-natural habitats in new developments and retrofit into developed areas. In particular look to improve the grassland and woodland networks within these areas.

Expand areas of woodland around settlement fringes, on restored mining sites and on parcels of derelict land and along and between developments.

Seek long term management of restored mining sites.

Seek to provide areas of semi- natural habitat that supports local habitat networks and provide recreation opportunities for the local population through restoration plans of currently worked mining sites.

Principal services offered by opportunities

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service

• Rivers
• Wetland habitat and established patches of other semi-natural habitat
• Sustainable urban drainage, urban parks, trees and nature reserves
• Woodland and hedgerows

State – Fluvial flood risk is substantial throughout much of the NCA. In Barnsley, Rotherham, Sheffield and Chesterfield, the top three or four flood peak events since monitoring began have occurred since 2000, indicating the significance of recent flood events. In many locations flood risk is located in urban areas where development has taken place within the floodplain. This is particularly the case in areas such as Chesterfield and south of Sheffield (in Killamarsh and Dronfield) (Don Catchment Flood Management Plan, Environment Agency, 2011).

In the north of the NCA, the River Aire is the source of significant flooding in Horsforth, Leeds and Castleford. There are significant areas of flood risk in the centre of Leeds, where the River Aire and its tributaries are heavily modified and riverside development is of high value. Downstream of Leeds, large areas around Castleford are also at risk of fluvial flooding, and this is exacerbated where the River Calder joins the Aire.

Extensive washlands north of Castleford are designed to reduce the threat of flooding in the town, as well as to protect arable land further downstream (outside the NCA). In Wakefield, the numbers of properties at risk of fluvial flooding are small, but the probability is high with impacts upon critical infrastructure, including the District Hospital (Aire Catchment Flood Management Plan, Environment Agency, 2011).

Around Barnsley there are significant areas of land at risk of flooding from the rivers Dearne and Dove, but this is mostly agricultural land (for example south of Darton and west of Dearne). Large areas surrounding the M18 near Rotherham and the centre of Sheffield are at ‘significant’ risk of flooding (Don Catchment Flood Management Plan, Environment Agency, 2011)from the River Don, as illustrated by the floods in Sheffield in June 2007, the worst flood in this area in the last 150 years.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – This NCA has a number of major rivers that run through it for part of their course and flood management is often dependent upon actions outside of the NCA in upper reaches of the rivers such as in the Southern Pennines and Yorkshire Dales. This also means that actions in this NCA can have large impacts on water flow further downstream in other NCAs.

Many waterways have been canalised to pass through urban areas and development up to the water’s edge reduces the ability to re-naturalise the waterways in these areas. This puts increased pressure on rural areas for land to be used for water storage during times of heavy rainfall, which can impact on the productivity of these areas and their ability to produce food and other resources.

Increasing semi-natural habitats within the NCA could help alleviate the speed of run-off from developed and agricultural land.

Large areas of flood plain storage have been developed in the Aire Valley representing good flood management practice.

Opportunities – Seek opportunities to increase semi-natural habitats to help slow down the volume of water entering the river system during and after periods of heavy rain. This has been trialled upstream of major settlements such as in the upper Aire Valley to help slow flood waters arriving in Leeds. In particular the rivers Aire, Calder, Don and Rother have been identified as key areas for new floodplain woodland.

There are opportunities within rural areas to improve hedgerow density and increase woodland planting to reduce water flow.

Promote sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS) in new development to increase use of semi-natural habitats and permeable surfacing to reduce run-off and increase water filtration; slowing water entering the system.

Protect and increase urban street trees and green spaces to aid interception and infiltration of rain water and slow run-off.

Seek opportunities to allow rivers to follow more natural courses where possible to relieve water flow in the system.

Seek opportunities to expand washlands and water storage in floodplains.

Improve soil quality to increase water retention and reduce run- off, especially on areas of derelict and post industrial land.

Seek opportunities to manage the soil to increase percolation and reduce run-off such as use of cover crops.

Principal services offered by opportunities

• Climate regulation
• Regulating water quality
• Regulating soil quality
• Food production
• Regulating soil erosion

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service

• Semi-natural vegetation cover, permanent grassland
• Woodlands and hedges
• Soils

State – Slowly permeable, seasonally wet acid loamy and clayey soils cover 58 per cent of the NCA, freely draining slightly acid loamy soils cover 23 per cent.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – The slowly permeable, seasonally wet acid loamy and clayey soils are liable to cause diffuse pollution and flooding as a result of poor rainwater infiltration, and are easily damaged when wet. These soils may have limited potential for increasing organic matter levels by management interventions, as do the freely draining slightly acid loamy soils. They are easily compacted by machinery or livestock if accessed when wet, increasing the risk of soil erosion by surface water run-off, especially on steeper slopes.

For the freely draining, slightly acid loamy soils, this risk is exacerbated where organic matter levels are low after continuous arable cultivation or where soils are compacted.

Opportunities – Seek opportunities to incorporate appropriate management techniques, such as including minimum tillage into farm management to reduce soil compaction.

Time agricultural practices appropriately to avoid damage to the soil when it is very wet.

Promote appropriate stocking densities to reduce poaching and remove livestock when soils are wet.

Support measures which increase the volume of organic matter within worked soil to improve soil structure and conditions for soil fauna, increasing water infiltration.

Principal services offered by opportunities

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service

• Soils
• Semi-natural habitat cover and buffer strips
• Hedgerows and woodland

State – There are 7 main soilscape types in this area: slowly permeable seasonally wet acid loamy and clayey soils (58 per cent of the NCA), freely draining slightly acid loamy soils (23 per cent), restored soils mostly from quarry and opencast spoil (9 per cent), loamy and clayey floodplain soils with naturally high groundwater (4 per cent), slowly permeable, seasonally wet slightly acid but base-rich loamy and clayey soils (2 per cent), slightly acid loamy and clayey soils with impeded drainage (2 per cent), freely draining lime-rich loamy soils (1 per cent).

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – The slowly permeable, seasonally wet acid loamy and clayey soils (58 per cent) are easily damaged when wet, therefore it is important to minimise compaction and / or capping risk which will tend to exacerbate run-off problems. These soils may have limited potential for increasing organic matter levels by management interventions.

Just under a quarter of the area has light soils (freely draining slightly acid loamy soils and the freely draining lime-rich soils) that have an enhanced risk of soil erosion on moderately or steeply sloping land when cultivated or bare soil is exposed. These soils also have the potential for wind erosion.

Compaction caused by livestock or machinery when wet can increase the risk of soil erosion by surface run-off, especially on steeper slopes. Equally, many of the slightly acid loamy and clayey soils with impeded drainage are prone to capping / slaking, leading to an increased risk of erosion.

The restored soils mostly from mineral workings and coal mining and opencast spoil are highly variable, often left compacted following restoration, and the absence of top soil can make them difficult to manage. Rainfall cannot infiltrate, and they are often subject to drought in summer and very wet in winter. They can be susceptible to erosion due to run-off dependent upon their restoration.

Highly variable soils in previously worked areas provide opportunities for colonisation and emergence of previously dormant seed species.

Opportunities – Encourage the management of stocking levels and timing of livestock usage to reduce compaction of soils.

Increase woodlands and semi natural habitats in steep sloping areas where cropping might result in erosion.

Increase woodlands and hedgerows where appropriate to bind the soil and act as a wind break to reduce erosion.

Promote the establishment of field margins, permanent grassland habitats and use of winter stubble.

Increase the organic matter of soil, including soil on restored landscapes, to improve soil structure, aid infiltration and reduce soil erosion risk.

Manage and extend riparian vegetation, hedgerows and trees in floodplain areas to bind and filter out the soils in times of flood.

Principal services offered by opportunities

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service

• Semi-natural habitats
• Species-rich road verges

State – Grassland and heathland cover 1,100 ha of the NCA, providing limited nectar sources for pollinating insects in this NCA. About a third of farmed land is used for crops.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – Semi-natural habitats are currently dotted through the rural and fringe landscape. Increases in semi- natural habitats within the rural areas would provide corridors and habitats for pollinators, such as extension and introduction of buffer strips and improvements to hedgerows. This would result in decreased land for farming but better supported crops in those areas in cultivation.

Urban gardens and large parks and country estates do provide a useful nectar resource for pollinators linking to productive areas in the urban fringe.

Opportunities – Seek opportunities to increase nectar provision within the rural areas of the NCA through increases in species-rich road verges and buffer strips around water courses and agricultural land.

Seek opportunities to link areas of semi- natural habitats and provide corridors linking urban and rural areas.

Increase the diversity and extent of field margins and hedgerows.

Seek opportunities within large infrastructure developments such as major roads and railways to provide increased habitat for pollinators, as well as opportunities to improve management in other linear features such as canals, rivers and hedgerows.

Principal services offered by opportunities

• Pollination
• Biodiversity
• Food production
• Regulating water quality
• Regulating water flow
• Climate regulation
• Regulating soil quality

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service

• Semi-natural habitats

State – Currently limited; mainly small patches

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – Increasing areas of species-rich grasslands and semi-natural habitats in arable areas will increase habitat for pest regulating species, which have a positive impact on crops and lead to long-term sustainable farming.

Opportunities – Seek opportunities to bring semi-natural habitats under sound management to ensure their resilience and long-term regeneration. Seek to expand priority habitats to create structural diversity to provide food and breeding sites for pest predators.

Principal services offered by opportunities

• Pest regulation
• Food provision
• Biodiversity

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service

• Industrial cities
• Mining communities, settlements and heritage landscape features
• Large parks and estates
• Grand town halls and centres

State – A sense of place has arisen from the long exploitation of coal deposits, together with resources of stone, iron and soft water. While most of the mines are now closed, their associated settlements and some spoil heaps are still clearly visible in places.

The NCA also contains a number of large country houses, parks and estates, while the main cities and towns have striking centres dominated by grandiose 19th century architecture.

The quarrying of sandstone for construction, the extraction of iron ore and coal to manufacture steel and steel artefacts are all factors that have shaped the landscape.

Although much of the NCA is still rural in character it is influenced by the surrounding urban areas, with the presence of transport infrastructure, residential areas, railways and more recently, large light industrial units and warehouses, leading to an interesting urban/rural mix.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – The NCA’s sense of place is strongly linked to the historical industrial nature of business here with many long standing associations between cities and specific trades such as Leeds and the wool industry and Sheffield being renowned for steel production. As these types of industries modernise, there is a need to retain local pride in the history but also to identify the key characteristics providing inspiration for the future.

Sheffield has become known as a green city with a high concentration of parks and open spaces linking directly with the Peak District National Park and is looking to build on this as providing a new sense of place for residents.

There is strong cultural association with the past mining history and local identity is often based on the mining background such as individual mining towns and villages that were developed to support individual pits. When restoring land and seeking to strengthen and enhance landscape character, it is important to retain the industrial heritage.

The mix of urban and rural is important to help retain the individual identity of developments and to help maintain access to open space. Regeneration within cities and towns should be sympathetic to the striking historic buildings such as Chesterfield’s twisted spire.

Opportunities – Seek opportunities to increase awareness and educate people regarding the strong history of the area. Manage and promote historic houses and gardens and civic buildings in cities that contribute to the NCA’s character and tell a story of the former industrial wealth.

Seek opportunities to promote and increase transference of traditional skills.

Seek opportunities to encourage the large urban populations to engage with the natural environment. Improve the urban fringe through careful design and integration of green infrastructure to bring people closer to the natural environment, linking urban green spaces with the wider countryside and reducing negative impacts from urban activities on the rural area.

Principal services offered by opportunities

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service

• Geodiversity
• Mining infrastructure such as old railway lines and pit heads
• Striking civic buildings in towns and cities
• Historic parks and gardens and country houses

State – A sense of history is evident in Mesolithic and Neolithic remains, and late iron age/Romano-British settlement with cropmarks of enclosed and unenclosed farmsteads with round houses, and later rectangular houses and minor villas, rectilinear field systems and strip lynchets.

Medieval influence includes a high concentration of moated sites, relatively numerous 11th -12th century earthwork castles such as Sandal, Greaseley, Kimberworth and Lowe Hill, and a distinctive pattern of small and irregular fields occurring in places.

From the 18th century onwards large- scale industrialisation and the rapid increase in population is evident in industrial archaeology, including features such as bell-pits, mills and goits, tips, factories, railways and tramways, canals and bridges.

Many of the woodlands have strong links with industry, especially oak, managed for pit-props or bark for the tanning industry, and sycamore for bobbins.

Associated with this industrialisation are the large country houses, parks and estates that were created in the 18th and 19th centuries or developed from medieval deer parks (for example Wentworth Castle, Cannon Hall, Nostell Priory, and Hardwick Hall). Traditional buildings in local sandstone and Millstone Grit survive in the core of the older villages and provide further historical associations.

Other historic evidence is the legacy of grand 19th century architecture – town halls, museums, galleries, churches – in towns and city centres, built by wealthy industrialists, along with their large country houses and associated parks and estates in the countryside.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – The variety of features in the landscape are evidence of the strong historical link to the past uses and industries of the area.

Many features can be used to help tell the story of the area, for example improving management of woodlands and increasing interpretation about the historical uses of wood for pits and fuel.

There is a strong cultural link between communities and the industrial history of the NCA, particularly with coal mining – evident in cultural practices such as active brass bands that would once have been with independent collieries.

The wealth of the industrial past is prevalent in the area and the stately homes and their grounds provide opportunities for access and to learn about the local history.

Opportunities – Promote use of traditional materials and local building stone in vernacular buildings in small towns to retain local character.

Raise awareness and increase interpretation relating to the local history of the area and the importance of this at a national level.

Conserve the character of the mining settlements.

Conserve archaeological remains and ensure they are not damaged through agriculture and development.

Principal services offered by opportunities

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service

• Woodlands and other semi- natural habitats
• Rivers
• Urban green spaces including country parks and nature reserves

State – This NCA has experienced a significant reduction in tranquillity. Undisturbed areas have decreased from 18 per cent in the 1960s to just less than 1 per cent in 2007 (CPRE Intrusion Map, 2007).

This lack of tranquillity results in any areas of semi- natural habitat, both large and small, being highly valued for the relative tranquillity they provide.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – There are still some relatively tranquil areas to be found within the NCA, for instance undeveloped areas along the river valleys, the new landscapes of past colliery workings, and urban open spaces. Additional tranquillity is likely to be provided by the grounds of the large country houses, country parks and nature reserves.

Providing a wide range of opportunities for people to access a tranquil environment will ease the pressure and reduce numbers at current key sites to ensure that they can remain tranquil.

Opportunities – Maintain access to parklands, country parks and nature reserves to provide opportunities for quiet enjoyment.

Within the urban fringe, opportunities should be sought to plant woodlands and shelter belts and ensure any new developments are sensitively designed to reduce visual and infrastructure impact on the green belt areas.

Regeneration projects and new developments should seek opportunities to provide additional green spaces for people and ensure their management into the future is such that it retains a sense of tranquillity within the wider environment.

Principal services offered by opportunities

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service

• Public rights of way
• Long distance trails
• Local Nature Reserves
• Country houses and estates
• Registered Parks and Gardens

State – The NCA offers a network of rights of way totalling 2,920 km at a density of just over 1.7 km per km²; this includes the Trans Pennine Trail and Ebor Way long distance routes.

There is very little open access land, although estates, country houses, country parks and Local Nature Reserves provide significant facilities.

The canals and disused railways also form important local access networks, while the reservoirs of Leeds are important recreational resources providing walking, running and cycling circuits close to where people live as well as being important for angling and wildlife.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – The large population within the NCA requires access to recreation sites both on a day-to-day basis and for wider usage. It is important to provide green spaces close to where people live to help improve physical and mental health and make these communities more attractive to live in.

Local woodlands and the two community forests have generated local interest to increase woodland habitats and access for people.

Canals, rivers and disused railway tracks also provide important linking green corridors for people to use for transport and pleasure.

Opportunities – Seek opportunities to increase recreation provision through site restoration and improvements to canals, rivers and old railway lines.

Seek opportunities to include green infrastructure in new developments and to take opportunities to retrofit semi-natural habitats into developed areas where people have access to them.

Seek opportunities to increase local rights of way between communities and natural features as these links are often missing especially in river valleys of industrialised areas.

Seek opportunities for circular routes and easily accessible trails for people of all abilities.

Principal services offered by opportunities

• Recreation
• Sense of place / inspiration
• Biodiversity

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service

• Woodlands
• Heathlands
• Rivers and floodplain habitats
• Soils

State -There is one internationally designated site within the NCA, Denby Grange Colliery Ponds SAC covering 18 ha.

There are also 25 SSSI within the NCA that covers 375 ha (less than 1 per cent) of the NCA. In 2011, 59 per cent were in favourable condition, 23 per cent were unfavourable recovering, 2 per cent were unfavourable no change and 15 per cent were unfavourable declining.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – Designated sites make up only a small percentage of the NCA area. The priority habitats outside of these areas are in patches and are very important for biodiversity.

Linking these small patches of habitats will provide opportunities for species movement that will strengthen populations and help biodiversity adapt to climate change.

Linear features such as rivers, canals, railways and roads provide opportunities to create corridors to link numerous small patches of habitats and stepping stones.

Opportunities – Seek opportunities to incorporate green infrastructure to create linkages within mosaics of habitats. Ensure existing BAP priority habitats such as woodlands and lowland meadows are under an appropriate management regime and are regularly monitored.

Plan to expand and buffer existing sites of semi-natural habitats and seek opportunities to link them with habitat corridors.

Improve restoration of mineral sites and management of subsidence flashes to maximise their provision for biodiversity.

Maximise the opportunities to engage the population, including significant urban populations, with biodiversity, for example by enhancing the biodiversity value of urban green spaces and actively engaging the local community.

Principal services offered by opportunities

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service

• Carboniferous Coal Measures

State – There are eight geological SSSI in the NCA.

Although the working of the Coal Measures through underground mines has reduced there are still opencast sites being worked and new ones being explored in the NCA.

Sand and gravel extraction also continue in the NCA.

Main beneficiary – National

Analysis – The Lower and Middle Coal Measures contain the once economically important coal seams, together with fireclay and ironstone. The overlying Upper Coal Measures are mainly barren of workable coal seams and are largely composed of mudstones, siltstones and sandstones with thin coal seams.

The workings of the Coal Measures and restoration of extraction sites provides opportunities for education and recreation within the NCA.

Many of the SSSI reveal geological features as a result of human activity, for example railway cuttings and brickworks, and provide opportunities to improve our understanding of these features through appropriate interpretation and access provision.

Opportunities – Mineral workings provide opportunities for recreation and education for the people interested in the influence of the underlying geology on the history of the area.

Principal services offered by opportunities

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