36 - Southern Pennines : Analysis: Ecosystem Services

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Sustainable livestock production systems

State – This is an important area for rearing livestock, but soils are poor and there is little opportunity for arable crops due to, climate, topography, altitude and slopes; 90 per cent of the land is Agricultural Grade 4 or 5.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – Livestock production systems prevail over the majority of this NCA and have strong association with the area’s cultural services. In many locations well managed livestock production systems have the potential to increase the overall food provision of this NCA whilst benefiting many of the other key ecosystem services that the South Pennines support. Inappropriate stocking regimes, with insufficient stock management (and stockhusbandry) may have a significant detrimental effect on many key environmental services including biodiversity, soil erosion, water quality and climate regulation.

Opportunities – Work with the local farming community to consider how to increase the overall carrying capacity of livestock within the South Pennines and where it could be achieved while avoiding adverse impacts on other services.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Food provision
• Biodiversity
• Climate regulation
• Regulating soil erosion

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Existing woodland

State – There is only 6.3 per cent woodland cover, and much of this broadleaved and on steep valley sides, so there is limited timber production other than for local use.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – Most of the woodland is on steep valley sides or in cloughs. With much of the land used for livestock rearing and sporting interests, there are limited places for woodland creation. There is only a limited forestry industry in the area.

Opportunities – There is scope for woodland creation on some slopes, but this needs to avoid peat areas and avoid impacting on habitats suitable for twite or other sites of biodiversity value. Also need to ensure that new woodlands are created where they sit well with landscape, biodiversity and historic environment interests.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Timber provision
• Regulating water flow
• Climate regulation

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Upland streams
• Blanket bog
• High levels of precipitation
• Impervious geology (allowing for reservoir construction)

State – This NCA is a valuable drinking water catchment area and contains a large number of reservoirs, such as Rivington, Blackstone Edge, Widdop, Watersheddles, Gorpley and Withens Clough that provide drinking water to adjacent conurbations. The headwaters of many rivers including the Irwell, Calder and Colne arise in this NCA, and the rivers Aire and Wharfe pass through in the north-east.

Many fast-flowing streams drain the moorland plateau, cutting steeply inclined ravines into the surrounding hills.

There is water available for abstraction throughout the majority of the NCA area; however, there is no water available from the rivers Worth (Aire and Calder Catchment Abstraction Management Strategy, Environment Agency, 2007) or Wharfe (Wharfe and Lower Ouse Catchment Abstraction Management Strategy, Environment Agency, 2005). in the north-east of the NCA, or from the rivers Roach or Croal in the south-west of the NCA (Northern Manchester Catchment Abstraction Management Strategy, Environment Agency, 2007).

There are no significant groundwater sources in this NCA.

Main beneficiary – National

Analysis – High rainfall combined with impervious rocks suitable for reservoir construction make the area hugely important for providing clean drinking water for adjacent conurbations as well as for industrial processes. Water is also needed to supply the canals; the Leeds and Liverpool Canal passes through the Aire Valley, and the Rochdale Canal through the Calder Valley.

Land management practices are key to improving infiltration and storing surface water.

Opportunities – Seek opportunities to block moorland grips, to increase holding capacity of the moorland soils.

Ensure that moorland habitats, especially blanket bog, are well vegetated and under good environmental management, increasing the capacity of habitats to retain water.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Water availability
• Regulating water quality
• Biodiversity

No information available.

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service

• Existing woodland

State – The existing woodland cover (7,514 ha / 6.3 per cent of the NCA) offers limited potential for the provision of biomass through bringing unmanaged woodland under management.

There is generally a low potential yield for short rotation coppice, and medium potential yields for miscanthus throughout the NCA. For information on the potential landscape impacts of biomass plantings within the NCA, refer to the tables on the Natural England website (Site 36, Natural England, 2022).

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – There would be limited suitable locations for new biomass plantings. However, more could be done to improve outputs from existing woodlands.

Opportunities – Ensure that existing woodlands are managed to produce surplus timber which could be used to provide local sources of environmentally sustainable fuel for example for wood fired boilers.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Biomass energy

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Upland peaty soils and organic soils
• Existing woodland

State – Significant climate regulation is provided by the upland peaty soils in this NCA, which generally have a carbon content of 20-50 per cent, with particularly high levels of carbon storage associated with the large expanse of blanket bog (25,000 ha) and the highly organic soils which prevail across vast areas of moorland (Percentage content of organic carbon in the top soil horizon across England and Wales, Environment Agency, 2009).

However, in some areas the freely draining slightly acid loamy soils which cover 22 per cent of the NCA (Soils Data, Cranfield University (NSRI) and for the Controller of HMSO, 2011) can be low in organic matter in part due to prolonged periods of arable cultivation.

The existing woodlands perform a role in the sequestration and storage of carbon, however this is limited due to the low woodland cover of 4.5 per cent.

Main beneficiary – National

Analysis – Much importance is attached to conserving the peat-based soils of the South Pennines due to the significant volumes of green-house gases stored within them. Bare and eroded areas of peat need to be re-vegetated and management to protect and expand areas of active blanket bog should be put in place. In addition, any activities that might damage peaty soils should be avoided for example, creating tracks, planting trees, soil compaction and unsustainable burning regimes.

On free draining slightly acid soils, measures could be taken to improve carbon sequestration by increasing organic matter inputs and by reducing the frequency/extent of cultivation although cropping is limited in its extent.

It is important to ensure that the existing woodlands are in good management so that their role in sequestering and storing carbon is enhanced. The area of woodland cover could be expanded where appropriate.

Areas of wetland could be expanded, but opportunities are likely to be limited because valleys tend to be narrow and built up.

Opportunities – Ensure that all areas of blanket bog are under good environmental management which improves the habitat’s ability to actively sequestrate CO2 from the atmosphere, while retaining significant volumes of green house gases in storage.

Prioritise the restoration of bare and eroded peatland habitats. Encourage sustainable grazing regimes on permanent pasture with a low-input of artificial fertiliser.

Create new woodland where this sits well alongside landscape, biodiversity or historic environment interests.

Seek opportunities to extend areas of floodplain, introducing permanent grassland and wet pastures.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

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

No information available.

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Many fast flowing streams and rivers
• Extensive areas of semi-natural habitats including moorland, rough grazing and woodland
• Area of high precipitation

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 – Steep watercourses result in high levels of run-off, especially after heavy rainfall, with consequent impacts of erosion and increased sediment load on areas downstream.

Degradation of peat is causing water colouration issues, which water supply companies have to treat before the water enters the supply

Opportunities – Re-vegetate all bare peat and improve the management of degraded peatland habitats, managing existing moorland vegetation to enhance its biological condition, reducing the degree of water colouration within associated watercourses.

Establish permanent grassland (non-invasive) scrub and woodland along cloughs, steep valley sides and near watercourses.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service 0

• Many of England’s major river systems have their source in the uplands within this NCA, flowing both eastwards and westwards

State – There is a risk of fluvial flooding along the narrow river valleys in this NCA where settlements have typically developed.

The towns in the Rossendale Valley in the west of the NCA have developed in narrow, steep-sided valleys of the River Irwell and its tributaries and have a long history of flooding from the river.

Up to 1,000 properties are at risk of flooding in Rawtenstall, and Ramsbottom has a history of flooding (a defence built in 2000 currently protects 115 low-lying properties. Small settlements like Strongstry, Chatterton, Stubbins and Irwell Vale generally have little protection from floods.

There are many culverts on the river, some of which are collapsing or have low flood capacity. Build-up of gravel and debris in the river might increase flood risk and gravel removal has been undertaken historically. Approximately 650 properties are at risk of flooding and by 2100 climate change is expected to increase this figure to 1,000 properties (Irwell Catchment Flood Management Plan, Summary Report, Environment Agency, 2009).

Settlements and properties along other river valleys in the NCA are similarly at risk of flooding, such as the town of Keighley which is at risk of flooding from the River Aire (Flood Map, Environment Agency, 2010).

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – Improving the management and control of flood waters in this NCA will benefit the many urban areas and settlements downstream in other NCAs.

Much can be done to address moorland and upland pasture management, but scope for increasing floodplain capacity or creating wetlands in the narrow built up valleys are limited.

Improved management and control of flood waters in this NCA will benefit the many urban areas and settlements downstream, in other NCAs.

Much can be done to address moorland and upland pasture management, but scope for increasing floodplains or creating wetlands adjacent to watercourses within the valleys is very limited, as they are generally so narrow and built up.

Opportunities – Slow down run-off from the moorlands by blocking grips and increasing the storage capacity of the soils by raising water table levels.

Seek opportunities to expand areas of wetland habitats including blanket bog on the moors and reedbeds and wet pastures along valley bottoms. Seek opportunities which allow rivers to follow natural courses and reengage with their floodplains

Seek opportunities that allow rivers to follow natural courses and reengage with their floodplains.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Regulating water flow
• Regulating soil erosion
• Regulating water quality
• Water availability

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Slowly permeable wet very acid upland soils (26 per cent of NCA) and blanket bog (saturated soils) (18 per cent)
• Freely draining slightly acid loamy soils (22 per cent)
• Slowly permeable wet acid loamy and clayey soils (14 per cent)
• Very acid loamy upland soils with wet peaty surface (13 per cent)

State – The slowly permeable wet very acid upland soils with a peaty surface and the blanket bog peat soils contain significant volumes of organic matter. This is retained where extensive grazing and sustainable burning regimes are in place. However, these soils. are at risk of losing their organic matter through a combination of unsustainable management practices, climate change and soil erosion.

The freely draining slightly acid loamy soils have potential to increase soil organic matter content if managed correctly. The slowly permeable seasonally wet acid loamy and clayey soils have poor water infiltration. These soils are easily damaged when wet.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – For the wet and peaty soils, measures should be centred on those which can restore the natural hydrology of peatland habitats (this may increase water retention in some locations and mitigate the severity of flood events) and ensure good vegetative cover.

Adjusting management of the freely draining soils to encourage the build up of organic matter will also improve overall soil structure and aid water infiltration.

It is important to minimise compaction and/or capping risk on wet soils, which can arise from over-grazing, trafficking or other mechanised activities. These will tend to exacerbate run-off problems as well as damage soil structure. These soils may have limited potential for increasing organic matter levels by management interventions.

Opportunities – Manage moorland habitats to safeguard the carbon-rich soil and encourage peat-forming plants.

Ensure that the management of the pastures and meadows on the moorland fringes will encourage the build up of organic matter through for instance extensive grazing regimes, which will also reduce the level of poaching by livestock.

Avoid carrying out mechanised activities such as trafficking that will cause compaction of soils, especially in wet conditions.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Very acid upland soils with a peaty surface and low permeability including blanket bog cover very extensive areas (44 per cent of the NCA).
• Freely draining slightly acid sandy soils

State – The peaty plateau soils are at risk of gullying/hagging (and loss of particulate organic matter) where surface vegetation is damaged or lost and from surface run-off and can be affected by wind erosion where the soil is bare. The blanket bog soils are also vulnerable to occasional mass flow events. Drainage of these soils (for example through gripping) may also result in increased oxidation of carbon and soil wastage.

Also at risk of erosion are the freely draining slightly acid sandy soils especially on moderately or steeply sloping ground where cultivated or bare soil is exposed. This will be exacerbated where organic matter levels are low after continuous arable cultivation or where soils are compacted.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – Critical issues in this NCA include ensuring that the peaty soils retain water in situ, have good vegetative cover and are not overgrazed, unsustainably burned/subject to trampling/poaching or damage by mechanised activities. Risks arise with sandy soils on steep slopes, which are vulnerable to rapid run-off during storm events, but these are limited in extent.

There is also need to address risks of poaching and compaction on soils with impeded drainage.

Opportunities – Take steps to restore bare and eroded peat.

Manage the moorlands to ensure good vegetative cover and reduce run-off rates by restoring the hydrology and ecology of peatland habitats.

Seek opportunities to establish permanent grassland and woodland along cloughs, steep valley sides and near watercourses.

Manage pastures in ways that build up organic matter and avoid compaction, for example by reducing grazing pressures.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Extensive semi-natural habitats cover over 27,000 ha (20 per cent) of this NCA

State – Blanket bog, heathland, meadows and species-rich grasslands provide nectar sources for pollinating insects.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – There is a need to ensure such habitats are in good condition and look for ways to expand them.

Opportunities – Seek opportunities to expand areas of species-rich grassland on the moorland fringes and within valleys; also road verge management and small sites within villages.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Pollination
• Food provision
• Biodiversity

No information available.

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Open and expansive moorland landscape
• Strong patterns of upland pastures
• Contrasts with enclosed narrow valleys with wooded sides
• Mills, farmsteads, villages and drystone walls all built of local gritstone
• Time depth of evident historic interest

State – The unique sense of place of this NCA is defined by its strong landform with large scale, open and expansive upland landscape contrasting with moorland fringes of pastures, narrow valleys with wooded sides, mill towns and villages. The majority of the holdings are small and worked on a part-time basis, which is reflected in small fields defined by stone walls.

The distinctive moorlands support over 25,000 ha of blanket bog and other upland habitats including upland heathland, purple moor grass and rush pastures. There are also lowland meadows. Much is managed by livestock grazing (with extensive areas of common land) and in some places recreational shooting.

There is a wealth of historic features from prehistory through medieval times and later industrial times, with many artefacts and a strong settlement pattern, all of which have drawn on the availability of water and raw materials.

There are also over 3,000 ha of broadleaved woodland, mostly upland oak and ash; although cover is relatively low, the woodlands form important backcloths and focal points.

Feelings of inspiration and escapism are likely to be associated with the long distance, panoramic views from exposed upland moors and pasture across the valleys, plains of Lancashire and the woollen towns of Yorkshire16.

The open moorlands with the dramatic crags, the pastures and the deeply cut valleys are also inspiring, with the presence of birds such as curlew, snipe, golden plover, redshank, lapwing and twite (the ‘Pennine finch’) contributing to the experience as well as to the wildlife richness of the area. In places however the sense of isolation and wilderness is affected by more recent construction of larger structures.

These moorlands were the dramatic setting and inspiration for the work of the Bront – family, with Top Withens supposedly featuring in Charlotte Bront’s ‘Wuthering Heights’, while the NCA also has literary links to Ted Hughes and Simon Armitage.

Main beneficiary – National/Regional

Analysis – The Southern Pennines have a very strong and distinct landscape character, one that is close in quality to the National Parks to the north and south, with more evident historical features from the industrial period. The area is very popular with the many residents of adjacent conurbations for recreation and relaxation.

Opportunities – There is scope to protect the contrasts between open expansive moorlands, walled pastures of the moorland fringes, and enclosed wooded valleys. Opportunities exist to retain and restore patterns of drystone walls and the vernacular architecture of farmsteads and field barns.

There are opportunities to ensure that development respects local settlement patterns and building materials, and to avoid the loss of historic evidence through insensitive development.

There is scope to support upland farming that underpins the land use of the area.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Prehistoric features on the moorlands
• Medieval settlements, farmsteads
• Early weavers’ cottages, small-scale industrial artefacts and strong patterns of drystone walls
• Industrial heritage revealed through mills, canals and factories
• Striking architecture of Victorian reservoirs
• Unity to all structures through widespread use of local building materials

State – A sense of history is evident in the area’s strong industrial past of textiles, engineering and manufacturing, resulting in a densely settled landscape concentrated within the valleys, especially at nodal points of valley junctions, spreading up valley slopes in some locations. Many buildings are constructed in characteristic local gritstone with slate roofs. There is evidence of local quarrying and reservoir construction, which contrast with pre-industrial development such as older settlements and farmsteads on the moorland fringe.

There is an abundance of prehistoric settlement sites on the open moors and moorland fringe with enclosed and unenclosed farmsteads, ring cairns, bowl barrows, small, irregular medieval fields surrounded by stone walls, strip lynchets and linking ancient routeways (Further supported by the above and by the research ‘Capturing the cultural services and experiential qualities of landscape, Research Box, Land Use Consultants and Rick Minter for Natural England NECR024, 2009).

Aspects of history that are likely to be particularly evident to the general public are the strong gritstone architecture of the textile mills and weavers’ cottages linked by walkways and stone steps, which remain as significant landmarks and focal points alongside historic canals, including the Rochdale and Leeds-Liverpool canals.

On the moors, historic packhorse trails crossing moorland tops are still evident and form part of well used trails, while on the moorland fringes, strong patterns are created by the drystone walls that enclose the fields. The Victorian dams of the numerous reservoirs on the impermeable uplands contribute to a strong visible sense of history as does the widely visible Stoodley Pike monument.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – This area is well known for its many layers of visible history, resulting in a range of structures and features. The main emphasis will be on protecting features, but also on interpreting them to a wider public audience.

Opportunities – There are opportunities to protect, manage and interpret the many layers of historic evidence.

There are also opportunities to ensure that the restoration of vernacular buildings is carried out using local styles and appropriate materials, and that land management practices and developments such as tracks do not damage archaeological evidence or historic features.

There are many opportunities to use the network of paths to gain access to, reveal and interpret the area’s rich history.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Expansive moorlands with a sense of remoteness
• Open spaces and stretches of open water
• Secluded and quiet cloughs and valleys

State – The area has experienced a significant decline in tranquillity since the 1960s. Undisturbed areas have decreased from 55 per cent in the 1960s to 24 per cent in 2007 (Further supported by the research ‘Capturing the cultural services and experiential qualities of landscape’, Research Box, Land Use Consultants and Rick Minter for Natural England NECR024, 2009). Small remaining areas of tranquillity are in the central north and to the west.

Characteristics of the landscape that are particularly important in conveying a sense of tranquillity are the wooded valley sides or ‘cloughs’, the rivers and canals of the NCA, and the areas of exposed open moorland with expansive views; although these views have been eroded by intrusive structures.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – Despite the reduction in tranquil areas, the upland strip is extremely important in providing open spaces and an experience of wild moorlands for the many people living in the adjacent conurbations. Although recent development has occurred in the valleys, there remain many quiet and secluded cloughs.

Opportunities – There are opportunities to retain the sense of remoteness and wildness in the moorlands and moorland fringes by protecting them from inappropriate development.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Tranquillity
• Sense of place/inspiration

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Network of footpaths (3.5km. per km2 )
• Open access land (38 per cent of the area)
• The Pennine Way and the Pennine Bridleway
• Local trails and country parks

State – The area offers an extensive network of rights of way totalling 4,190km reflecting the historic nature of development of this landscape and giving good access to valleys and moorland fringes. Some of these now form local trails such as the Bront’ Way and Calderdale Way. There is also a significant amount of open access land covering 38,230 ha.

In addition, 20km of the Penninen Bridleway National Trail and 53 km of the Pennine Way National Trail run through the NCA. The area also offers recreational opportunities in the form of country parks at lower elevations, developed near reservoirs for example at Lever Park, Jumbles and Ogden.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – There are many access opportunities here meeting the needs and interests of the large urban populations in adjacent areas, and with easy access by road, rail and bus. There is still scope to improve the provision of a range of recreational opportunities and to provide interpretation of the many elements of the landscape.

Opportunities – Explore opportunities to improve access by ensuring that paths are maintained and well signposted and that some surfaced paths are provided for use by all levels of ability and interest at key locations, for example at selected reservoirs.

Seek opportunities to provide interpretation of the landscape and its many features, especially historic features such as boundary stones, tracks, farms, canals, mills and reservoirs.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Recreation

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• International and National Designations

State – International and National Nature designations currently cover 18 per cent of the NCA. At present the vast majority of the designated resource is in poor ecological condition.

Main beneficiary – National/Regional

Analysis – Improving the biological condition of the designated resource is likely to involve land management activities that will improve other services. This will be achieved principally through an increase in coverage of semi-natural habitat, restoration of natural hydrological systems and sustainable grazing regimes. These in turn have the potential to help increase regulation services such as regulating of water quality and soil erosion, while also contributing to sense of place.

Opportunities – Improve the area of designated in habitat in favourable biological condition.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Striking landforms that clearly reveal geological processes
• Exposures in old quarries
• Local stone used for building

State – There are currently 6 nationally designated geological sites within the NCA. These consist mainly of natural river sections and man made exposures (in particular disused quarries).

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – Designated sites provide important and accessible sections allowing the interpretation, understanding and continued research into the geodiversity of the NCA. Exposure of these features also makes a positive contribution toward sense of place and sense of history.

Opportunities – Seek opportunities to provide access to and interpretation of the rich geodiversity of the NCA.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

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