69 - Trent Valley Washlands : Analysis: Ecosystem Services

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Soils
• Geology
• Climate
• Topography
• Suitable land for growing crops
• Grassland for livestock

State – In 2009 the total farmland area was 14,990 ha (38 per cent of total area).

In 2009 8,107 ha (54 per cent of farmland/21 per cent of total area) was used for growing crops while grass and uncropped land covered 6,179 ha (41 per cent of farmland /16 per cent of total area).

Arable farming predominates on the free draining soils of the gravel terraces; pastures and grass leys are more commonly located along the alluvial river flood plains, where the soils are poor draining and/or subject to frequent flooding.

The poorest quality agricultural land is concentrated along the rivers especially along the Soar, upper Trent and Dove.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – Loss of agricultural land to built development and sand and gravel extraction has been significant in the area.

Between 2000 and 2009 there were decreases in total farmed area from 18,098 ha to 14,990 ha; a decrease in the area of crops from 10,135 ha to 8,107 ha; a decrease in grass and uncropped land from 7,260 ha to 6,179 ha and decreases in livestock numbers.

Intensive agriculture can have negative impacts on the viability of the natural elements that underpin food provision services.

Raising soil organic matter improves nutrient retention and structure, provides more energy sources for soil organisms and lowers drought stress.

Organic farming techniques increase soil organic matter as does conversion from arable to grassland use.

Environmental Stewardship has the potential to enhance a range of ecosystem services of benefit to agricultural production (Ecosystem Services from Environment Stewardship that Benefit Agricultural Production, Natural England Commissioned Reports, Food and Environment Research Agency, 2012).

Opportunities – Encourage management measures that increase organic matter levels in soils to increase fertility, structure and drought resistance, such as conversion from arable to pasture, organic farming methods and the use of grass leys in arable crop rotations.

Retain existing pasture and seek opportunities to convert arable to pasture such as marginal arable land prone to flood damage where pasture and livestock production would be a better use of the land.

Explore opportunities to sustainably use wetland habitats for food provision such as flood plain grazing marsh for cattle grazing.

Promote holistic farming practices which benefit ecosystems and maintain viable agricultural production such as organic farming principles and many agri-environment scheme options.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Food provision
• Sense of place/inspiration
• Sense of history
• Regulating soil quality
• Regulating water quality
• Biodiversity
• Climate regulation
• Geodiversity

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Woodland and plantations
• Trees

State – Total woodland cover is limited at 1,719 ha – 4 per cent of the total area. 1,471 ha of this is broadleaved.

There is greater tree cover around settlements, on boundary steep slopes, in parklands, along water courses and around former gravel extraction sites.

Commercial timber production is very limited within the area.

The National Forest initiative extends into the Washlands between Alrewas and the River Dove covering 13 per cent of the area.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – It may not be appropriate to plant large blocks for commercial woodland within the flood plains due to conflicts with wetland habitats and archaeological sites, however the restoration of sand and gravel sites provides opportunities for considerable woodland creation.

The flood plain edges, gravel terraces (avoiding archaeological sites) and rising bordering ground is more suitable for extensive woodland planting.

Belts of tree planting associated with waterbodies, short rotation coppice and black poplar planting are high priorities in the flood plain for the National Forest (National Forest Strategy).

Screening of the considerable industrial and urban influences within the Washlands through tree planting would enhance the landscape.

Woodland opportunity mapping guidance advises planting of small linear wet woodlands in the flood plains (East Midlands Woodland Opportunity Mapping Guidance, Natural England ).

Pollarding and coppicing of willow was commonplace in the past, providing resources for basket making for example.

Opportunities – Plan for continued tree planting programmes to enhance landscape character and biodiversity and to provide a potential source of commercial timber and biomass.

Maximise tree planting opportunities that the National Forest initiative presents.

Screen industrial and urban influences with tree planting, primarily to enhance landscape character but also to provide a timber resource.

Seek opportunities for woodland planting within green infrastructure and relating to new development and the urban fringe.

Re-instate traditional willow pollarding and coppicing to provide local timber resources.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Timber provision
• Climate regulation
• Regulating water flow
• Biodiversity
• Sense of place/inspiration
• Biomass energy

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Rivers and watercourses
• Waterbodies
• Geology

State – The rivers, watercourses and waterbodies are important water sources for the area providing large amounts of water for public consumption (both inside and outside the NCA), energy generation, agriculture, industry and recreation as well as supporting wetland habitats and biodiversity.

Church Wilne water treatment works abstracts and treats water from the River Derwent to supply water to over half a million people in the Nottingham area.

The average number of days per year that water is available for new licensed abstraction:

• River Derwent: 69 days (Derbyshire Dewent Abstraction Licensing Strategy, Environment Agency, 2013).
• River Dove: 139 days (Dove Abstraction Licensing Strategy, Environment Agency, 2013).
• River Trent – from the Dove to Shardlow – and the River Erewash: 329 days (Lower Trent and Erewash Abstraction Licensing Strategy, Environment Agency, 2013).
• River Trent upstream of the Tame: 295 days (Staffordshire Trent Abstraction Licensing Strategy, Environment Agency, 2013).
• River Soar: 329 days (Soar Abstraction Licensing Strategy, Environment Agency, 2013).
• River Tame downstream of the Blythe to the Trent and the River Trent downstream of the Tame to the Dove: 328 days (Tame, Anker and Mease Abstraction Licensing Strategy, Environment Agency, 2013).

Discharges from sewage treatment works augment flows within the NCA.

The Sherwood Sandstone aquifer partly extends under the area and is exploited by the brewing industry in Burton-upon-Trent.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – Low flow levels, due to over- abstraction, are detrimental to the biodiversity of the rivers. The rivers Derwent and Dove in particular have considerable restrictions on new abstractions with flows frequently falling below the indicative flow requirement to help support good ecological status.

Rainwater collection and storage reduces the need for abstraction.

The River Tame is a net importer of water from the River Severn catchment. Public water supply for Birmingham comes from the Severn. Its sewage is then treated at the Minworth works and then discharged into the Tame at Water Orton (River Basin Management Plan, Humber River Basin, Environment Agency, 2013).

There are few water resource pressures within the Soar catchment as the vast majority of public water supply is imported from neighbouring catchments (Soar Abstraction Licensing Strategy, Environment Agency, 2013).

Opportunities – Maintain ecological flow levels in water courses by managing abstractions carefully.

For over-abstracted catchments seek opportunities to create new habitat areas to slow the flow of water across the landscape to increase infiltration and increase groundwater stocks.

Seek to reduce existing levels of licensed abstraction by working with licensees to manage a reduction in abstraction needs through for example in-situ rainwater harvesting, in-field water conservation and less water demanding agriculture and generally through more efficient use of water in all uses.

In both rural and urban areas, adapt existing drainage schemes and design new sustainable drainage schemes to maximise infiltration levels and re-charge ground water to help maintain river levels.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Water availability
• Biodiversity
• Regulating water flow
• Regulating water quality
• Food provision
• Regulating soil erosion
• Regulating soil quality
• Recreation
• Sense of place/inspiration
• Geodiversity

No information available.

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Woodlands
• Miscanthus
• Short rotation coppice (SRC)
• Soils Grassland

State – Other than some miscanthus planted in 2009 near J24 of the M1 (Webmap) there was no energy crop planting in the NCA under the Energy Crop Scheme. It is not known if there has been any planted outside of the scheme.

Woodland covers only 4 per cent of total area.

The National Forest initiative extends into the Washlands between Alrewas and the River Dove.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – There is a high potential yield for miscanthus throughout the NCA and generally a medium potential yield for SRC.

Planting of miscanthus, SRC as well as trees in flood plains can help alleviate flood risk.

There is some potential for the provision of biomass through bringing unmanaged woodland and trees back under small scale coppice and pollard management.

There is potential for using silage cropped from grassland to generate biogas (Wetlands West Annual Report 2009/10, Appendix C).

Opportunities – Plant biomass crops where they do not adversely impact on semi-natural habitats and the character of the NCA, for example where they can complement existing riverside vegetation or around urban areas where they can help screen development and urban intrusion.

Incorporate growing of biomass crops and woodland with the reinstatement of active flood plains.

Improve management of woodlands and re-instate traditional willow pollarding and coppicing to provide biomass.

Plan for continued tree planting programmes to enhance landscape character and biodiversity and to provide a potential source of commercial timber and biomass.

Seek opportunities for grassland harvesting to produce biogas.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Biomass energy
• Climate regulation
• Regulating water flow
• Sense of place/inspiration
• Biodiversity
• Regulating soil erosion
• Geodiversity

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Trees, woodland and scrub habitats and their soils
• Permanent grassland and other semi- natural habitats
• Organo-mineral soils

State – The mineral soils which cover most of the NCA are generally low in organic matter (0-5%) especially where under continuous arable cultivation.

Higher soil carbon content will be found under remaining semi-natural habitats, woodlands and areas of permanent pasture where organic-rich soils have been able to develop under the undisturbed vegetation.

In general, the soils of the NCA currently provide low carbon storage partly due to cultivation and drainage leading to loss of organic content.

There are some areas in the NCA with slightly higher carbon content (5-10 per cent) which may be associated with some components of the loamy and clayey flood plain soils with naturally high groundwater which can be peaty at depth or include small areas of peaty soils which have good levels of carbon storage.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – Reducing drainage and tillage and establishing permanent vegetation such as pasture, woodland and semi- natural habitats on soils increases capacity to store carbon.

Land managed under organic arrangements tends to have higher soil organic carbon content.

Raising soil organic matter increases the water holding capacity of soils and thus resilience to drought conditions.

There is potential for sequestration of carbon through creation of wetland habitats following mineral extraction such as through the deposition of organic matter in reed beds.

Production of inorganic fertilizer is particularly energy intensive with large volumes of greenhouse gases emitted during production. Nitrous oxide is emitted when nitrogen based synthetic fertilisers are added to the soil- a much more powerful greenhouse gas than CO2 (Nitrous oxide is a three times more powerful greenhouse gas than CO2).

Opportunities – Plan to increase tree cover, hedgerows and semi-natural habitats such as flood plain grazing marsh to improve carbon sequestration and storage.

Plan to increase the amount of permanent pasture and other non-cultivation agricultural land uses to increase soil organic carbon content.

Encourage agricultural management measures that increase soil organic matter levels including promotion of organic farming techniques.

Plan for opportunities for carbon sequestration on former mineral extraction sites and elsewhere through creation of suitable wetland habitats such as reedbed.

Seek to minimise use of nitrogen-based synthetic fertilisers to minimise nitrous oxide emissions for example by greater use of crops with lower fertiliser requirements; good in- field analysis to ensure correct application levels; adoption of relevant organic farming principles.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Climate Regulation
• Biodiversity
• Regulating water flow
• Regulating water quality
• Biomass energy
• Regulating soil erosion
• Regulating soil quality
• Water availability
• Sense of place/inspiration
• Geodiversity

No information available.

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Woodlands and woodland soils
• Permanent grassland and semi-natural habitats, especially where they lie close to watercourses
• Reedbeds and other wetland habitats that help filter water before it enters surface water

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 – Actions, both positive and negative, anywhere within the Trent catchment have potential to impact on water quality downstream.

The main factors affecting ecological status include; diffuse pollution from urban areas, especially on the River Dove; diffuse pollution from agricultural sources, especially on the lower Trent, Erewash and Soar; and point source discharges from sewage treatment works, especially on the River Tame. Physical modifications to the rivers in many places also reduce ecological potential.

Improvements in the treatment of sewage at treatment works will improve water quality in the rivers.

Pollution entering watercourses from urban areas can be reduced through implementation of sustainable drainage schemes. Incorporation of habitats helps purify water through ecological processes including the sequestration of heavy metals and sedimentation of particulates before it enters ground and surface water.

Water quality is closely linked to soil erosion. All assets that reduce soil erosion also assist water quality.

Diffuse pollution from agricultural sources can be reduced by minimising chemical applications and through applying principles which reduce soil erosion.

Agri-environment scheme options such as provision of buffer strips close to water courses, as well as organic farming techniques can benefit water quality.

The use of pesticides is greatly reduced through the conversion from arable to grassland and therefore risk to water quality is also reduced.

Water quality is particularly important for the River Mease SAC. Currently it is adversely affected by point source and diffuse pollution from its catchment in the adjacent Mease/Sence Lowlands NCA.

Opportunities – Target pollution prevention campaigns around industrial areas in the urban areas within the Trent catchment (mainly applies to areas outside
the NCA such as Stoke and Birmingham).

In both rural and urban areas, adapt existing drainage schemes and design new sustainable drainage schemes to incorporate habitats to purify water. Design these in conjunction with green infrastructure.

Improve treatment of effluent at sewage works at locations throughout the catchment to reduce the input of nutrients and pollutants. Plan to incorporate new wetland habitats within sewage treatment works as well as downstream of effluent discharges to improve the quality of water entering watercourses.

Maximise awareness of and compliance with nitrate regulations to minimise nitrate pollution.

Expand the network of semi- natural wetland habitats adjacent to watercourses, field drains and waterbodies including; flood plain grazing marsh, fen and reedbeds, plus creation of grassland buffer strips and hedgerows to intercept nutrients (as well as soil in those areas prone to erosion) to improve water quality. Also resist conversion of pasture to arable, especially alongside watercourses.

Seek to reduce fertiliser and chemical inputs to minimise risk to water quality for example through; greater use of crops with lower fertilisers and pesticides requirements; good in-field analysis to ensure correct application levels; conversion of arable to pasture; and use of appropriate organic farming principles.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Rivers and river channels
• Functioning flood plains and their wetland habitats
• Geomorphology
• Other semi- natural habitats
• Woodlands, tree belts and dense hedgerows
• Extensively grazed permanent grasslands
• Soils with high organic matter

State – The area within the flood plains has a long history of periodic inundation and also a long history of flood alleviation.

Patterns of precipitation across the upstream Trent catchment heavily influence water flows and flooding events within the NCA

Flood banks in places protect farmland from frequent flooding whereas urban areas are protected from regular flooding by more significant defences.

Within the Trent, Dove, Derwent and Erewash valleys, flood risk to properties and infrastructure is generally high with significant flood defence structures protecting urban areas. Flooding tends to occur due to heavy rainfall overwhelming channel capacity and due to surface water and urban drainage.

Flood levels in urban areas can also be elevated by structures that restrict flows (River Trent C Flood Management Summary Report Agency Plan Summary, Environment Agency 2010).

The River Tame channel has been heavily modified to improve flow capacity. Flood risk from the river is generally low, though medium around Tamworth which has a high number of properties behind existing flood defences (River Trent C Flood Management Summary Report Agency Plan Summary, Environment Agency 2010).

Water flow from built up areas especially Birmingham can create rapid impacts on river flows, especially the Tame. Wetlands in the Tame Valley help buffer these flows by storing water to reduce flood risk downstream.

There is a medium risk of flooding to properties and infrastructure from the River Soar in and upstream of Loughborough where flooding generally results from lack of river channel capacity and the flood plains becoming inundated (River Trent Catchment Flood Management Plan Summary Report, Environment Agency, 2010)

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – Water flow is regulated through water infiltration, impediment of cross land flows and through water storage.

Natural washland and flood plain function is constrained by a range of engineered solutions to flood risk including levees, deepened channels and flood walls. While these reduce risk of flooding locally they reduce levels of in-situ storage and infiltration and increase flows downstream, potentially causing increased risk of downstream flooding.

Woodlands, tree belts and dense hedgerows increase water infiltration and impede cross land flows, including the flow of flood waters.

Semi-natural habitats and extensively grazed permanent grasslands allow water infiltration and attenuate flows downstream. Increased soil organic matter and good soil structure increases water infiltration.

With intense rainfall events becoming more frequent land management may need to focus upon increasing the absorption capacity of the area.

Sustainable drainage schemes regulate water flow through slowing it down, allowing greater water storage and enabling greater infiltration. They are particularly important in urban areas where run-off flows are high because most land is sealed.

Multi-purpose urban ‘blue’ corridors are a component of green infrastructure in urban areas – adjacent to watercourses or along key overland flow paths – primarily for conveying water in times of flood and also providing a wide range of additional functions for example amenity, recreation and biodiversity (Working with Natural Processes to Manage Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk, Environment Agency, 2010).

Opportunities – Implement rural and urban land management practices to increase water infiltration, control run-off, slow down flood flows and make more space for water storage.

Plan to restore a more naturally functioning flood plain and river morphology along with creation and expansion of flood plain habitats to increase water storage and attenuation of flows.

Plan to expand semi-natural habitats and extensively grazed permanent grassland to increase water infiltration and attenuate flows.

Seek opportunities to enhance the hedgerow network and tree cover to help regulate water flow.

Use sustainable drainage techniques to reduce the rate and volume of run-off and increase water infiltration.

Where opportunities for growing of miscanthus and short rotation coppice exist ensure they are compliant with the re-instatement of active flood plains and avoid impacts on other services.

Encourage land managers to use soil management techniques which improve water infiltration.

Maximise opportunities to enhance green infrastructure along urban river corridors for water flow regulation and other benefits.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Woodland and woodland soils
• Permanent grassland and other semi- natural habitats
• Organo-mineral soils
• Geomorphological processes
• Superficial deposits of sands, silts, gravels, alluvium and clays
• Pasture and other uncultivated agricultural land
• Semi-natural habitats

State – There are 6 main soilscape types in this NCA:

1. Loamy and clayey flood plain soils with naturally high groundwater, covering 23 per cent of the NCA. These are mainly concentrated in the upper reaches of the NCA, are of loamy texture, moderate fertility and naturally wet.
2. Loamy soils with naturally high groundwater (20 per cent), (upper reaches). Loamy texture, low fertility, naturally wet.
3. Freely draining flood plain soils (16 per cent), (along Trent and Derwent lower reaches). Loamy texture, moderate to high fertility.
4. Slightly acid loamy and clayey soils with impeded drainage (16 per cent); (higher ground at edges of flood plains), loamy texture, moderate to high fertility.
5. Freely draining slightly acid loamy soils (13 per cent) (middle reaches). Loamy texture, low fertility.
6. Slowly permeable seasonally wet slightly acid but base-rich loamy and clayey soils (9 per cent), (on higher ground at edges of flood plains). Moderate fertility, loamy texture.

In summary, soils are loamy in texture. The lower reaches tend to be freely draining compared with upper reaches – especially that of the Soar and Tame which tend to be naturally wet with high water tables.

The soils of this NCA are low in organic matter.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – Soil is fundamental to agriculture and thus protection of its quality by maintaining and enhancing organic matter content, avoiding compaction
and preventing loss through erosion is essential for future food production.

Soil types 1 and 2 have flood storage potential but wetness and flood risk means they have a low bearing strength and therefore are at increased risk of soil compaction in wetter conditions. Diffuse pollution, for example from applied manures and very fine sediments, is possible as a result of run-off associated with persistently high groundwater levels and flooding.

Soil type 3 also has good flood storage potential but may cause diffuse pollution. Although free-draining, some soils of this type have high silt content and where cultivated are prone to capping after heavy rain.

Soil type 4 is easily poached and compacted when wet so careful timing of agricultural activities is required.

Soil type 5 may be valuable for enabling recharge of the underlying groundwaters due to its permeability

Soil quality can be increased through building up organic matter content while compacted soils can prevent this.

Permanent grassland and semi-natural habitats managed without cultivation allow organic matter to build up.

Where watercourses have been engineered to reduce inundation and flood risk, and therefore regular deposition of silts in the flood plain ceases, preventing the natural maintenance of soil quality.

Opportunities – Work with landowners and managers to improve the timing of agricultural activities on vulnerable soils, especially avoiding those times when the soil is very wet and easily damaged by compaction.

Encourage management measures that increase soil organic matter levels such as conversion from arable to pasture, use of organic farming techniques and the use of grass leys in arable rotations.

Work with the farming community to reduce compaction of vulnerable soils through changes in land management such as reduced stocking densities at times of the year when potential soil damage is greatest.

Support measures on arable land to reduce levels of cultivation, such as direct drilling, to protect soil structure and conditions for soil fauna and to increase water infiltration.

Seek opportunities to re-connect existing flood plain pastures with river flooding and create new flood plain pastures subject to river flooding to re-establish natural deposition processes to maintain soil quality.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Regulating soil quality
• Regulating water quality
• Climate regulation
• Regulating soil erosion
• Food provision
• Sense of place/inspiration
• Biodiversity
• Geodiversity

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Woodlands, tree belts and dense hedgerows
• Semi-natural habitats
• Extensively grazed permanent grasslands
• A generally flat or gently sloping topography

State – There are no priority catchments in the NCA. The main soil types covering the majority of the NCA are generally at low risk of erosion. Nevertheless, coarser textured variants of the loamy soils with naturally high groundwater (Soil 2 above) are at risk of erosion on sloping or uneven ground. Equally, the areas of slightly acid loamy and clayey soils with impeded drainage (Soil 4 above) are prone to compaction, capping and slaking, leading to increased risk of erosion by surface water run-off, especially on steeper slopes.

In addition, the freely draining slightly acid loamy soils (Soil 5 above) are at enhanced risk of erosion on moderately or steeply sloping land where cultivated or bare soil is exposed and / or 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.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – Assets that assist in combating soil erosion are very similar to those that assist in increasing water infiltration and reducing cross-land water flows.

Better management of soils to combat erosion will lead to improvements in water quality and water flow management in and around watercourses and a likely corresponding improvement in biodiversity.

Woodlands, tree belts and dense hedgerows increase water infiltration, impede cross land flows, and shelter from wind erosion. Semi-natural habitats and extensively grazed permanent grasslands also serve to reduce soil erosion, slow cross land water flows and allow steady water infiltration. In addition the use of grass buffer strips in areas of arable production intercept surface water run-off thereby reducing risk of soil erosion.

Surface run-off from over-grazed permanent pasture can be double that from lightly grazed areas and twelve times greater than ungrazed areas.

Compacted soils are susceptible to erosion by surface water run-off especially on steeper slopes. Building up organic matter in soils reduces the chance of compaction and therefore erosion.

Opportunities – Work with farmers and land managers to implement management practices to improve soil structure and drainage, increase levels of organic matter and reduce rates of soil loss.

Seek and realise opportunities to increase areas of permanent pasture, semi-natural habitats, tree belts and hedgerows to intercept and reduce rates of surface water and particulate runoff, particularly on soils subject to erosion and on steeper slopes.

Work with arable farmers and land managers to reduce the frequency and intensity of cultivation, increase use of direct drilling, increase field margins and grass buffer strips, maintain soil cover and increase soil organic matter.

Work with farmers and land managers to ensure stocking regimes are appropriate and reduce compaction in areas where grazing is currently high. Also to time agricultural activities and livestock movements to avoid times when the soil is very wet.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Semi-natural habitats
• Hedgerows and field margins
• Roadside verges
• Gardens

State – The 4,231 ha of flood plain grazing marsh and 125 ha of lowland meadow are likely to support a variety of pollinators and nectar sources. These cover 11 per cent of the total NCA area.

In the arable areas the nectar sources for pollinating insects are likely to be very limited.

Nectar sources will also be provided by hedgerows, field margins and road verges as well as by the gardens of the settlements across the NCA.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – A strong pollinator population supports production of a wide variety of food products and supports food production in the future.

To maintain viable populations of pollinating insects a diverse range of semi-natural habitats with flowering plants is required.

Poor networks of pollinator habitat away from the areas of flood plain grazing marsh limit the ability for pollinators to supply this service to a significant level in this NCA.

Increases in habitat for pollinators in arable areas through creation of semi-natural habitats, increases in floristically enhanced field margins, new and enhanced hedgerows and appropriate road verge management will increase delivery of this service.

Organic management favours pollinators such as bumble bees because it uses rotations involving legumes such as clover. Organic farms are also more likely to contain unimproved grassland – an ideal habitat for pollinators.

Opportunities – Enhance habitat networks for pollinator species within the agricultural landscape with particular emphasis on increasing the area of unimproved flower-rich grasslands and flood plain grazing marsh.

Encourage use of nectar and forage mixes in arable land and planting of species-rich hedgerows as well as the take up of agri-environment schemes which floristically enhance field margins and hedgerow habitats, to increase the availability of nectar sources in proximity to food crops requiring pollination.

Work with landowners to protect, manage and enhance existing pollinator habitats including road verges and green spaces. Manage them for structural diversity and allow flowering plants to flower and set seed.
Encourage the principles of organic management of land to favour pollinators such as the use of rotations involving clover.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Pollination
• Biodiversity
• Regulating water quality
• Food provision
• Climate regulation
• Regulating soil erosion
• Pest regulation
• Sense of place/inspiration
• Sense of history

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Semi-natural habitats
• Wetland habitats
• Hedgerows and field margins
• Roadside verges
• Gardens

State – The 4,231 ha of flood plain grazing marsh, 189 ha of fen, 135 ha of reedbed and 125 ha of lowland meadow are likely to support a variety of pest predators. These cover 12 per cent of the total NCA area.

Pest predator habitats will also be provided by hedgerows, field margins and road verges as well as by the gardens of the settlements across the NCA.

In the arable areas out of the flood plains areas of semi-natural habitat are very limited and fragmented and therefore habitats for pest predators are likely to be very limited. Also in these areas hedgerow quality tends to be poor, often tightly trimmed, gappy and species-poor, further minimising scope as pest regulator habitat.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – Wetlands provide good habitats for a range of pest predators such as dragonflies, arachnids and amphibians. Expanding and connecting areas of wetland habitat will boost numbers of these species.

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

Improving the network of semi- natural habitats and linkages between them through creation of new areas of habitat, hedgerow planting and appropriate management of existing habitats and hedgerows will benefit pest regulating species.

Pesticides and tillage can reduce the abundance and diversity of natural enemies of pests which require refuges free from disturbance.

Opportunities – Protect semi-natural habitats and seek opportunities to create new wetlands and other semi-natural habitats, species- rich hedgerows and wider field margins close to areas
of agricultural production to create a network of habitats for pest regulating species.

Encourage take up of agri-environment schemes especially those to enhance field margins and hedgerow habitats

Encourage land management which reduces pesticide use and cultivation such as organic farming and pasture.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Pest regulation
  Pollination
• Biodiversity
• Sense of place/inspiration
• Food provision

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Pastoral landscape of the flood plains
• Quieter stretches of the flood plains
• River Trent and its tributaries
• Diverse range of wetland habitats and wildlife
• Sand and gravel deposits and restored extraction sites
• Waterside trees and vegetation
• Still and slowly moving waters
• Canal network
• Historical features
• Topography
• Burton-upon-Trent brewing heritage
• Marmite and Branston Pickle
• Underlying geology and geomorphology

State – In places, particularly beside the rivers, the Washlands provide a picturesque pastoral and wetland landscape.

The pace of change through development in the Washlands has been rapid and has eroded sense of place, inspiration and feelings of escapism. Unsympathetic urban development forms a frequent presence, mainly on valley sides and along road corridors and in places across the flood plain.

The excavation of sand and gravel within the flood plains has been extensive, impacting both positively and negatively on landscape character.

Around a quarter of the NCA is designated greenbelt land.

In many places the scale and anonymity of major road infrastructure dominates the landscape and overpowers sense of place; for example the A50, the A38, the M1.

The bland architecture of distribution depots and out-of-town warehouses found in many places diminishes local distinctiveness, sense of place and inspiration.

The impact of power stations within the landscape has diminished with the demolition of several. While Ratcliffe- on-Soar power station and the retained cooling towers at Willington create a dramatic impact, their scale is dominant as are the giant pylons which run through the landscape.

Habitats and landscape features have been lost through agricultural intensification diminishing sense of place. This includes drainage of flood plains, conversion of pasture to arable, removal of hedgerows, loss of old farm buildings and damage to historic remains.

Old willow pollards and black poplar, alder and withy beds along watercourses have become neglected while arable intensification of the Trent terraces particularly has left a poor legacy of diminished and gappy field boundaries.

Burton is strongly identified by its brewing industry and heritage as well as its associations with the well known Marmite and Branston Pickle brands.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – The settlement pattern and quiet, pastoral qualities of the Washlands can be protected through the careful control and design of new residential and industrial development and by resisting further encroachment onto the valley floors. Local design initiatives could improve the quality of new building and its relationship with the landscape.

Local partnerships are developing a vision for a landscape more resilient to the significant forces of change the NCA is experiencing.

The sand and gravel industry creates rapid landscape change, active workings are intrusive and poorly restored sites detract from established landscape character, however when restored to a high standard they can provide new accessible places of inspiration and recreation.

Agri-environment schemes can be used to protect, manage and enhance historic and landscape features thereby protecting and enhancing sense of place.

Screening through tree planting of the considerable industrial and urban influences within the Washlands would benefit landscape quality and sense of place.

Promotion of Burton’s brewing and food product heritage can add to the sense of local distinctiveness and identity of the Washlands

Opportunities – Carefully control new development by locating it within existing settlements and avoiding the valley floors and bordering slopes to avoid potential adverse visual impact on the Washlands landscape. Also, ensure that the location, form and design of new development be guided by landscape character assessment objectives, village design guidance and design briefs including use of characteristic materials.

Work in partnership and develop masterplans to maximise opportunities to develop a landscape more resilient to the forces of change.

Secure high quality restoration of gravel workings to appropriate after uses that will enhance the natural environment and its enjoyment.

Seek opportunities for re-creating active flood plains, riverside pasture and other flood plain habitats to help define the rivers, the flood plains and strengthen sense of place.

Promote the management, restoration and reinstatement of hedgerows and hedgerow trees where they have been lost to restore field patterns and the historic hedgerow network.

Conserve old willow pollards and black poplar, alder and withy beds along watercourses through improved management and seek opportunities to re-instate traditional management.

Plan appropriate tree and woodland planting around settlement fringes and around intrusive urban influences to help integrate new and existing development into the landscape and to screen negative visual impacts.

Raise the design quality, appearance and environmental performance of new and existing development.

Raise awareness of the distinctive features and sites of interest of the NCA to raise the value that people place on them to help protect and enhance the area.

Seek opportunities to promote and celebrate the distinctive brewing and food heritage of the area

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Sense of place/inspiration
• Recreation
• Sense of history
• Tranquillity
• Biodiversity
• Geodiversity
• Regulating water flow
• Pollination

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Ancient earthworks buried remains and evidence of past landscapes and climates within and on the gravel terraces
• Historic bridges and crossing points
• Early Christian sites
• Canal heritage
• Tamworth Castle
• Halls and historic designed landscapes
• Villages and churches
• The pastoral landscape and the more tranquil stretches of the flood plains

State – The NCA has the following historic designations: 6 Registered Parks and Gardens covering 184 ha, 63 Scheduled Monuments and 1,179 Listed Buildings.

Significant sites include the ice-age, stone- age, bronze-age and iron-age remains of the gravel terraces, the early Christian sites, the old village cores and their churches, the bridges and causeways, the castle at Tamworth, the scattered historical gentry houses and parkland and the extensive 18th and 19th architecture of the canals running through the landscape. In addition there is a sense of history lent by some pastoral riverside areas with their old willow pollards, some ridge and furrow, as well as other micro-topography features preserved on permanent pastures.

1999 to 2003 data concluded that traditional hedgerow pattern has weakened through removal and poor management of hedgerows while landscape changes through agricultural change were diverging from the character of the area.

Some of the most valuable historical sites and features occur on the gravel terraces; however these locations are also susceptible to mineral extraction. They also tend to be under arable crop production with the principle vulnerability of many earthwork Scheduled Monuments in the NCA coming from arable ploughing (English Heritage).

Sense of history is severely compromised in many parts of the Washlands by the intrusion and disturbance of modern development such as major road infrastructure, the commercial, industrial and distribution developments, and massive electricity pylons.

1999 to 2003 data suggests neglect of historic parkland and historic farm buildings in the NCA.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – Agricultural intensification and conversion of pasture to arable, has led to the loss of historic features such as hedgerows and ridge-and-furrow, as well as other micro-topography features, on former pastures. Traditional management techniques are no longer used which also impacts on sense of history.

Many Scheduled Monuments within arable farmland will further degrade unless they are protected from ploughing. Ploughing gradually erodes earthworks and breaks up undisturbed archaeological remains. Agri-environment scheme options have been available to take archaeological features out of cultivation.

Mineral extraction enables discovery of buried archaeology but also permanently destroys historical features. The planning of the exploitation of these mineral resources needs to be carried out very carefully to ensure the valuable historical assets are protected.

Care is needed in the planning of new development to prevent further erosion of sense of history. Use of characteristic building materials and traditional styles will help strengthen sense of history as will the sensitive siting and integration of development into the landscape.

Agri-environment scheme options have been available for protection and restoration of historic parkland and historic farm buildings to help strengthen sense of history.

Promotion and interpretation of the historic assets of the NCA will raise awareness and understanding and lead to greater demand for their protection.

Opportunities – Protect the pastoral landscape. Re-instate characteristic management of the pastoral riverside landscape to enhance sense of history including willow pollarding along traditional boundaries, planting of black poplar, management of withy beds.

Also protect existing pasture from conversion to arable use – especially where they include archaeological features such as ridge and furrow.

Protect and enhance existing hedgerows and replant hedgerows where they have been lost to strengthen historical field patterns.

Reduce cultivation damage to archaeology by encouraging land managers to adopt best practice for example direct drilling and shallow tilling. Also seek opportunities to protect archaeology through reversion of arable land to pasture.

Plan sand and gravel workings carefully to ensure that valuable historical assets are protected.

Protect the historic settlement pattern and vernacular architectural character through informed planning and development control including requiring the use of traditional building materials and architecture in new developments.

Protect the sense of history through strengthening of development control so that new development is sensitively designed and planned to minimise adverse impact on the historic environment. Also seek opportunities to enhance sense of history through the use of tree planting to screen existing intrusive development.

Seek opportunities to bring neglected historic parkland and historic farm buildings into agri-environment schemes.

Promote wider awareness of the historic environment to encourage its enjoyment, understanding and protection and where possible provide improved public access to sites of historic interest.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Flowing and still water
• Wetlands
• Pastoral riverside landscapes

State – In 2006 the minimum tranquillity score in the NCA was -94, the maximum was 21. This compares with the national (England) scores of -141 and 149 respectively. The mean value was -26. Between the 1960s and 2007 the total undisturbed area fell from 24 per cent to 5 per cent.

This NCA is in one of the least tranquil areas of the country especially in and around the urban areas of Derby, Loughborough, Tamworth, Burton-upon- Trent and Long Eaton.

The NCA suffers from high levels of intrusion from urban development, noise (primarily traffic noise), and other sources of visual and auditory intrusion, especially across the valley floors and along the numerous major roads; notably the M1, A38, A50, A52.

East Midlands and Birmingham International airports, although located outside the NCA, creates noise intrusion reducing tranquillity.

A sense of tranquillity is likely to be associated with small less developed areas alongside stretches of the rivers and canals and some wetland areas.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – The main threats to tranquillity include urban expansion and road traffic. Expansions of road, rail and airport capacity in and around the NCA will further adversely impact on tranquillity.

Safeguarding areas of relative tranquillity is important for well being, quality of life, the rural economy and recreation.

Visual intrusion can be mitigated through careful design, planning and screening.

Opportunities – Protect and enhance tranquillity through influencing land use, transport and development decisions in the NCA.

Protect the most tranquil areas by resisting development, including new road and rail development, which would introduce high levels of noise, light and visual intrusion.

Promote the use of measures that reduce noise and light pollution and visual intrusion in new and existing developments.

Seek to screen insensitive development to reduce levels of visual intrusion.

Protect tranquillity by focussing new residential development within existing settlements.

Plan new developments carefully to minimise car use and seek development which is not dependent on car use.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Waterways and network of waterbodies
• Canals, towpaths and marinas
• Nature reserves
• The National Forest
• Villages, their pubs and teashops
• Public rights of way network
• Quiet lanes and minor rural road network
• Urban centres
• Visitor attractions
• Local green spaces (country parks and Local Nature Reserves)

State – Recreation is supported by a network of rights of way totalling 502 km at a density of 1.3 km per square km while 2 per cent (909 ha) of land is classified as being publicly accessible.

The watercourses of the rivers and canals, the flood plains and the large number of waterbodies created from sand and gravel extraction provide a major recreational resource offering a range of opportunities including boating, water sports, fishing, walking, informal recreation and experiencing wildlife.

The canal towpaths provide extensive walking, cycling and informal recreation opportunities.

Cycling opportunities are also provided by National Cycle Network routes and the network of minor roads.

The National Forest is among a number of initiatives promoting recreation and access across various parts of the area.

Visitor attractions include Drayton Manor Theme Park, the National Memorial Arboretum and the recreational provisions of the urban centres.

The area’s local green spaces such as Elvaston Castle County Park provide additional recreational opportunities.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – A location of easy access to large numbers of people. Its function as a corridor for transport means huge numbers pass through on the major roads and railways.

Recreation reconnects or maintains peoples’ connection with the landscape and ecosystems that support them and encourages a valuing of their surroundings.

Access to green spaces and the countryside is valuable for health and wellbeing, particularly mental health.

Recreation opportunities are likely to increase with the progression of the National Forest Initiative, for example the strategy proposes promotion of canoeing on the River Trent and on the Trent and Mersey Canal (The National Forest Strategy 2004-2014).

Off-road accessibility tends to be very restricted in rural areas where access is limited by large arable fields.

Creating a safe access across the A38 is a key issue for improving the rights of way network.

Extension of the non-road and green infrastructure network enables improved car-free access to green spaces and the countryside.

New recreational opportunities are presented by the restoration of gravel extraction sites while new developments require good quality green infrastructure to ensure they do not diminish already limited recreational opportunities.

Opportunities – Adopt recreational strategies that are compatible with nature conservation objectives that link with green infrastructure, settlements and public transport.

Maximise promotion of access networks and recreational sites to local residents, workers and visitors.

Seek opportunities to enable local communities to enjoy and take action to improve local green spaces.

Promote opportunities for appropriate recreational activities including interpretation of biodiversity and geodiversity interests and those of the National Forest and other landscape initiatives.

Seek opportunities to extend the access network, create new green infrastructure, links to green spaces and the countryside and to maximise non-car dependent access.

Seek opportunities to diversify the rural economy by promoting recreation and tourism to help sustain traditional farming practices and ecosystem beneficial land uses.

Work with the minerals industry and local authorities to plan extraction and restoration to minimise environmental impacts and maximise opportunities for recreation, biodiversity, geodiversity and landscape character. Similarly, work with developers and local authorities in the planning of new development.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Network of protected wildlife sites
• Semi-natural habitats
• Wetland habitats
• River corridors
• Ditches, hedgerows, copses and field margins
• Agri-environment schemes

State – There is one internationally designated site; approximately 3 km or 2.7 ha of the River Mease SAC flows within the Washlands.

There are 14 SSSI in the NCA totalling 412 ha (1 per cent of the area). In 2011, 36 per cent of SSSI area was in ‘favourable’ condition; while 54 per cent was in ‘unfavourable recovering’ condition.

There are 244 local sites covering 2,749 ha (7 per cent of the NCA).

UK priority habitats within the NCA include flood plain grazing marsh, lowland meadows, mesotrophic lakes, reedbeds, rivers, wet woodland and arable field margins (Lowland Derbyshire Biodiversity Action Plan 2011-2020, Lowland Derbyshire Biodiversity Partnership, 2011).

Agricultural intensification coupled with urban development and the extensive transport infrastructure means semi-natural habitats are scarce and very fragmented, especially out of the flood plains.

Gravel extraction has led to the loss or fragmentation of existing semi-natural habitats such as riparian scrub and meadows. However, numerous new wetland habitat sites have been created.

Invasive species of crayfish are threatening white-clawed crayfish on the River Mease and Himalayan balsam could spread from the upper reaches. Invasive water pennywort and crassula are an issue on the Soar while American mink predation has reduced water vole numbers.

The National Forest initiative extends into the Washlands between Alrewas and the River Dove covering 13 per cent of the area.

The area has been identified by a number of partnerships and organisations as a strategic area for landscape scale conservation.

Main beneficiary – National

Analysis – A network of connected habitat features, and particularly riparian habitats, supports biodiversity and enables species movement through the landscape boosting related ecosystem services such as pollination and pest regulation; however non-native invasive species may also benefit.

There is considerable scope to improve biodiversity within the farmed landscape by working with land managers through agri-environmental schemes.

The extensive sand and gravel deposits of the area continue to be exploited providing new opportunities for wetland habitat creation and increased habitat connectivity; however these need to be planned carefully to minimise impacts on existing biodiversity.

National Forest woodland priorities within the Washlands are for belts of planting associated with lakes and pools, short rotation coppice and black poplar planting.

Priorities for non-woodland habitat creation are wet grassland, reedbeds and flood plain grazing marsh (The National Forest Strategy 2004-2014).

Weirs on the rivers prevent the migration of fish. Bypass channels (fish passes) can be built to allow fish such as eel, lamprey, salmon and sea trout to pass through to their spawning grounds.

Opportunities – Protect, enhance and expand semi-natural habitats across the NCA. Use biodiversity opportunity mapping to identify how this can be achieved across the landscape.

Strategically plan areas of habitat creation to maximise connections between existing biodiversity-rich sites to enable greater movement of species through the landscape while seeking to address issues of invasive non-native species.

Work with landowners and farmers to ensure biodiversity features are incorporated into the farmed landscape to maximise value for biodiversity, pest regulation and pollination.

Encourage land management practices that benefit farmland birds, such as overwintering stubble for winter food sources particularly for seed eating birds such as linnet and reed bunting.

Seek opportunities to sustainably use wetland habitats for food provision such as flood plain grazing marsh for cattle grazing.

Maximise biodiversity gains from the restoration of sand and gravel extraction sites while respecting intrinsic landscape character.

Work with the Environment Agency and other riparian owners and managers to address barriers to fish passage.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Biodiversity
• Sense of place/inspiration
• Tranquillity
• Regulating soil erosion
• Regulating soil quality
• Pest regulation
• Recreation
• Sense of history
• Geodiversity

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Topography
• Bedrock geology
• Superficial deposits
• River gravel terraces
• Local stone for building
• Exposed rock formations
• Geomorphological features
• Soils

State – There is 1 nationally designated geological site in the NCA (Boulton Moor SSSI) and 8 Local Geological (non-statutory) Sites.

The landform expresses the link to the underlying geology and to the fluvial and glacial deposits of the Quaternary Period.

These deposits contain the fossil remains of fauna and flora as well as evidence of an ancient human presence in the landscape.

The Trent flood plain displays meanders, relict channels and cut off meander lakes.

Sand and gravel extraction for the construction industry continues, especially along the Trent Valley with reserves among the largest in the country. The large number of open water lagoons is a legacy of this demand for this resource.

Sherwood Sandstone hewn from bedrock geology in places on the edge of the NCA features widely as a building material in the churches and more substantial buildings. In the Soar Valley, limestone and igneous rocks from bordering areas, feature in buildings.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – Landforms and geological exposures are valued both directly for their educational use and as defining features in the landscape as well as underpinning the overall landscape character.

The superficial deposits in particular are a finite resource, which enable research into the climate and environment of the region during the Quaternary ‘ice ages’, the geographic evolution of the Trent Valley as well as potentially providing insights into the impacts of future climate change.

Extensive lengths of the river systems throughout the Washlands have been artificially manipulated to such an extent that natural geomorphological processes are severely impaired. Re- naturalisation of rivers would benefit other ecosystem services and provide more opportunities to witness active natural geomorphological processes.

The rate and extent of development in the Washlands means access to geodiverse and geomorphological features and processes are obscured or limited.

Opportunities – Protect and improve the condition and accessibility of geological and geomorphological sites that help in the understanding of the area’s geodiversity.

Seek opportunities to raise awareness of geodiversity and relate geodiversity to the character and development of the NCA’s landscapes, settlement pattern, buildings and industries.

Seek opportunities to re-naturalise sections of watercourses to provide more opportunities to understand geomorphological processes and also enhance their riverine character, wetland habitats and associated ecosystem services.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Geodiversity
• Sense of history
• Sense of place/inspiration
• Recreation
• Regulating soil quality
• Biodiversity