7 - West Cumbria Coastal Plain : Analysis: Ecosystem Services

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service – 

• Dairy and arable farming
• Horticulture
• Soils
• Water/rainfall

State – The NCA is dominated by agriculturally poor soils with 58 per cent grade 3 soils and 20 per cent grade 4. Non-agricultural soils and urban areas make up 14 per cent of the area.

Long tradition of livestock/pastoral farming, predominantly sheep, with some cattle and dairy and few pigs.

Significant reduction in livestock between 2000 and 2009.

Localised pockets of arable for grain/stock feed.

Unimproved grasslands, particularly in the coastal zone and higher fellsides in the east, are sometimes grazed by rare breed animals, particularly cattle.

Morecambe Bay and the Duddon Estuary support traditional coastal fisheries for cockles and mussels.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – Around the Duddon Estuary and to a lesser extent elsewhere along the coast are areas of reclaimed farmland now dependent on flood banks, and artificial drainage.

There may be increasing pressure on these types of management systems with the impacts of climate change.

Reclaimed land of estuarine origin often has low organic matter content which can make it prone to soil compaction, waterlogging and poor soil structure which can limit its agricultural adaptability.

In some areas former organic soils have been lost through historic peat cutting for fuel, or more recently as a consequence of intensive management, such that in many areas only a thin soil layer is left over underlying estuarine clay deposits.

Food security is likely to be increasingly important. The expansion of food provisioning needs to be managed in a sustainable way, which does not impact upon other ecosystem services.

Coastal shell fisheries are highly variable from season to season and have not always been managed sustainably. Securing sustainable management would be beneficial to fishery health, food supply and biodiversity.

Aquaculture cultivation of pacific oysters has been introduced and developed in the Morecambe Bay area. It will be important to manage this without impacting on the adjacent internationally designated estuarine systems.

The extensive areas of semi-natural agricultural habitat are well suited to production of rare breed meat which along with traditional fisheries supports the rural economy.

Opportunities – Manage and protect soil resources to ensure long term viability to supply food/grazing land.

Support and promote the development of food products, rare breeds and markets associated with local produce from low-input and extensive management of livestock systems.

Work with farmers and landowners to encourage uptake of agri-environment schemes are used to best effect to maintain food production, conserve landscape, historic environment and wildlife-rich habitats and traditional skills associated with meat and dairy production.

Encourage best agricultural practice, through adoption of good land, water and soil management, to protect soils resources, water quality and availability, for example increased organic matter content, sustainable grazing regimes, changing machinery access.

Support protection of flood defences to maintain grazing land, for example Duddon Estuary.

Promote and support new practices and activities leading to sustainable fisheries and aquaculture to secure a long term food resource and sustainable management of the habitats.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Native broadleaved woodlands
• Ancient semi-natural woodland
• Conifer plantations
• Mixed reclamation scheme/restored land woodlands
• High regional rainfall
• Soils

State – Woodland cover is 2,469 ha (5.9 per cent of NCA area) of which 1,574 ha is broadleaved woodland (3.2 per cent), 736 ha is coniferous (1.5 per cent) and 159 ha is mixed woodland (0.3 per cent).

510 ha (17 per cent of woodland total) is ancient woodland of which 234 ha is plantation ancient woodland. Cover of mature woodland is low.

Woodland cover is sparse with native woodlands mainly associated with the river valleys.

Conifer plantations and mixed shelterbelts associated with higher ground/upland fringes and restoration planting on former open-cast mining sites.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – With limited mature woodland cover and access difficult on slopes in river corridors, the potential for timber provision is low in the short term.

A number of conifer plantations are nearing maturity and are ready for extraction and replanting.

Open wind-swept landscape and salt laden rainfall is difficult for growing good quality timber.

A number of young mixed woodlands and shelterbelts are associated with restoration planting on former open cast sites so potential for timber provision will likely increase in future.

Woodland cover is higher in some adjacent upland areas so, despite the limited resource in the NCA, some timber production may be sustainable, by complementing production centred in adjacent areas.

Opportunities – Seek opportunities to increase timber production based on mature woodlands.

Encourage management and re-introduction of management to broadleaved woodlands and ASNW within river valleys where access is good to supply sustainable timber for local markets, enhance riparian habitats, protect soils, improve infiltration and stabilise riverbanks.

Encourage planting to create new woodlands, including commercial conifers where appropriate, especially in river valleys and on former open- cast coal sites where beneficial to sense of place and not detrimental to biodiversity, historic environment.

Encourage new tree planting to link existing woodlands, plantations and restoration schemes to improve green infrastructure in order to connect habitats and help ameliorate impacts of climate change.
Seek opportunities to manage woodlands for small scale/local provision of timber and wood fuel.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• High rainfall
• Sandstone aquifers
• Rivers and streams
• Surrounding upland catchments
• Soils

State – The coastal parts of the NCA overlay two major sandstone aquifers, the West Cumbria Aquifer which has a ‘water available’ Catchment Abstraction Management Strategy (CAMS) status and the Furness Aquifer which is ‘over licensed’.

The NCA’s main rivers, the Derwent, Ehen, Calder, Irt, Mite, Esk, and the Duddon all have their headwaters in the Cumbria High Fells NCA. Many of these river catchments drain into and through major lakes such as Bassenthwaite Lake, Crummock Water, Ennerdale Water and Wastwater (all outside NCA) before flowing westwards through the NCA to the Irish Sea. These surface water resources in the NCA are generally ‘over licensed’ or have ‘no water available’.

Significant industry and processing plants, including nuclear power generation and manufacturing, are key water abstractors.

Abstraction is also to meet both demand for public water supply and for agricultural use.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – Surface water availability, is largely regulated upstream in the upper part of the catchments outside the NCA.

Seasonal and high intensity events cause problems of rapid run-off and flooding on coastal plain.

Land management practices upstream are critical.

Over-abstraction is an issue in the Derwent catchment, impacting on, parts of the River Derwent and Bassenthwaite Lake SAC and River Ehen SAC which are internationally designated sites for nature conservation value. Water from the River Ehen system supplies a discreet ‘service zone’. To address the dependency of this area on abstraction of water from the River Ehen catchment, United Utilities is establishing an integrated supply zone which will reduce abstraction pressure on the SAC.

Abstraction of groundwater associated with mining and the nuclear industry has ceased. However, future development of a new generation of nuclear power stations may restart large scale groundwater abstraction.

Some farm businesses use ground water sources.

Opportunities – Promote sustainable use of local water sources.

Restore and enhance semi-natural habitats in the upper catchments and fells, native woodlands, lowland raised bogs and reedbeds to improve water storage capacity while also reducing flood risk and soil erosion and improving water quality, climate regulation, habitat networks and ecosystem resilience to climate change.

Work with and support the farming community to ensure continued sustainable management of water resources to improve soil structure and water retaining habitats to increase infiltration and reduce surface flow.

Encourage farmers and landowners to adopt good land, water and soil management practices to protect and enhance water and soil resources.

Encourage sustainable and water conscious use schemes in new developments.

Increase capacity for temporary water storage in river valleys.

Ensure the establishment of the integrated water supply zone in the area currently dependent on abstraction form the Ehen catchment.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Native livestock/rare breeds particularly cattle

State – Traditional rare breeds, particularly cattle, are a feature of the land management regime of many areas of semi-natural habitat.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – Although no individual cattle breed is particularly associated with the NCA, the extensive areas of semi-natural habitat are well suited to grazing by rare breed beef cattle. In different parts of the NCA breeds including Galloway, Welsh Black, Highland, Shorthorn and Aberdeen Angus, can be found. These cattle maintain areas of semi-natural habitat, often managed as part of extensive systems benefiting biodiversity and local landscape character.

The presence of the National Park and the heritage coast both offer enhanced opportunities to promote markets for rare breed products in association with the maintenance of landscape character.

Opportunities – Promote rare breeds for their suitability in managing rough pastures, sand dunes, heathlands, species-rich grasslands and other semi-natural habitats.

Encourage the development of supply chains and markets for high-quality local produce.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Genetic diversity
• Sense of place/inspiration
• Biodiversity
• Food provision

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Existing woodland
• High rainfall
• Biomass/energy crops
• Soils
• Biomass power station

State – The existing woodland cover (6 per cent) within the NCA offers some potential for the provision of biomass through bringing existing unmanaged woodland under management or as a by-product of commercial timber production.

Short rotation coppice is grown in the NCA.

Biomass power station located at Workington.

There is one wood fuel supplier in the NCA.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – The NCA has low to medium potential yield for short rotation coppice (SRC) with exposed coastal locations being unsuitable. Growth of miscanthus has high potential yield.
For information on the potential landscape impacts of biomass plantings within the NCA, refer to the tables on the Natural England website.

There is potential to bring under-managed broadleaved woodlands under active management to supply wood fuel/biomass. Also to plant new woodlands for multiple benefits.

The recent opening of a biomass power station in the northern part of the NCA at Workington has increased the potential market for wood fuel from both existing woodland and planted short rotation coppice. Currently, much of the material to fuel the power station is imported from abroad although there is likely to be an option to supply local biomass from increased woodland cover in the area.

At a local scale there is potential to increase woodland cover, and increase utilisation of existing woodland cover, to supply domestic wood fuel demand.

Some former open-habitats, such as raised bogs, have become covered in secondary woodland as a consequence of abandonment. Restoration of these open habitats may provide a source of biomass material in the short term for local or commercial use.

Opportunities – Seek opportunities to bring existing broadleaved woodlands into active management to increase production of woodfuel for local use.

Encourage re-introduction of traditional coppice management particularly where woodlands have been coppice managed in the past.

Develop local woodfuel markets and seek opportunities to link potential resource to markets.

Restore areas such as lowland raised mires to open habitat, using the one off crop of wood fuel in local markets.

Encourage planting of new broadleaved woodlands under coppice management especially in river valleys and in locations that would not impact on biodiversity or historic environment interest, and would enhance local landscape character.

Encourage planting of SRC especially on former open-cast coal sites and urban fringe areas.

Support the planting of new native-species woodlands particularly where these link existing woodland blocks and do not damage to other important habitats and to help ameliorate climate change and enhance sense of place.

Encourage the development of biomass boilers/power stations in the area to create a local market.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Carbon-rich soils
• Woodlands
• Wetlands, in particular lowland bogs and grazing marsh
• Semi-natural grasslands
• Coastal habitats including salt marshes, dunes and mudflats

State – The soils of the NCA generally have a low carbon content (0-5 per cent).

Woodlands with their underlying humus-rich soils sequester and store carbon.

Other areas with semi-natural vegetation cover where soils have remained undisturbed for very long periods act as carbon stores. These include unimproved grassland, intertidal habitats, coastal and flood plain grazing marsh, lowland heath, reedbeds and fens and in particular the high carbon peat soils of the raised mires at the head of the Duddon Estuary. The latter act both as carbon stores and active sequesters of carbon when in good condition. Many fens and mires are however in poor condition resulting in them being net emitters of greenhouse gases.

Woodlands in the area are undermanaged with regards their climate regulation potential and ability to offset other carbon releasing energy sources.

Intertidal habitats are also important carbon stores with the salt marshes of the NCA generally considered to be under favourable management.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – Woodland cover which is under active management is able to sequester and store more carbon.

Loss or disturbance of permanent semi-natural vegetation cover such as drainage of wetlands and felling of woodlands will result in the loss of soil carbon and that stored in the vegetation.

Restoration and sensitive management of semi-natural vegetation can aid their abilities as a carbon sink. Of particular importance in this area are the lowland raised peat bogs of the Duddon Estuary, the wet heaths of the Cumbria coalfields and the suite of valley mires. Here, management measures to remove secondary woodland and restore hydrology can improve the condition of peat as a carbon store.

Increasing the active management of woodlands, particularly to supply the woodfuel industry, offers a low-carbon energy source reducing pressure on fossil-fuel carbon energy as well as increasing carbon storage in standing biomass.

The carbon sequestration potential of sand dune systems, salt marshes and mudflats can be improved through good management.

Carbon is trapped through the sequestering of atmospheric carbon by vegetation and the trapping of mobile sediments. The removal of artificial landward barriers allowing the extension of habitats inland and reducing nutrient load from rivers, sea water and agricultural land where appropriate, is likely to increase carbon storage potential.

Opportunities – Encourage restoration of lowland wetlands, in particular peat forming systems by establishing improved hydrological regimes and vegetation cover so they can sequester and store carbon.

Maintain and increase woodland cover on non-peat soils such as restored open-cast coal sites.

Encourage and promote re-introduction of active woodland management.

Work with the farming community to ensure continued sustainable low-input and extensive livestock farming systems that allow for carbon sequestration and soil development.

Encourage schemes to enable movement and expansion of dynamic coastal habitat such as sand dunes and salt marsh.

Promote opportunities for a low carbon economy through development of local supply chains for wood fuel.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Climate regulation
• Biodiversity
• Sense of history
• Sense of place/inspiration
• Regulating water flow

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Geology
• Coastal processes
• Coastal semi-natural vegetation and habitats including coastal sand dunes, coastal vegetated shingle, coastal salt marsh, soft cliffs and reefs
• The intertidal zone of the estuaries including salt marsh, sand and mudflats
• Sand dunes
• Soft cliffs and barrier islands
• ‘Hard’ sea defences

State – This NCA forms part of ‘sub-cells 11C, d and e’ of the Shoreline Management Plan 2 (SMP2).

The primary areas of tidal flood risk in the northern part of the NCA are on the estuaries of the Ellen at Maryport and the Derwent (River Derwent Catchment Flood Management Plan Summary Report, Environment Agency, 2009) at Workington.

Direct coastal flood risk is significant in the coastal strip between the towns of Workington and Maryport.

South of St Bees the main areas affected by tidal flooding are the Duddon and Drigg estuaries and Barrow and Walney Island (South West Lakes Catchment Flood Management Plan Summary Report, Environment Agency, 2009).

Along a significant portion of the coast the railway line provides the primary sea defence, an important piece of transport infrastructure at risk from coastline change. The line impacts on the sediment supply to other areas around the coast by interrupting and limiting the sediment available to build/sustain coastal habitat and hence provide a natural defence to climate change.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – Tidal flooding is caused by storm surge and wave action during times of high tides.

The impacts of climate change with increased sea levels, increased storm events and increased river flows associated with high rainfall events will all impact on the coastal margin, making lower sections of rivers and estuaries particularly subject to tidal flooding and coastal squeeze.

The sediment pathways in the NCA that govern coastal regulation are complex. Broadly material is brought onshore from the Irish Sea at St Bees and moves either north or south from this point.

Offshore material is added to by material eroded from soft cliffs south of St Bees and soft cliff material derived from industrial slag and spoil to the north.

Around the estuaries this is augmented by material carried from upland areas.

Erosion dominates along much of the coast but deposition is dominant around the estuaries, including their sand dune systems. Around Walney material is being eroded from the seaward side of the island and moved to the northern and southern ends and the channel between Walney and Barrow.

Along most of the coast there are few barriers to sediment transport although some towns such as St Bees have sediment trapping groyne systems. Sediment accretion around the estuaries as salt marshes and dunes provides an important coastal defence reducing the impact of storm events by reducing flood risk and dissipating tidal energy.

Maintaining sediment supply to these systems will be important in maintaining this function. In some areas sediment starvation as a consequence of ‘upstream’ defences trapping sediments is exacerbating erosion issues around areas of habitation.

As well as making an important contribution to ‘soft’ coastal flood defences the salt marshes, sand dunes, reefs and soft cliffs that regulate coastal erosion, are an internationally important biodiversity asset, and a source of income for land managers. They are also part of the cultural identity of the NCA.

Current policies for the coast include ongoing defence of main coastal settlements, and minimal intervention on much of the rural coast. Allowing natural coastal processes to take place unimpeded creating a natural defence against increased sea level rise and storminess. Erosion in some areas affects isolated properties and historic assets such as Second World War archaeology on Walney.

Opportunities – Promote and encourage adoption and implementation of Shoreline Management Plans.

Seek realignment opportunities along the reclaimed coast of the Duddon Estuary.

Protect and enhance naturalness of coastline and seek opportunities to enable natural coastal processes to take place unimpeded and coastal habitats to develop which are more sustainable.

Seek opportunities for adaptive management of shorelines on Walney.

Explore opportunities for allowing coastal habitats to move inland, by removing artificial barriers where appropriate, to help them expand/roll back as the coastline responds to coastal change, providing a natural coastal defence that supports flood protection, semi-natural habitat and coastal species.

Encourage timely excavation of important coastal archaeological sites, so that they can be recorded before they are lost to the sea.

Pursue opportunities for the restoration and creation of coastal wetlands to provide temporary or seasonal areas to deliver benefits for coastal flooding and erosion, as well as biodiversity, water quality, and sense of place.

Conserve, enhance and manage coastal habitats to ensure that they are robust and functioning well (for example by dissipating wave energy, being resilient to high tides and storm events) to maintain a dynamic coastal environment able to adapt to climate change.

Encourage and promote Increased awareness among farmers, landowners, residents and visitors of the role played by healthy coastal habitats in regulating coastal process and the need for sediment supply and transport along the coast.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Regulating coastal erosion and flooding
• Biodiversity
• Food provision
• Sense of place/inspiration
• Sense of history
• Climate regulation
• Geodiversity
• Recreation

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Surface water catchments
• Woodlands
• Wetlands
• Agricultural land
• Riparian vegetation
• Semi-natural vegetation
• Soils
• Aquifers
• Rivers and streams

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 – Local

Analysis – Much of the main rivers’ water quality in the NCA is determined upstream in the Cumbrian High Fells which highlights the importance of catchment scale management and the importance of links between upland and lowland systems.

Much of the underground aquifer is fed by groundwater from the uplands to the west by in areas such as around St Bees surface water is important to aquifer recharge.

Water quality targets of the Rivers Ehen and Derwent are determined by their SAC designation status which requires then to meet favourable condition status.

The rivers that flow through the NCA are important for a number of species-dependent on high water quality including salmon and freshwater pearl mussels. Maintaining good water quality in the rivers is important for these species, so measures are needed throughout the catchments.

Principal issues in the Derwent system include sedimentation and diffuse pollution associated with cross land flows as a result of steep slopes, potentially compacted soils, and high rainfall. Chemicals associated with diesel run-off from A roads are also a localised pollution issue.

Similar issues are experienced in the Ehen catchment while the Duddon Estuary also experiences issues from livestock faeces which affects the water quality of nearby bathing waters.

To protect water quality nitrate vulnerable zone (NVZ) measures are in place on the River Derwent flood plain for surface water protection and around the St Bees peninsular for ground water protection.

Nutrient run-off issues from agricultural land in NVZ can cause for example elevated nutrient levels, algal blooms in localised areas. Restrictions this places include limits on volume of nitrate that may be applied as fertilizer and the timings of applications to minimise loss of nutrients to waterbodies.

Locally point source pollution is an issue, for example septic tank discharges affecting basin mires and in some areas mine workings and deposits of industrial waste generate issues of land and water pollution.

Catchment sensitive farming measures identified to address these issues include; excluding stock from water courses to reduce muck contamination; reducing dirty water run-off from manure stores, silage, animal handling areas and yards; increasing slurry and midden storage capacity by roofing stores; moving and upgrading sheep dip/pen facilities to ensure protection of the watercourse; reducing soil erosion in fields as a result of farm traffic; restoring poached gateways and farm tracks; removing stock from watercourses to stabilise banks; and separating clean and dirty water to reduce dirty water volume.

In the Duddon Estuary catchment, additional measures to reduce agricultural faecal matter being carried downstream to the bathing waters of Haverigg, Askam-in-Furness and Roan Head have also been identified as a priority management issue.

Issues associated with road contaminants will require better management of surface water run-off including measures such as sustainable drainage systems.

Opportunities – Promote and implement catchment wide water management plans to ensure a co- ordinated and integrated approach to reducing impacts of pollution on water quality, flow and availability.

Support and promote through uptake of agri-environment schemes and catchment sensitive farming measures, the adoption of land management practices especially on land with high run-off potential that minimise off site impacts, such as reducing nutrient inputs, and improving soil structure to reduce soil erosion.

Identify point sources of pollution and promote management solutions to reduce run-off and soil compaction.

Encourage management of existing and establishment of new riparian vegetation, including woodland, in areas of high erosion risk to stabilise banks, reduce sediment run-off, erosion.

Maintain and establish permanent grassland, Buffer strips or other permanent vegetation alongside watercourses, especially in areas of soil and nutrient run-off.

Manage and limit stock access to watercourses by fencing, water gates and provision of troughs to minimise bare ground, poaching, sediment loss and risk of erosion.

Identify opportunities to better manage surface water run-off from roads and urban areas including new developments through sustainable drainage schemes.

Encourage farmers and landowners to increase and link semi-natural vegetation to help slow surface water run-off, reduce erosion, for example improve filtering of pollutants and sediments, while enhancing biodiversity and sense of place.

Encourage adoption of good land, water and soil management practices.

Work with water companies to reduce pollution incidents from waste water treatment works.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Regulating water quality
• Regulating water flow
• Water availability
• Biodiversity
• Regulating soil quality
• Regulating soil erosion
• Food provision
• Climate regulation

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Agricultural land
• Rivers and streams
• Grazing marsh and flood plain storage areas
• Woodlands
• Other semi-natural vegetation
• Catchment areas
• River flood defences
• Geology and soils

State – Main rivers are the Derwent and its tributaries the Keekle, Ehen, Calder, Irt, Mite, Esk and Duddon, which all flow into Irish Sea.

The catchments in the Southwest Lakes flood management area (eg the Rivers Duddon, Esk, Irt and Ehen) are relatively small and generally rise on the high, rugged and steep sided, western fells of the Lake District, flowing via lakes including Wastwater and Ennerdale Water before flowing in a westerly or south westerly direction along the coastal plain to discharge into the Irish Sea.

The River Derwent catchment crosses the coastal plain in the northern part of the NCA includes a large part of the northern Lake District Fells and a number of Lakes including Bassenthwaite.

Workington and Cockermouth are towns at highest flood risk in NCA.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – The catchments in the Cumbrian High Fells respond quickly to heavy rainfall and storm events which impact on the lower lying coastal plain.

The scale of flood risk is low. The main areas of river flood risk are in Whitehaven from the Pow Beck, Egremont from the River Ehen, and Dalton in Furness from Poaka Beck and Mill Beck.

The risks of river flooding are likely to increase as a result of climate change. This could be addressed through the restoration and creation of multi-functional wetlands within the main river corridors and by encouraging river systems to operate naturally.

More recent flood events have also affected Workington and Cockermouth (River Derwent) and the coastal road network.

The Environment Agency’s preferred approach to managing flood risk on lower stretches of rivers includes flood attenuation upstream and provision of more flood storage areas.

Improving infiltration speeds of water and reducing run-off rates within loamy clayey soils will help to moderate peak flows.

There is also potential for the creation of intertidal habitats to aid the accommodation of increased river levels at peak flow.

Opportunities – Seek opportunities to improve and create more flood storage within floodplains, particularly in the River Derwent corridor. This should include restoring and expanding wetland habitats (for example wet pastures, water meadows and reedbeds), thus improving infiltration rates, increasing storage capacity of flood waters and reducing risk to infrastructure and adjacent towns such as Workington and Cockermouth.

Seek opportunities to manage existing and establish new woodlands and riparian vegetation alongside watercourses to reduce run-off into rivers, increase infiltration and enhance biodiversity and sense of place.

Seek opportunities to manage soils and agricultural land in the upper catchment areas to improve soil structure, encourage increased infiltration, reduce run-off and increase water holding capacity.

Promote and plan for agriculturally restored areas of river flood plains to act as seasonal/temporary rain water and/or flood storage areas in order to protect villages and towns.

Ensure all new developments are built in low flood risk areas and include sustainable urban drainage schemes.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Geology and soils
• Trees, woodland and scrub
• Lowland raised mires and other wetland peat habitats
• Permanent grassland
• Coastal grazing marsh and salt marsh

State – There are 13 main soilscape types in this NCA:

• Freely draining slightly acid loamy soils, covering 29 per cent of the NCA.
• Slowly permeable seasonally wet acid loamy and clayey soils (27 per cent).
• Slowly permeable seasonally wet slightly acid but base-rich loamy and clayey soils (17 per cent).
• Sand dune soils (4 per cent).
• Freely draining slightly acid sandy soils (4 per cent).
• Restored soils mostly from quarry and open cast spoil (3 per cent).
• Loamy and sandy soils with naturally high groundwater and a peaty surface (3 per cent).
• Freely draining slightly acid but base-rich soils (2 per cent).
• Freely draining acid loamy soils over rock (2 per cent).
• Loamy and clayey soils of coastal flats with naturally high groundwater (2 per cent).
• Naturally wet very acid sandy and loamy soils (2 per cent).
• Loamy and clayey flood plain soils with naturally high groundwater (1 per cent).
• Freely draining flood plain soils (1 per cent).

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – The freely draining slightly acid loamy soils (29 per cent) allow good water infiltration and have potential for increased organic matter levels through management interventions.

These soils are valuable for aquifer recharge (West Cumbria Aquifer and the Furness Aquifer) which require the maintenance of good soil structure to aid water infiltration and the matching of nutrients to needs to prevent pollution of groundwaters.

The slowly permeable seasonally wet acid loamy and clayey soils (27 per cent) and the slowly permeable seasonally wet slightly acid but base-rich loamy and clayey soils (17 per cent) may suffer compaction and/or capping as they are easily damaged when wet.

This may lead to increasingly poor water infiltration and diffuse pollution as a result of surface water run-off. Management measures that increase organic matter levels can help reduce these problems.

Common issues across soil types affecting soil quality include compaction, low organic material content and fertility, and loss of structure.

Compaction arises from stock and machinery movement, particularly on wet soils, and especially in association with a reduction in soil fauna. The loss of soil fauna derives from artificial and slurry inputs that have the effect of shifting soil ecosystems from fungus based systems to bacterial based systems and can lead to direct loss of key species.

Organic material loss results from soils not being able to sequester carbon from vegetation.

Fertility loss results from the loss of soil carbon and nitrogen reserves.

The management consequence of these changes is often an increased reliance on artificial inputs to maintain agricultural productivity despite falling soil quality. These issues will be most strongly felt in the reclaimed soils of grazing marshes where soils are most prone to water logging and have naturally high carbon contents.

Addressing these issues to restore and improve soil quality requires a move to more sustainable management of pastoral systems and is likely to require the integration of a number of different measures. These include a reduction in soil nutrient loading and decreasing the need to spread waste on damaged soils benefiting soil fauna; use of legumes to fix nitrogen to maintain fertility with decreased reliance on artificial inputs, decreasing stock numbers to allow some annual productivity to be integrated into soils and decreasing compaction risk, and adapting stock management to avoid areas of sensitive soils compaction risk.

Actions to improve soil quality and improve their structure would have wider benefits, for example, improving regulation of water flow by enhancing water infiltration, reducing the risk of soil erosion and improving water quality by lessening surface run-off, improving biodiversity and securing long-term food provision.

Opportunities – Work with land owners to promote sustainable farming practices to increase the organic matter content, improve the structure of agricultural soils and protect soil biodiversity.

Protect and enhance salt marshes to develop new soils.

Identify, encourage and apply grazing regimes that increase sward diversity and encourages the build-up of organic matter.

Encourage farmers and landowners to Introduce and manage extensive grazing regimes to reduce stocking densities and avoid soil compaction and poaching such as through increased uptake of agri-environment schemes.

Seek management regimes that avoid compaction through unnecessary machinery use particularly during protracted periods of wet weather.

Work with the farming community to promote and adopt good nutrient and land, water and soil management practices.

Implement measures to reduce diffuse pollution from land management.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Semi-natural vegetation
• Woodlands
• Hedgerows
• Arable land
• Wetlands
• Permanent grassland
• Soils
• Sand dune systems

State – The soils that cover 67 per cent of this NCA are not susceptible to erosion.

Of the remaining soils, the freely draining slightly acid loamy soils (13 per cent) and the freely draining slightly acid sandy soils (4 per cent) are erosion prone. Naturally wet very acid sandy and loamy soils (1 per cent) are susceptible to wind erosion and some are also easily eroded by water. Slightly acid loamy and clayey soils with impeded drainage (6 per cent) are easily compacted increasing the risks of soil erosion by surface water run-off, especially on steeper slopes.

Lowland raised bog peat soils (3 per cent) and fen peat soils (1 per cent) are at risk where cultivated land is susceptible to flooding and when bare wind erosion. Salt marsh soils (3 per cent) are at risk of coastal erosion.

Parts of the River Derwent catchment, the catchment of the Duddon Estuary and the River Ehen catchments are priority catchments under the Catchment Sensitive Farming Programme in this NCA with soil erosion into watercourses identified as an issue in all areas.

Arable cropping on steeper slopes such as around the St Bees peninsula the dominance of arable systems on sloping ground puts soils at risk of erosion from rainfall.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – Soil erosion causing sedimentation of water courses is identified as an issue within the Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) area, particularly in the form of riverbank erosion due to livestock access and in-field erosion of steep slopes.

High rainfall exacerbates the problems, which is likely to increase with future impacts of climate change due to more frequent and more intense rainfall in winter, more storm events and drier warmer summers.

Improved land management would reduce the potential for topsoil loss and diffuse pollution.

Priority actions identified by the Catchment Sensitive Farming programme include reducing soil erosion in fields as a result of farm traffic; restoring poached gateways and farm tracks; and removing stock from watercourses to stabilise banks.

Increasing and linking semi-natural vegetation will help to bind soils together, aid water infiltration and penetration, aquifer recharge and reduce soil erosion, also strengthening sense of place and habitat networks.

Sensitive management of arable land will help to minimise soil loss through retaining permanent vegetation buffers on erosion prone slopes and around field margins.

Opportunities – Encourage restoration of permanent vegetation cover, grasslands, woodlands and replanting/gapping up of hedgerows.

Increase organic matter content to improve soil structure by growing green cover crops or converting to grassland, especially in arable cropping regimes on steeper slopes.

Promote, plan and create buffer strips of permanent grassland and woodland alongside watercourses to reduce sediment run-off.

Protect riverbanks, enhance connectivity of riparian habitats and strengthen sense of place in the river valleys.

Ensure well-timed cultivations (early autumn) and manage access onto land by machinery to prevent compaction and poaching. Promote and employ minimum tillage methods such as direct drilling to avoid damage to soil structure. Control livestock access to riverbanks and consider introduction of water troughs.

Encourage extensive grazing regimes to reduce poaching, ensure animal feeding areas are carefully placed to avoid pollution and erosion of watercourses.

Encourage uptake of agri-environment schemes and CSF measures.

Promote adoption of good land, water and soil management practices.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Regulating soil erosion
• Water availability
• Climate regulation
• Regulating soil quality
• Regulating water quality
• Regulating water flow
• Biodiversity
• Sense of place/inspiration

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Flood plain grazing marsh
• Hedgerows
• Riparian grassland
• Ancient woodland
• Roadside verges
• Pollinating insects
• Gardens

State – This NCA on the whole offer relatively poor habitat for pollinating insects.

The area’s semi-natural habitats support a variety of pollinators Nectar sources may also be provided by the many gardens of the built-up areas.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – All semi-natural habitats such as flood plain grazing marsh, hedgerows, verges, ancient semi-natural woodland (ASNW) and riparian habitats should be sensitively managed in good condition and expanded to ensure flowering plants and nectar sources are maximised for pollinating insects.

Semi-natural habitats which are, more limited in extent, in particular species-rich grassland are more fragmented and limited in their distribution should be maintained and linked to improve connectivity and develop a stronger network for pollinators.

Planting and managing wild flower meadows within urban greenspace and encouraging a wide range of flowering plants in urban gardens will contribute to pollen and nectar sources for pollinating insects.

Introduction of buffer strips, margins and wild flower/pollen and nectar mixes within arable areas will increase nectar sources.

Opportunities – Maintain, manage, restore and expand semi-natural habitats such as flood plain grazing marsh, coastal grasslands, riparian habitats, ASNW and hedgerows.

Encourage sustainable environmentally friendly farming practices such as managing uncropped field margins, buffer strips and planting of pollen and nectar mixes in arable areas will increase pollen/nectar sources and also increase connectivity.

Encourage partnership working with farmers, landowners and a range of organisations to manage road side verges and hedgerows so that they are cut less frequently and sensitively managed to produce a range of nectar producing species, extended flowering times and form a network of nectar sources.

Promote and encourage wider range of flowering plants within urban greenspace and private gardens, new developments.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Pollination
• Food production
• Biodiversity
• Sense of place/inspiration

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Flood plain grazing marsh
• Hedgerows
• Ancient woodland
• Riparian grassland
• Roadside verges

State – A variety of semi-natural grassland and woodland habitats support populations of pest-regulating species (invertebrates, birds and mammals).

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – Semi-natural habitats within the NCA are localised and fragmented and would benefit from management and expansion to improve connectivity and allow effective movement of predatory species to control pests.

New pests and diseases are a particular issue for woodlands and maintaining a broad genetic base to tree populations with increase the resilience of woodland stands to new pathogens.

The existing field boundary hedgerows are sparse and increasing diversity in species and structure of field margins will increase the ability for these areas to support populations of pest-regulating species.

Opportunities – Encourage sustainable farming practices to manage and expand existing semi-natural habitats, and create new areas of habitat; especially hedgerows, woodlands, flood plain grazing marsh and riparian grassland along waterways.

Encourage woodland planting to include a genetic mix of key species.

Seek opportunities to improve and link the network of semi-natural habitats across the NCA to improve connectivity.

Encourage uptake of agri-environment schemes to introduce margins/buffer strips.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Pest regulation
• Food production
• Pollination
• Biodiversity

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Geology and soils
• Open wind-swept, low-lying coastal plain
• Diverse coastline
• Diverse protected wildlife habitats
• Woodlands, including ancient woodlands
• River valleys and riparian habitats
• Extensive livestock farming
• Field boundary network
• National Nature Reserves, country park and Local Nature Reserves
• Historic rural villages and small mining communities
• Expansive landscape and seascape views
• Distinctive urban and cultural heritage from fishing and mining industries
• Lake District National Park and St Bees Heritage Coast
• Archaeology and historic features including forts and castles

State – Sense of place is provided by the varied open coastline of mudflats, shingle and pebble beaches, coastal reefs, sand dunes, high cliffs and soft cliffs all subtly different and each with their own character derived both from their local variations and the varying landscape context within which they sit.

Much of the coast is of national or international importance for its habitats and associated species.

From Drigg to Silecroft the area is part of the Lake District National Park.

Inland stone walls and hedges on stonebanks, locally known as kests, are common along minor roads and form some ancient field boundaries, while characteristic stunted and wind-sculpted hedges and trees reflect the influence of the harsh, salt-laden Irish Sea winds.

Undulating pastoral plain dominated by extensive livestock grazing with medium to large scale rectilinear fields of semi-improved and improved grasslands bounded by hedgerows and walls.

Small localised pockets of arable cropping and semi-natural vegetation in low-lying areas and river valleys with rougher grazing on higher fellsides towards east.

Ancient semi-natural woodland (ASNW) is a feature of some of the more sheltered pastoral river valleys, with semi-natural habitats including wetlands and grasslands.

Semi-natural vegetation has reclaimed former industrial sites such as limestone quarries that now support areas of species-rich calcareous grassland and coastal grasslands on former factory sites.

Former and current industrial sites include deep mining, iron ore mining and processing , iron and steel works, open cast mining, fishing and ship- building concentrated around Maryport, Workington and Whitehaven in north and Barrow-in-Furness in south.

The views out from the NCA are expansive and embrace the Lake District Fells, Irish Sea, Isle of man and south Scotland.

In recent years these views have been modified by the increase in coastal and offshore wind developments and nuclear energy processing plants.

Much of the built environment north of the Duddon Estuary is characterised by the use of locally quarried St Bees sandstone.

As well as the industrial sites, visible archaeology includes Roman forts and First World War and Second World War infrastructure.

Main beneficiary – National

Analysis – The sense of place offered by the NCA is highly varied but sits within a context of an area that occupies the transition between adjacent uplands of the Lake District National Park to the east and the Irish Sea to the west.

The sense of place has evolved over time as driven by industrial development within a rural context. Mines, quarries and processing sites have come and gone and currently energy generation dominates the industrial landscape, supplemented by ship building at Barrow.

Maintaining this evolution without losing character will require planning and a regard to landscape context. Many early industries were inherently linked to local geology and resources; however this may not be the case with future development.

The extensive semi-natural habitats, particularly in the coastal zone, but also inland in areas such as the former coal fields east of Workington will need tailored management to ensure they retain their character, while the coastal areas are in many cases designated most areas inland are not leaving them at constant risk of change be it through industrial development or agricultural improvement.

Part of the legacy of past industry in the area is a suite of ex-industrial sites where nature has re-established itself leading to bespoke character that blends historic and natural heritages. These sites are often locally valued as green space but area also considered as brownfield sites and seen as potentially attractive development sites. Maintaining the blend of historic and natural character will require planning policy to recognise the cultural importance of the areas and seek to maintain their unique identities and features.

The designation of part of the NCA as part of the Lake District National Park and the recognition of St Bees Heritage Coast both reflect the strong sense of place offered by the NCA landscape. Maintaining that bespoke character without erosion over time will require active management of a suite of environmental assets – natural, cultural and built – but offers opportunities to promote the local sense of place as an economic asset.

Opportunities – Protect the suite of environmental assets the NCA holds and seek to enhance and restore features where appropriate.

Encourage retention of expansive views across out to the Irish Sea and the uplands of the Isle of Man, Scotland and the Lake District.

Ensure new developments, vertical structures do not impinge on sense of place, tranquillity, recreational assets and wildlife habitats.

Ensure that appropriate access is provided to allow all levels of ability and interest to be able to appreciate and be inspired by the landscapes of the area.

Conserve and enhance undeveloped areas of coastline.

Conserve and manage key features of the Lake District National Park and St Bees Heritage Coast through adoption and implementation of integrated actions from the respective management plans.

Promote the use of traditional building materials for restoration, and new developments in rural villages and mining communities to strengthen local character.

Manage, restore, gap-up and re-plant hedges.

Manage, expand and replant broad leaved woodland, ASNW sites and riparian habitats.

Conserve and manage grassland patterns and link semi natural vegetation to maintain tradition of livestock farming and strengthen pastoral character.

Maintain and conserve wealth of historic features and buildings.

Support local green spaces as places of local distinctiveness that provide local communities opportunities to come together and engage with nature close to where they live and work.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Archaeological sites
• Industrial heritage
• First and Second World War sites and artefacts
• Rural and mining settlement patterns
• Forts and castles
• World Heritage Site
• Registered parks and gardens
• Scheduled Monuments
• Listed Buildings
• Historic farm buildings and field boundaries
• Heritage Coast

State – A suite of visible archaeological sites from bronze-age stone circles through to Second World War infrastructure including 56 Scheduled Monuments and 969 Listed Buildings.

Bronze-age stone circle at Beckermet and standing stones at Millom.

The chain of Roman coastal forts stretching north of Ravenglass, form part of the Hadrian’s Wall World Heritage Site.

Strong industrial heritage around Whitehaven and Workington from mining and steel making industries with mine workings and adjacent planned mining villages with stone cottages and rows of brick-built terraces.

Parkland estates such as Muncaster Castle, Workington Hall and Egremont Hall.

Local vernacular farm buildings, rural villages and civic buildings that includes red St Bees sandstone for lintels, stonework.

Ship-building legacy and dockyards.

A suite of First World War and Second World War anti-invasion defences such as pillboxes and observations posts built to defend Barrow-in-Furness and prevent damage to shipyards.

The history of land management is reflected in the enclosed landscape (mostly 14th to 17th century) of small to medium scale fields.

Main beneficiary – National

Analysis – Among the historic assets of the NCA are 17 sites on English Heritage’s Heritage at Risk Register. These built sites are mainly at risk from decay and the action of vegetation destabilising structures. However, one site, Saltom mine, is also at risk from coastal erosion. These built sites are all visually prominent local landmarks whose loss would be very apparent.

In addition, the conservation area at Maryport is at risk from character change.

A suite of prehistoric cairnfields which stretch across the NCA boundary into the Lake District High Fells NCA are under threat from lack of management and destabilisation from vegetation overgrowth.

English Heritage’s coastal zone assessment has also identified 26 sites along the coast at risk from coastal erosion including medieval fishtraps, mine sites, roman sites, salt works, the two industrial sites on the at risk register, churches, bronze-age sites, a hill fort and a number of First and Second World War sites. Where protecting these sites from coastal change over time is not possible it will be important to document these sites and where appropriate secure ex situ preservation of the archaeology before they are lost (North West Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment: Phase 2, Eadie, G., 2012, English Heritage).

The Roman fort at Ravenglass marks the southern point of the World Heritage Site associated with Hadrian’s Wall.

The forts and ports were important components of the Roman supply and support infrastructure for the defences of the wall, are important visually and are regular tourist attractions. As well as the World Heritage site itself the chain of Roman sites along the coast are linked by the Hadrian’s Cycleway.

Restoration, repair of traditional buildings, styles and materials is important to cultural heritage. The use of St Bees red sandstone and other local stone in civic buildings, rural villages, farmsteads and barns maintains visual integrity. It is important to ensure continued supplies of local materials for new building and development and that traditional craftsmen/building styles are deployed to continue traditional settlement patterns.

In the rural landscape weakening/loss of field boundary pattern from changes in farmland management such as moves from traditional boundary types to post and wire field boundaries will also affect historic character.

Opportunities – Promote, protect and encourage management and restoration of the built landscape such as cairnfields, fortified farmsteads, forts, castles and religious, industrial and farm buildings using local materials and styles to conserve the built heritage.

Support and promote the training of practitioners/craftsmen in the use of vernacular building styles and materials such as St Bees Sandstone to conserve the built environment and support the local economy.

Increase interpretation, awareness and understanding of the importance of the defensive First World War and Second World War archaeology of Walney Island.

Promote, support and build on the World Heritage Status of the Roman history and the areas mining legacy as part of the area’s economic identity.

Raising awareness of the links between its cultural history and geodiversity.

Seek opportunities to record and interpret sites at risk from coastal change and secure ex situ conservation where appropriate.

Explore opportunities for better management of below ground archaeology such as scrub management, minimum tillage on arable land and reversion of arable to permanent grass supported by measures such as agri-environment schemes

Encourage regular management and restoration of historic field boundary patterns through repair of walls, hedgebanks and kests, and restoration of neglected hedgerows.

Support further research to identify archaeological and historic features, record new finds and provide interpretation and educational experiences to help people understand and appreciate their significance.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Expansive views
• Undeveloped coastline
• Ancient semi-natural woodland
• River valleys and estuaries
• Rural hinterland

State – Though industry has a significant influence upon the area, 43 per cent of the NCA is classified as ‘undisturbed’ in 2007, although this has declined from 53 per cent in the 1960s.

The majority of ‘undisturbed’ and most tranquil land occurs along the undeveloped coastline from Seascale down to Millom associated with the Lake District National Park, within the wooded and sheltered river valleys, estuaries and the farmland inland of Workington and Whitehaven.

Most intrusive and disturbed land associated with the main towns and industries and their connecting roads and infrastructure.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – A sense of tranquillity is most associated with the undeveloped stretches of coastline, coinciding with the Lake District National Park in the south, and the farmland abutting the fells, as well as the patches of ancient woodland that are a feature of the more sheltered valleys.

The expansion of settlements and urban-fringe influences associated with, industry and the main transport road network all have a cumulative and negative impact on tranquillity and require careful planning and consideration when assessing new developments, road upgrades.

Increased pressures from the growing ‘energy’ industry to improve the local economy and provide employment will need to be carefully addressed for its impacts on light and noise pollution within the NCA.

Pressures to modify and improve the current social infrastructure, housing stock and transport links are likely to be strong which may affect future tranquillity.

Protection of the most tranquil and undeveloped areas will require sensitive management to ensure increased visitor numbers do not detract from quiet enjoyment of areas.

Maintenance and management of wooded river valleys, estuaries and viable farming industry on the plain is essential to protect rural hinterland from development and intrusion.

There is a need to protect open vistas along the coast and consider the impact of any new development, including vertical structures such as wind turbines to control visual intrusion and noise/light pollution in future.

Opportunities – Maintain and protect areas of high tranquillity including undeveloped coastal areas, enhance sheltered and wooded river valleys, estuaries and pastoral farmland.

Maintain expansive uninterrupted views and undeveloped coastline from development through careful planning and management for public enjoyment, recreation and biodiversity interests.

Manage and plan housing, industrial and transport infrastructure development to minimise disturbance, control spread of urban fringe and cumulative intrusion and further loss of tranquillity.

Sensitively manage public access and visitor numbers to ensure tranquillity and recreation facilities are protected and risks of negative impacts are minimised allowing the area to continue to be enjoyed.

Promote the calming and restorative effect that contact with tranquil and sensory environments has on people’s health and wellbeing.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

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

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Rights of way network and other paths including National Trails
• Cycle routes
• Cultural and historical heritage
• The Lake District National Park and St Bees Heritage Coast
• Suite of Local and National Nature Reserves and a country park
• Varied coastline
• Rivers
• Restored landscapes
• Woodland
• Open access land
• Common land

State – Recreation is supported by 595 km of public rights of way (at a density of 1.21 km per km2), plus 3 per cent open access land and 6 per cent common land within the NCA.

Statutory access is supplemented by a series of accessible National and Local Nature Reserves along the coast and Longland Lake Country Park providing various levels of permissive access.

The Hadrian’s Wall National Cycleway crosses the area from Ravenglass north while the Coast to Coast path heads East form St Bees. The England Coast Path National trial, with associated spreading room, runs along the coast from Maryport to Whitehaven and is being extended southwards and will provide enhanced opportunity to rest, relax and admire the view.

The coastline, distinctive coastal settlements, historic assets, the Lake District National Park (12 per cent of which is in the NCA) Hadrian’s Wall World Heritage Site and the St Bees Heritage Coast are also popular features for visitors and locals seeking quiet recreation experiences.

Other recreation in the areas includes some water sports along the coast and walking along the coast and the upland fringes.

Main beneficiary – National

Analysis – In most of the NCA recreation is centred on quite experiences of the landscape varying from visiting beaches and nature reserves to walking through the rural landscape. This is supplemented by themed experience such as the Hadrian’s Wall cycle route, Coast to Coast Walk and England Coast Path National Trail linked to particular aspects of the historic or cultural landscape. With the strong natural, historic and industrial heritages of the area there is potential to increase this offer.

The coastal fringe provides a wide range of recreational opportunities and destinations to attract residents and visitors. These are being linked by the England Coast Path National Trail which will seek to improve access to and along the coast within a framework which respects the local environment.

New coastal access such as from Maryport to Whitehaven and the stretch southwards to Silecroft in development offers additional opportunities for recreational experience and a local boost to the economy. The provision of new access will however, need to be managed so as not to detract from the quality of the natural assets along the coast.

The England Coast Path National Trail, will for the first time give people the right of access around all of England’s open coast, including – where appropriate – ‘spreading room’ along the way where they can rest, relax or admire the view. The methodology for implementing the path includes provision to ensure there will be no impact on sensitive features found on and along the coast. It supports future work to protect, or increase, existing access to and from the coast that may provide links to the England Coast Path, and ensures that any landscape enhancement schemes take account of, and where possible incorporate, better public access provision.

There may be opportunities to improve, link and extend existing cycleways and footpath networks away from the coast.

Along the coastline marine litter is a significant issue with the area receiving both local and material washed ashore from the Irish Sea.

In the area around Barrow other forms of coastal recreation including kite surfing are practised. These, alongside more widespread activities such as dog walking along the coastal margin, are popular but can cause disturbance to species such as waders and wildfowl using the shore and shallow waters for feeding, resting and nesting. There is scope for improved management of recreational access to the coastal zone to ensure recreation that complements other uses of the coastal margin for the benefit of both people and wildlife.

Opportunities – Promote, maintain, manage and where possible sustainably extend public rights of way, recreational facilities and sites associated with cultural, historical and natural heritage as key attractions for visitors, providing suitable provision for all levels of ability.

Develop new recreational facilities and experiences linked to the area’s rich and diverse natural heritage.

Develop the England Coast Path National Trail as an opportunity to raise the profile of the breadth of heritage in the coastal zone and develop best practice management.

Plan and manage for a potential increase in visitors to coastal areas, so that increased visitor pressure does not result in damage to coastal habitats important for managing coastal flooding and for biodiversity.

Promote informed, environmentally aware sustainable recreation, particularly in the coastal zone where pressure is high and many wildlife sites and habitats, are sensitive to disturbance.

Promote the value of a high quality environment to increase awareness of its importance as an economic and health and well being asset.

Support sustainable measures to enhance recreation while maintaining character identified in the Lake District National Park Management Plan.

Improve interpretation of the landscape, with its strong geology and historic environment links to enhance quiet enjoyment and understanding for residents and visitors alike.

Seek opportunities to enhance access to the local environment close to where people live and work, allowing local communities to enjoy their environment, take action to improve it, and to benefit from the health and social rewards it affords them.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Recreation
• Biodiversity
• Sense of history
• Tranquillity
• Geodiversity

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Geology
• Open coastline and associated habitats including reefs, coastal sand dunes, coastal vegetated shingle, and maritime cliffs and slopes
• Rivers and streams
• Estuaries and their associated habitats including coastal sand dunes, mudflats and salt marshes
• Semi-natural terrestrial habitats: including woodlands (including ancient woodlands), wetlands such as fens, lowland raised bogs and rivers, and grasslands including purple moorgrass and rush pastures and lowland meadows.
• National Nature Reserves, Local Nature Reserves and a country park
• European and national nature conservation designations including SAC, SPA, Ramsar, SSSI, NNR and MCZ sites

State – International designations cover a range of coastal habitats including sand dune, shingle communities and salt marsh especially around Walney Island, the Duddon and Ravenglass estuaries. These habitats are particularly important for breeding sea birds such as gull and tern colonies, also wintering waders and wildfowl and the natterjack toad which is nationally rare and Cumbria supports 50 per cent of the UK population.

Along the foreshore from Millom northwards are a series of glacial cobble skears supporting honey comb worm reef. The importance of these sites has recently been recognised in the designation of the Cumbria Coast Marine Conservation Zone, one of the first in England. Mussel reefs off Walney island are important feeding grounds for eider ducks, wintering waders and support a mussel fishery.

Maritime cliff and slope in the form of low cliffs along most of the coast north of Millom and high sandstone cliffs at St Bees support a range of species with the St Bees cliffs particularly important for a suite of plant species and breeding seabirds not found elsewhere in the North West of England such as rock sea lavender, guillemot, puffin, razorbill and black guillemot.

Sand dune and shingle communities around Walney Island, the Duddon Estuary, and the estuary at Ravenglass are internationally designated and support many specialist species including northern dune tiger beetle, oyster plant, Isle of Man cabbage and important colonies of gulls and terns, although some species such as roseate tern have been lost.

On Walney island are a suite of saline Lagoons supporting specialist brackish water communities.

Sand and mudflat communities bordering the NCA from the Duddon southwards are critical for many wintering birds and support rare eel-grass beds.

Rivers in the NCA support many rare and specialist species including freshwater pearl mussels, river, sea and brook lampreys, and salmon.

Though much reduced in extent the suite of surviving lowland raised mires, particularly around the Duddon, remain an important refuge for species such as large heath butterfly, and tree pipit.

Through out the NCA from Drigg northwards are a series of basin and valley fens and kettle holes supporting a notable range of wetland communities and many specialists including small pearl-bordered fritillary, adder and a suite of wetland birds. The reedbeds at Siddick Pond are the most extensive in Cumbria and are an important wintering site for bittern.

Purple moor-grass and rush pasture grading into lowland oceanic heath is an under recorded but widespread community, particularly in the Cumbria coalfields area east of Whitehaven. As well as notable plant communities there are populations of wintering hen harrier, marsh fritillary butterfly and breeding curlew. Other unimproved grassland communities are much rarer but include a number of hay meadows and patches of limestone grassland.

Some of the most diverse unimproved grasslands are associated with brown field sites, particularly along the coast. Here they support rare plants such as purple broom rape and small blue butterfly in their only north of England populations.

Although restricted mainly to the river corridors and to some coastal slopes, native woodland is an important feature. The woods are mixed including areas of ash, oak and riparian willow dominated communities.

Coastal and flood plain grazing marsh is most extensive around the Duddon Estuary where although not notified it helps support the wintering wildfowl populations of the estuary.

The NCA also holds important populations of farmland birds, in particular the arable landscape of the St Bees Peninsula, and to a lesser extent on the Cumbria coalfields where species such as tree sparrow, grey partridge, lapwing, and skylark though yellow wagtail have declined and may be locally extinct as is corn bunting.

Main beneficiary – National

Analysis – The NCA hosts a highly varied number of sites of national importance representing a range of habitat types and associated species, including coastal and freshwater
sites that are also internationally designated.

82 per cent of the SSSI are in favourable or unfavourable recovering condition, while 18 per cent is in unfavourable no change or declining condition with some areas part/destroyed. Any decline in range of habitats and species both inside and outside the SSSI may indicate habitats being undermanaged and in sub-optimal condition.

Coastal management including reduced dynamism and over stabilisation of dune systems is an issue in a number of areas.

Diffuse pollution threatens the suite of freshwater sites; management of nutrients and soils on farmland is required so that they are not lost into watercourses.

Continued monitoring and management of invasive species and new diseases is required. Both grey squirrel and signal crayfish threaten their native cousins through disease, and species such as Himalayan balsam, Japanese rose and Japanese knotweed threaten native vegetation.

Plant diseases threaten species such as ash and elm, two of the dominant woodland trees. The spread of new diseases will need monitoring to manage impacts.

Human modification of habitats remains a direct threat for many systems dependant on low nutrient conditions such as species-rich pastures and meadows, sand dunes, and drainage sensitive areas of wetland while successional change following modification is causing the continued decline of many areas of lowland raised bog.

Climate change poses an ongoing risk to many habitats through changing the limits of environmental condition.

Management of human disturbance around sensitive sites such as sand dunes, shingle and intertidal reefs is required.

Native woodlands are at risk from over management, or abandonment of formerly managed woodlands, which would threaten species associated with established woodland cover or open woodland glades respectively.

Brownfield including former industrial sites are at risk from development.

Improved management of individual sites, with restoration, buffering and creation of new habitats will link existing areas improving connectivity and allow species to re-colonise and move between sites to adapt to the impacts of climate change.

Where sites have been restored, but where component species are unlikely to re- colonise because of site isolation specific actions to restore populations will need to be identified and implemented. This may include steps to improve local habitat connectivity to enable re-colonisation or species reintroduction (such as has happened for marsh fritillary). In addition some key species in the NCA require, specific management interventions to maintain and restore populations for example breeding seabirds are disturbance sensitive, and some have been impacted by increasing populations of ground predators.

Opportunities – Protect, maintain, restore and enhance areas of semi-natural habitat of all types, but with particular reference to coastal habitats, lowland raised bogs, basin and valley mires, rivers and unimproved grasslands.

Work with farmers, fishermen and developers to seek opportunities to secure positive management of the coastal environment that integrates shoreline management, development planning, access, fisheries and biodiversity.

Work with farmers and landowners to secure positive management of modified habitats such as arable land and brownfield land to support specialist species through replanting of hedges, woodland and introduction of buffers, margins, while protecting and enhancing the historic aspects of the landscape.

Work with farmers, landowners and water companies to manage agricultural land, remove artificial barriers in rivers to minimise pollution incidents and losses of nutrients and soils into watercourses to improve water quality to benefit biodiversity, recreation.

Promote and encourage local woodfuel networks, to support active management of woodland enhance conditions for species such as red squirrel.

Support the production and marketing of agricultural products that support the management of semi-natural habitats. Through increased uptake of agri-environment schemes.

Promote interpretation to raise awareness and understanding of the biodiversity value of ecosystem services in the NCA at accessible nature conservation/wildlife sites and promote the benefits to the wider environment of integrated management. Seek to minimise disturbance by visitors/recreation at sensitive sites.

Plan and protect the area from invasive non-native species and their impacts.

Seek opportunities to restore lost species through habitat management and where appropriate reestablishment.

Ensure natural coastal processes can evolve through adoption of Shoreline Management Plans and support of Coastal Maritime zone.

Support, encourage adoption and implement the Lake District National Park management plan.

Use nature reserves and other local green spaces to encourage communities to become more involved in biodiversity close to where they live and work, taking part in biological recording through events such as bio-blitz, and by volunteering to be involved in site based conservation activities and in the future planning and management of these sites.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Biodiversity
• Climate regulation
• Food provision
• Regulation of water flow
• Regulating water quality
• Regulating coastal erosion and flooding
• Sense of place/ inspiration
• Sense of history
• Tranquillity
• Recreation
• Geodiversity

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Geology
• Soils
• Rivers and Streams
• Coast/sea
• Quarries

State – Four out of five geological SSSI are in favourable condition.

Important surface exposures exist of many of the area’s geological rock types, either in situ or exposed by quarrying or coastal processes, or in mine spoil heaps.

Some geology is only exposed in sub-surface situations such as mine workings and is generally no longer visible as active mining has ceased in the area.

The estuary systems of the NCA south of St Bees support active and visible geomorphologic processes, with the estuary complex at Ravenglass being particularly unmodified.
Geomorpholgical process along the coast is also visible around Walney where there is extensive reworking of coastal sediments. Active geomorphological process on the peat bogs is generally impacted by past human activity.

In the intertidal zone the cobble skears that are there mains of glacial drumlins are an important feature as they form the substrate on which biogenic reefs of honeycomb worm and mussels establish. The former form the basis of the Marine Conservation Zone in the NCA and the latter are of particular significance supporting a traditional mussel fishery and are a key food resource for the wintering birds.

Main beneficiary – National

Analysis – The underlying geology and geomorphological processes have significantly determined the NCAs character, social and economic history through local mining and quarrying activity and use of local stone in vernacular architecture.

The deep Coal Measures have been extensively worked since the Industrial Revolution. They are now uneconomic but extensive areas have been reworked through open-cast mining and together have provided many opportunities to study and record geological processes leaving a rich mining and cultural heritage. Mining of other mineral resources including iron ore, gypsum and alabaster has all now ceased in the NCA.

Along the coast natural processes have resulted in glacial deposits and sediment reworking into estuarine and coastal landforms while peat formation has occurred in shallow waterlogged basins.

Quarrying of limestone, sandstone and sand deposits continues to be important for local industries. Exploitation of these resources is likely to continue as long as resources allow and there is a market for the products quarried.

Future energy developments such as the proposal for a nuclear waste repository facility are dependent on local geologies.

Maintaining the visibility and accessibility of geological exposures is important to allow their study. Vegetation management on bare rock sites and the pumping of water from mines is critical to their condition, for example access to Florence Mine, ceased when water pumping was stopped.

Glacial features include a number of soft cliff exposures, which are important as sediment sources for nearby coastal stretches and are at risk from actions taken to stabilise them. Reworking of materials from these cliffs and other deposits, including the rocky skears that support coastal fisheries and reefs, is also important in supplying the materials for features such as the storm ridges of Walney. Maintaining active coastal geomorphological processes will be necessary to maintain storm ridges and active dune systems, and they role they play in coastal protection.

Supporting the continued geomorphological function of salt marshes and sand dunes will also support their biodiversity and maintain their carbon sink function.

The lowland raised bogs of the NCA make a notable contribution to the national and international resource of this peat forming habitat and offer future opportunities for carbon credit income streams as well as offering the opportunity to re-establish their geomorphological function as a recorder of palaeo-ecological change.

Opportunities – Continue to maintain and manage views of geological features and exposures through vegetation management, water pumping to allow monitoring and recording.

Seek opportunities to improve access to exposures, cuttings and quarries, and improve interpretation to raise awareness and understanding of the NCAs geodiversity.

Conserve, manage and enhance geological and mixed interest SSSI and Local Geological Sites.

Seek opportunities to promote and increase people’s understanding of the geological heritage and importance of coal-mining to social and economic history.

Support opportunities to restore peatland function as a recorder of palaeo-ecological change.

Seek opportunities to maintain and restore active geomorphological processes including those associated with coastal sand dunes, salt marshes and low land raised bogs.

Seek opportunities to promote and raise awareness of the benefits that natural coastal processes can provide for flood protection, habitat creation and help to ameliorate impacts of climate change.

Encourage maintenance of vernacular buildings, walls and stone-faced earthbank kests using sources of local stone/materials to reinforce sense of history and place and for new build to strengthen character.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Geodiversity
• Biodiversity
• Sense of place/inspiration
• Sense of history
• Regulating water quality
• Regulating coastal erosion and flooding
• Food production