You are here: Home : News : Protection for Urban Habitats
4th Sep, 2007
Almost unnoticed nature conservation in urban areas had a small but significant victory last week. The Government published a new list of the UK’s most threatened species (over eleven hundred of them) and habitats (65 of them).
The new priority habitats are of great interest to those of us practising nature conservation in towns and cities and provide some reward for our efforts over the last few decades. They include rivers, ponds, roadside verges, hedgerows and brownfield sites. Apart from rivers and some ponds these are all man-made habitats. The Government does not use the phrase ‘brownfield sites’, but rather talks of ‘Open Mosaic Habitats on Previously Developed Land’. This is presumably to disguise the policy contradictions between these proposals and the drive for more and more houses anywhere but on so-called greenfield sites. It is acknowledged that ‘One specific item that requires further work, if the proposal is approved, is to further refine the criteria for the selection of the habitat and how these are applied.’
Of the other habitats ‘Ancient and/or species-rich hedgerows’ is to become the broader ‘hedgerows’ and the accompanying note says ‘Priority hedgerows should be those comprising 80% or more cover of any native tree/shrub species. This does not include archaeophytes and sycamore. For the purposes of the UK BAP ‘native’ will not be defined further; it will be left up to the Countries to provide guidance on this as they consider appropriate. ‘Roadside verges’ are now to receive consideration where they ‘support relevant grassland priority habitat types’.
Canals are mentioned in the review, but in a very ambiguous manner. Perhaps we should give a prize to anyone who can unravel this note about them: ‘Although it is clear that at least some canals have developed semi-natural characteristics and a flora/fauna that are recognised as important for nature conservation, and these seem to meet with qualifying Criterion III - Key species and Criterion II – Risk, there is little support to give this habitat priority status because it is considered that sufficient action is already in place through the protected SSSI/SAC site series and Water Framework Directive. Without the support of the JNCC Freshwater Lead Coordination Network, we consider it inappropriate to afford this habitat priority status. If canals are left out of the priority habitat series, this means that the series may not be comprehensive.’
Overall though perhaps at last the quality of habitat is being recognised rather than its origin. (Although somehow heathland always got away with being both anthropomorphic and worthy of protection.)
Some of the species entries may be surprising, and are very relevant to nature conservation in towns and cities. Amongst the 18 mammals causing concern are water voles, otters and hedgehogs. Toads too are on the list. All of these are still found in many urban areas, but not as easily, or in the numbers which they were in the past. Otters are making a comeback but are still at historically low levels, whilst water voles have suffered enormous declines in the last 30 years.
There are many pages of information and justification for the revised lists. If you want to dive in then start at http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2007/070828b.htm
