Condition of Biodiversity on the Region
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Condition of Biodiversity in the Region
Biodiversity is important not only because it enriches our lives but a healthy natural environment also provides a wide range of services that help sustain us. However only 4 % of the region is considered to support semi-natural habitat, considerably less than other regions within England except for Greater London.
WMBP Biodiversity Audit
The Regional Biodiversity Audit was completed in 2001. The Audit provides some key region information but this now needs to be updated. The key conclusions from this report are;
The audit shows that the West Midlands contains 21 of the 26 priority wildlife habitats and one quarter of the 526 priority species identified in the UKBAP. This species and habitat diversity reflects the variety of the Region’s natural assets, including upland moorland, woodlands, heathlands, grassland, river floodplain and extensive areas of arable and pastoral farmland.
The audit shows that the West Midlands contains 21 of the 26 priority wildlife habitats and one quarter of the 526 priority species identified in the UKBAP. This species and habitat diversity reflects the variety of the Region’s natural assets, including upland moorland, woodlands, heathlands, grassland, river floodplain and extensive areas of arable and pastoral farmland.
Some of the most important sites where these habitats and species are found have been identified and/or designated under various international and national conventions and laws. For example, 19 candidate Special Areas of Conservation (SAC’s) and 1 Special Protection Area (SPA) are recognised as amongst the most important sites for wildlife and birds in Europe.
The status and population trends of a subset of the region’s UK priority species are an urgent concern. Several species occur in very few (and sometimes unprotected) localities, e.g. tassel stonewort, are in severe decline, e.g. pearl-bordered fritillary, or are now locally extinct, e.g. pillwort in Shropshire. Others are recently lost from the region, e.g. marsh warbler and black grouse, or await confirmation of this fact, e.g. buttoned snout moth. The most vulnerable species usually have special and restricted habitat needs but others are in fast decline over large areas of typical countryside, such as corn bunting on arable farmland.
Halting Biodiverity Loss by 2010
In January 2006, Wildlife and Countryside Link (Link) published a challenge to Government by setting out what they thought the 2010 biodiversity commitment meant and how progress should be measured. Link agreed to look at progress on an annual basis, to highlight successes or failures around the turn of the year. The assessment of progress made during 2008 has been published and the report is available, or visit their web site for more information.
State of Natural Environment Report
Natural England produced a ‘State of Natural Environment Report’ in 2008 which provides more up to date information on the nation’s wildlife.
Most of the best wildlife sites within the West Midlands region are small and isolated. Richer landscapes exist particularly associated with the upland regions where habitats tend to be less fragmented. Other areas of extensive habitat include of areas of woodland such as the Wyre Forest, areas of heathland around Cannock Chase and along the river valleys. Although many of the region’s habitats are fragmented or much reduced in extent the region still supports significant proportions of the following:
Lowland meadows. probably our most important habitat, the region supports approximately 20% of the total England resource, found particularly in Worcestershire but also across the whole region. Meadows are probably the most highly fragmented and most threatened of our habitats. Key sites include Mottley Meadows NNR in Staffordshire which still supports populations of snakes-head Fritillary one of the few locations for this plant outside the Thames Basin.
Lowland heathlands also extremely important, the region supports approximately 9% of the total resource for England. Key species associated with this habitat include birds such as nightjar and woodlark; and insects such as the silver studded blue butterfly which occurs at Prees Heath, its most northly location within the British Isles. Key sites can be found within Cannock Chase AONB within Staffordshire.
Lowland dry acid grassland occurs across the region particularly I the uplands, in Worcestershire and associated with heathland amounting to approximately 9 % of the England resource. On the Malvern Hills the nationally rare high-brown fritillary butterfly can be found in association with bracken, this species has suffered a dramatic decline recently and this is a national key location for this species.
Broad-leaved woodland Approximately 10% of England’s total resource survives within the region. This habitat can be found across the region although much has been replanted with conifers the slow process of reverting these woodlands back to native broadleaves has begun. Key sites include Wyre Forest, one of England’s largest ancient lowland oak coppice woodlands this site supports England largest population of pearl-bordered fritillary butterflies.
Lowland wood pasture and Parkland Although no precise national inventory exists it is believed that this region supports 9% of the total resource for England. The ancient trees associated with this habitat along with the grazed habitat beneath are extremely important for invertebrates and lower plants such as fungi and lichen. Key sites include Moccas Park in Herefordshire, one of the largest and most diverse wood pastures in Britain, supporting a rich diversity of plants and animals including over 700 beetles, nineteen of which are national rarities.
Open mosaic habitats on previously developed land. Recently recognised as a nationally important habitat, areas in and around Stoke, Birmingham and the quarry workings within Warwickshire support valuable areas of this habitat which is an important resource for many scarce invertebrates, including a range of butterflies and moths (e.g. Dingy Skipper, Grizzled Skipper, Small Blue, Grayling, Chalk Carpet moth).
Rivers and canals are of particular importance for the wetland habitats associated with their floodplains particularly the wet grasslands that still support breeding waders but also reedbeds and more diverse habitats such as the only inland saltmarsh within the country on the River Trent in Staffordshire. The river system is also important for a range of species not including Allis shad and twaite shad which are known to spawn in the River Teme and Severn, and the Depressed river mussels which are under serious threat right across Europe, but still survive in the River Teme and Freshwater pearl mussels with a few scattered individuals across the Midlands. Birmingham supports a over 100 miles of canals which are of importance for local wildlife and just outside Birmingham on the Cannock Extension canal the rare ; floating water plantain (Luronium natans) an internationally scarce plant can be found, potentially the most important population surviving within England
Lowland raised bogs and fens found within the north of Staffordshire and Shropshire within the area know as the Meres & Mosses. Key sites including Aqualate Mere important for its wintering waterfowl and breeding waders.
Traditional Orchards found predominantly within Herefordshire and Worcestershire these are particularly not only for their genetic variety but also for the range of invertebrates and lichens they support including the rare Nobel Chafer. Of particular note is the recent discovery of the golden eye lichen (Teloschistes chrysophthalmus) a lichen believed extinct until it’s recent discovery in Herefordshire.
Condition of habitats The most recent Countryside Survey has found that the ecological condition of a wide range of habitats has declined with continued loss in terms of overall species richness. Certain species are monitored more closely than others such as birds and butterflies and are recognised to be indicators for the wider range of species. The index of Wild birds for instance has shown that populations across the region continue to decline with some species suffering dramatic declines (-17% between 1994 and 2006) particularly those specialist species associated with agricultural land. The declines are of particular concern as the region still supports nationally important populations of specialist farmland birds such as corn bunting with hotspots for these species within south Warwickshire and central Shropshire.. Species associated with other habitats have also declined but the decline has not been as dramatic. Ring ouzel along wth the black grouse are no longer breed within the region and other species such as turtle dove, curlew, lapwing and snipe now only breed in very locations within the region. The decline in breeding birds is also occurring within the urban areas with results from the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch survey have shown that house sparrows have declined by 64% in the Birmingham & Black County since 1979.