Biodiversity and Resilience of Ecosystems Duty: Implications and Guidance for Planning and Development

Transcription

1 Biodiversity and Resilience of Ecosystems Duty: Implications and Guidance for Planning and Development Cymdeithas Ecolegwyr Llywodraeth Leol Association of Local Government Ecologists Grŵp rhanbarthol Cymru / Wales Regional Group

2 Background Environment (Wales) 2016: Biodiversity and resilience of ecosystems duty seek to maintain and enhance biodiversity promote the resilience of ecosystems Well-being of Future Generations Act (2015) National and Local Planning Policy Current Guidance

3 Who is aware of the legislative changes? Who has attempted an assessment of ecosystems or ecosystems resilience for a development? How many LPAs present have asked for information on ecosystem resilience?

4 Screening when will Ecosystem Resilience need to be considered? Consultant Reqs: LPA Reqs: Prepare any relevant information to inform screening, e.g. from existing data/desk study if available. (Particularly relevant where an EIA screening report is to be produced). Seek LPA screening opinion Screening advice: ecosystem resilience assessment/ information required for: all major, large or DNS applications local development only where within or adjacent to sensitive location, e.g. protected site consider on site by site basis

5 Consultant Reqs: Scoping LPA Reqs: Define the ZoI Define information to be collected Prepare any relevant information to inform scoping, e.g. from existing data/desk study if available. (Particularly relevant where an EIA scoping report is to be produced). Seek LPA Scoping Opinion. Review any scoping information submitted and agree ZoI Standard advice EcIA including extended phase 1 Use existing knowledge/data to advice on additional targeted surveys e.g. peat, hydrology

6 What is Ecosystem Resilience? SoNaRR Attributes of Resilience: Condition Connectivity Diversity Adaptability Extent Holling 2001, Gunderson and Holling 2002

7 Baseline Presence Condition Extent Diversity Connectivity

8 Presence Identify the ecosystem types present within the ZoI UK National Ecosystem Assessment Moors, mountains and heaths Semi-natural grasslands Enclosed farmland Woodland Freshwater, wetlands and floodplains Urban Coastal margins Marine Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystems and their Services Urban Cropland Grassland Woodland and forest Heathland and scrub Sparsely vegetated areas Wetlands Rivers and lakes Marine inlets and transitional waters Marine

9 Condition Classify the practical habitat units What are they? How is the habitat being used? Existing pressures? Lowland semi-natural grassland Ploughing Fertiliser input & pesticide Scrub encroachment Floodplains/ Grazing Marsh Eutrophication Pollution INNS

10 Diversity Development Site Diversity of different habitat types in the development site Diversity within each habitat unit Diversity between habitats of the same type In the ZoI Habitat Richness Density The number of different habitats in the ZoI Helps us to consider the available habitat for receiving protected and priority species Philip Roche and Ilse Geijzendorffer, 2013

11 Extent

12 Connectivity Hale JD, Fairbrass AJ, Matthews TJ, Sadler JP (2012) Environment Systems Ltd on behalf of the Powys Nature Recovery Partnership (2017)

13 Data Interpretation Information Set out baseline in context of the ER aspects Impacts relate biophysical changes to ER aspects Tools for presentation e.g. Mapping Constraints and Opportunities Plan (showing ZoI and ecosystem types) Constraints and Opportunities Table

14 Opportunities Risks Risks Development proposals Ecosystem Resilience Factors Haggis Farm Mynydd Scotica NEA Practical Diversity Extent Condition Connectivity Development proposals Ecosystem Resilience Factors Broad Habitat Haggis Farm Mynydd Scotica NEA Practical Diversity Extent Condition Connectivity Habitat (or Unit Broad Habitat Habitat equivalent) (or Unit Habitat loss (10ha) of DBB, equivalent) Mountain, Degraded 10% loss of habitat 10% loss of extent Poor current 10% loss of extent. Habitat additional loss drainage, (10ha) of changes DBB, Mountain, Moorland Degraded Blanket 10% extent loss on of site. habitat 10% loss of extent Poor condition current will be 10% Minor loss of extent. additional in hydrological drainage, regime, changes peat Moorland Blanket Bog extent Likely loss on site. of condition further degraded will be Minor fragmentation in excavation hydrological and regime, increased peat and Heathland Bog (100ha) Likely diversity. loss of further through degraded additional fragmentation likely excavation oxidisation and increased erosion of Heathland (3.6) (100ha) diversity. through drainage likely oxidisation and erosion of (3.6) peat resource. peat resource. Felling of ~300ha of Coniferous 20% loss of extent. 20% loss of extent Poor. Dominated 20% loss of extent. Felling of ~300ha of Coniferous 20% loss of extent. 20% loss of extent Poor. Dominated 20% loss of extent. woodland. woodland. Habitat Habitat loss, loss, plantation plantation No No loss loss of of diversity diversity by by non-native non-native sp. sp. Minor Minor changes in hydrological (1500ha) Heavily drained fragmentation regime, regime. peat excavation and where on peat. likely increased Habitat restoration. oxidisation and Blanket Likely increase in Net increase in Significantly Areas of erosion Reinstatement/ of peat resource. blocking of Bog (90ha) bog species blanket bog extent improved condition restoration Habitat historic restoration. drainage in peat. Degraded diversity, of blanket bog targeted to Reinstatement/ Hydrological design blocking to of Blanket particularly of from degraded maximise historic drainage in peat. Bog maintain and re-connect specialist species condition connectivity Hydrological design to (100ha) natural hydrological regime. maintain and re-connect natural Removal hydrological of non-native regime. tree Acid Conversion to low Potential for ~20% Likely improved Unlikely to Removal species. Habitat of non-native restoration tree Coniferous Grassland/ Conversion intensity haggis to low Potential increase in for seminatural habitat in semi- previously improve ~20% condition, significantly species. andre-connect Habitat natural restoration. plantation Heathland intensity farming likely haggis to increase Reinstatement/ hydrological regime. blocking of (1500ha) Mosaic farming increase likely diversity. to natural extent habitat overplanted with connectivity due to historic drainage in peat. (300ha) increase diversity. extent conifers. continued Hydrological design to presence of maintain and re-connect surrounding conifer natural hydrological regime. plantation.

15 Submission Consultant Requirements: Submit ER information or full ERA to LPA with planning application LPA Requirements: Validation Requirements Review submission Ecosystem Resilience Assessment

16 LPA ERA Pro-forma 1. Is an Ecosystem Resilience Assessment Required? Yes No Why is an ERA required or why is it not? 2. Summary of Ecosystem Resilience Information relevant to the Planning Application: Plan of identified Ecosystems, Constraints and Opportunities within the Zone of Influence Summary table

17 Ecosystem Type/description: Mountain, Moorland and Heathland Ecosystem Resilience Aspect Impact Mitigation and or Compensation Proposed (including monitoring) Residual Impact Enhancements Diversity between and within ecosystems The connections between and within ecosystems The scale of ecosystems Loss of 10ha degraded blanket bog with associated reduction in diversity. No loss of diversity due to loss of conifer plantation. Minor additional fragmentation predicted, particularly due to existing conifer plantation. 10ha loss of degraded blanket bog. 300ha loss of conifer plantation. Restoration of 90ha (including 10ha compensation for loss) of blanket bog, likely to significantly increase diversity of bog species. Areas of restoration of bog targeted to maximise connectivity. Restoration of 90ha (including 10ha compensation for loss) of blanket bog. Net gain. Key links for bog maintained otherwise still minor fragmentation of remaining restored habitats. Net gain. Restoration of 90ha (including 10ha compensation for loss) of blanket bog, likely to significantly increase diversity of bog species. Acid grassland and heat mosaic restoration (300ha), likely to significantly increase diversity of species. Restoration of habitat, likely to increase connectivity if only as stepping stones and corridors. Restoration of 90ha (including 10ha compensation for loss) of blanket bog. Acid grassland and heat mosaic restoration (300ha). The condition of ecosystems (including their structure and functioning) The adaptability of ecosystems Degraded blanket bog in poor condition likely to be exacerbated. Conifer plantation in poor condition. Adaptability of ecosystem to biophysical change, climate change etc, likely to be adversely impacted. Restoration of 90ha of blanket bog, likely to significantly improve condition. Habitat restoration likely to improve adaptability. Net improvement. Net improvement. Acid grassland and heath mosaic restoration, will improve the condition of the ecosystem significantly. Habitat restoration likely to improve overall adaptability. Is the information submitted to inform the ERA suitable and does it address all aspects of ecosystem resilience? Yes No If no, is further information necessary? Yes No

18 3. Overall ERA Conclusion: Will the development result in impacts that will risk the resilience of the ecosystems identified and if so will this have implications for the ecosystem benefits gained from the ecosystems reported? No objection No objection (subject to any specified conditions) Concerns have been identified (see below for how those concerns can be addressed by the applicant) Objection on the grounds set out below Recommendations for conditions/s106: Or, further information needed to address concerns: Or, grounds for objection:

19 Questions and Comments We particularly want feedback on: The approach taken by the consultant is slightly different to the LPA do these work together, how do we marry these processes? Presentation of the risks and opportunities. Integration with non-ecia projects

20 Acknowledgements The ERA guidance is being developed by a working group of ALGE/CIEEM members with help from Welsh Government, Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales and Natural Resources Wales. Particular thanks go to: Matthew Harris, Nigel Ajax-Lewis, Siobhan Wiltshire and Diana Clark; whose inputs have been invaluable.

21 Rebecca Sharp E: Thank you for listening! Contact details of the speakers: Mike Shewring E: T: T: Neil Parker E: T