Appendix 1 - Distinctiveness Bands for the Biodiversity Offsetting Pilot

Transcription

1 Appendix 1 - Distinctiveness Bands for the Biodiversity Offsetting Pilot This Appendix is designed to be used alongside the Guidance for offset providers, and the Guidance for developers. Both these documents are available on Defra s website at: Proposed rules of applying distinctiveness scores The habitat parcel is first scored on its main habitat (primary not secondary category 1 ). If one or more secondary categories are also allocated to the parcel, the highest distinctiveness score takes precedence. e.g. an improved grassland, wood-pasture and parkland parcel would be scored because the distinctiveness score of wood-pasture and parkland () takes precedence over that of improved grassland (1). However, a secondary category with a lower distinctiveness score has no effect e.g. scattered bracken (1) on lowland calcareous grassland (). Note the rows are ordered by descending distinctiveness, main habitats before secondary categories, Integrated Habitat System (IHS) 2 order. Blue font shows a Priority Habitat or Annex 1 habitat 4, or a child category of one of these. Indented codes and labels show the IHS hierarchy. Please Note: This table is provided purely for use in the offsets pilot. Some of the rows have been removed, with permission from Bill Butcher, to simplify the table for this use. (c) Treweek Environmental Consultants Not for distribution or onward transmission without the written consent of TEC. All rights reserved 1 secondary categories are included for use in combination with a main habitat, where present. 2 Section 41(S41) of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities (NERC) Act requires the Secretary of State to publish a list of habitats and species which are of principal importance for the conservation of biodiversity in England. Further information about this list can be found here: Habitats Directive Annex I habitat types presently known to occur within the UK

2 IHS Code IHS Label Distinctiveness recommendation secondary category Distinctiveness Band for the Biodiversity Offsetting Pilot WB Broadleaved woodland Upland oakwood [=Old sessile oak woods with Ilex and Blechnum WB1 in the British Isles(AN1)] WB2 Upland mixed ashwoods WB21 Tilio-Acerion forests of slopes, screes and ravines [upland] WB2Z Other upland mixed ashwoods WB Beech and yew woodlands WB1 Lowland beech and yew woodland Atlantic acidophilous beech forests with Ilex and sometimes also Taxus in the shrublayer (Quercion robori-petraeae or Ilici- WB11 Fagenion) Asperulo-Fagetum beech forests WB12 Taxus baccata woods of the British Isles WB1 Other lowland beech and yew woodland WB1Z WBZ Other beech and yew woodlands WB4 Wet woodland Alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior (Alno- WB41 Padion, Alnion incanae, Salicion albae) WB42 Bog woodland WB4Z Other wet woodland WB5 Upland birchwoods

3 WB6 Lowland mixed deciduous woodland WB61 Old acidophilous oak woods with Quercus robur on sandy plains Sub-Atlantic and medio-european oak or oak-hornbeam forests WB62 of the Carpinion betuli WB6 Tilio-Acerion forests of slopes, screes and ravines [lowland] WB6Z Other lowland mixed deciduous woodland WBZ Other broadleaved woodland WC1 Native pine woodlands WC11 Caledonian forest WC1Z Other native pine woodlands GA1 Lowland dry acid grassland GA11 Inland dunes with open Corynephorus and Agrostis grasslands GA1Z Other lowland dry acid grassland GC0 Calcareous grassland GC1 Lowland calcareous grassland Semi-natural dry grasslands and scrubland facies on calcareous GC11 substrates [Festuco-Brometalia] Semi-natural dry grasslands and scrubland facies on calcareous GC12 substrates [Festuco-Brometalia] [important orchid sites] GC2 Upland calcareous grassland GC21 Alpine and subalpine calcareous grasslands Species-rich Nardus grassland on siliceous substrates in mountain GC22 areas GN1 Lowland meadows Lowland hay meadows [Alopecurus pratensis, Sanguisorba GN11 officinalis] GN1Z Other lowland meadows GN2 Upland hay meadows [= Northern hay meadows (AN1)] HE0 Dwarf shrub heath

4 HE1 European dry heaths HE2 Wet heaths HE21 Northern Atlantic wet heaths with Erica tetralix HE22 Temperate Atlantic wet heaths with Erica ciliaris and Erica tetralix HE2Z Other wet heaths HE Lichen/Bryophyte heath HEZ Other dwarf shrub heath EO0 Bog EO1 Blanket bog [=Blanket bogs (AN1)] EO2 Lowland raised bog EO21 Degraded raised bogs still capable of natural regeneration EO22 Active raised bogs EO2Z Other lowland raised bogs EM0 Fen, marsh and swamp EM1 Swamp EM11 Reedbeds Calcareous fens with Cladium mariscus and species of the Carex EM12 davallianae EM1 Upland flushes, fens and swamps [swamps] EM1Z Other swamp vegetation EM2 Marginal and inundation vegetation EM21 Marginal vegetation EM22 Inundation vegetation EM Fens EM1 Lowland fens Calcareous fens with Cladium mariscus and species of the Carex EM11 davallianae EM12 Springs Petrifying springs with tufa formation [Cratoneurion]

5 EM121 EM12Z Other springs EM1 Alkaline fens [lowland] EM14 Transition mires and quaking bogs [lowland] EM15 Depressions on peat substrates (Rhynchosporion) EM1Z Other lowland fens EM2 Upland flushes, fens and swamps [flushes and fens] EM21 Alpine pioneer formations of Caricion bicoloris-atrofuscae EM22 Alkaline fens [upland] EM2 Transition mires and quaking bogs [upland] EM2Z Other upland flushes and fens EMZ Other fens, transition mires, springs and flushes EM4 Purple moor grass and rush pastures [Molinia-Juncus] Molinia meadows on calcareous, peaty or clayey-silt-laden soils EM41 [Molinia caeruleae] EM4Z Other purple moor grass and rush pastures [Molinia-Juncus] AS11 Natural dystrophic lakes and ponds AS111 Oligotrophic and dystrophic lakes [dystrophic] AS112 Dystrophic ponds AS21 Oligotrophic and dystrophic lakes [oligotrophic] Hard oligo-mesotrophic waters with benthic vegetation of Chara AS211 spp. Oligotrophic to mesotrophic standing waters with vegetation of AS212 the littorella uniflorae and/or the Isoeto-nanojuncetea AS21Z Other oligotrophic lakes AS Mesotrophic standing waters AS1 Mesotrophic lakes Hard oligo-mesotrophic waters with benthic vegetation of Chara AS11 spp.

6 Oligotrophic to mesotrophic standing waters with vegetation of AS12 the littorella uniflorae and/or the Isoeto-nanojuncetea AS1Z Other mesotrophic lakes ASZ Other mesotrophic standing waters AS41 Eutrophic standing waters Natural eutrophic lakes with Magnopotamion or Hydrocharitiontype vegetation AS411 AS41Z Other eutrophic standing waters AS7 Aquifer fed naturally fluctuating water bodies AR1 Rivers AR11 Headwaters AR111 Chalk headwaters Water courses of plain to montane levels with the Ranunculion fluitantis and Callitricho-Batrachion vegetation (headwaters on chalk) AR1111 Tufa streams (Ranunculion fluitantis) AR11111 Non-tufa Ranunculion fluitantis headwaters AR1111Z AR1112 Other tufa streams AR111Z Other chalk headwaters AR112 Exposed riverine sediments [headwaters] AR11Z Other headwaters AR12 Chalk rivers (not including chalk headwaters) Water courses of plain to montane levels with the Ranunculion AR121 fluitantis and Callitricho-Batrachion vegetation (chalk substrate) AR12Z Other chalk rivers AR1 Exposed riverine sediments [non headwaters] AR11 Active shingle rivers [non headwaters]

7 AR12 Exposed riverine sediments predominantly sandy MH1 Mountain heaths and willow scrub MH11 Alpine and boreal heaths MH12 Siliceous Alpine and Boreal grassland MH1Z Other montane heaths CR61 Arable field margins RE111 Inland rock outcrop and scree habitats Siliceous scree of the montane to snow levels (Androsacetalia RE1111 alpinae and Galeopsietalia ladani) Calcareous and calschist screes of the montane to alpine levels RE1112 (Thlaspietea rotundifolii) RE111 Calcareous rocky slopes with chasmophytic vegetation RE1114 Siliceous rocky slopes with chasmophytic vegetation RE111Z Other inland rock outcrop and scree habitats RE141 Caves not open to the public LF11 Hedgerows LF111 Important hedgerows LF11Z Non-important hedgerows SR11 Vegetated sea cliffs of the Atlantic and Baltic coasts SS1 Coastal sand dunes SS11 Embryonic shifting dunes Shifting dunes along the shoreline with Ammophila arenaria SS12 ["white dunes"] SS1 Fixed dunes with herbaceous vegetation ["grey dunes"] SS14 Decalcified fixed dunes SS141 Atlantic decalcified fixed dunes [Calluno-Ulicetea] SS142 Decalcified fixed dunes with Empetrum nigrum SS15 Dunes with Salix repens ssp. argentea [Salicion arenariae] SS16 Dunes with Sea buckthorn [Hippophae rhamnoides]

8 SS17 Humid dune slacks SS18 Coastal dunes with Juniperus spp. SS1Z Other sand dunes SS1 Coastal vegetated shingle SS11 Perennial vegetation of stony banks SS12 Annual vegetation of drift lines LR1 Intertidal chalk LR2 Tide-swept channels [intertidal] LR21 Submerged or partly submerged sea caves LR2Z Other intertidal surge gullies and caves LR Sabellaria alveolata reefs LR4 Fragile sponge and anthozoan communities on rocky habitats LR5 Intertidal underboulder communities LS1 Blue mussel beds on sediment [littoral] LS2 Seagrass beds [Zostera noltii] LS Coastal saltmarsh LS1 Salicornia and other annuals colonising mud and sand LS2 Spartina swards [Spartinion maritimae] LS Atlantic salt meadows [Glauco-Puccinellietalia maritimae] LS4 Mediterranean salt meadows [Juncetalia maritima] LS5 Inland salt meadows [Sarcocornetea] Mediterranean and thermo-atlantic halophilous scrubs LS6 [Sarcocornetea fruticosi] LSZ Other saltmarsh LS4 Intertidal mudflats LS41 Mudflats and sandflats not covered by sea water at low tide LS4Z Other intertidal mudflats LS5 Sheltered muddy gravels LS6 Peat and clay exposures with piddocks [littoral]

9 IR1 Reefs IR11 Chalk reefs IR1Z Other subtidal reefs IR2 Sabellaria spinulosa reefs IR Sheltered sublittoral cliffs [in rias] IR5 Tide-swept channels [subtidal] IR6 Subtidal chalk IR7 Horse mussel beds IR8 Peat and clay exposures with piddocks [sublittoral] IR9 Submerged or partly submerged sea caves IRZ Other sublittoral rock IS1 Mud habitats in deep water IS2 Subtidal sands and gravels [inshore] IS21 Sandbanks which are slightly covered by sea water all the time IS2Z Other sublittoral sands and gravels [inshore] IS Seagrass beds [Zostera marina & Z.angustifolia] IS4 Maerl beds IS5 Saline Lagoons [= Coastal lagoons (AN1)] IS6 Serpulid reefs IS7 Blue mussel beds on sediment [sublittoral] IS8 File shell beds OS1 Subtidal sands and gravels [Offshore] CS1 Carbonate mounds CS2 Deep-sea sponge communities OC1 Seamount communities TS1 Scattered trees some veteran 1 TS11 Broadleaved 1 TS12 Mixed 1 TS1 Coniferous 1

10 AC111 Species-rich drains, rhynes and ditches 1 AP11 Pond [UK BAP Priority Pond] 1 WM2 Coppice with standards 1 WM Pure coppice 1 WM5 Wood-pasture and parkland 1 WM51 Currently managed wood pasture/parkland 1 WM52 Relic wood pasture/parkland 1 WM6 Pollarded woodland 1 CL1 Traditional orchards 1 HL1 Lowland Heathland 1 HU1 Upland Heathland 1 CF1 Coastal and floodplain grazing marsh 1 ES11 Estuarine rocky habitats 1 LP1 Limestone pavement 1 MC1 Maritime cliff and slopes 1 MA1 Machair [= Machair (AN1)] 1 Calaminarian Grasslands [=Calaminarian grasslands of the Violetalia PI1 Calaminariae(AN1)] 1 PI2 Open Mosaic Habitats on Previously Developed Land 1 WB1 Mixed woodland 2 Medium WB2 Scrub woodland 2 Medium GAZ Upland acid grassland 2 Medium GNZ Other neutral grassland 2 Medium GU0 Grassland, possibly unimproved 2 Medium Continuous bracken communities with a diverse vernal flora (NVC BR1 U20a) 2 Medium EOZ Other bogs 2 Medium AS1Z Other dystrophic standing water 2 Medium AS2 Oligotrophic standing waters 2 Medium

11 AS2Z Other oligotrophic standing waters 2 Medium AS4 Eutrophic standing waters 2 Medium AS4Z Other eutrophic standing waters 2 Medium AS5 Marl standing water 2 Medium AS6 Brackish standing water with no sea connection 2 Medium ASZ Other standing open water and canals 2 Medium MHZ Other montane habitats 2 Medium CR2 Withy beds 2 Medium CR6 Arable headland or uncultivated strip 2 Medium CR6Z Other arable headland or uncultivated strip 2 Medium RE14 Caves 2 Medium RE14Z Other caves 2 Medium RE1Z Other natural rock exposure feature 2 Medium LF12 Line of trees 2 Medium LF27 Transport corridor with natural land surface 2 Medium SR1 Hard rock sea cliffs 2 Medium SR2 Boulders and rock above the high tide mark 2 Medium SR Soft rock sea cliffs 2 Medium SRZ Other Supralittoral rock 2 Medium SS Shingle above high tide mark 2 Medium SSZ Other shingle above high tide mark 2 Medium SS4 Strandline vegetation 2 Medium SSZ Other supralittoral sediment 2 Medium LRZ Other littoral rock 2 Medium LSZ Other littoral sediment 2 Medium ISZ Other inshore sediment 2 Medium OSZ Other offshore Shelf Sediment 2 Medium CSZ Other Continental Shelf Slope 2 Medium OCZ Other oceanic seas 2 Medium

12 WA1 Ancient woodland site 2 1 Medium WCZ Other coniferous woodland 1 Low GI0 Improved grassland 1 Low GP0 Grassland, probably improved 1 Low BR0 Bracken 1 Low BRZ Other continuous bracken 1 Low ARZ Heavily modified rivers and streams 1 Low CR1 Grass and grass-clover leys 1 Low CR2 Cereal crops 1 Low CR Non-cereal crops including woody crops 1 Low CR1 Intensively managed orchards 1 Low CR Vineyards 1 Low CR4 Game crops 1 Low CR5 Miscanthus 1 Low CRZ Other non-cereal crops including woody crops 1 Low CR4 Freshly ploughed 1 Low CR5 Whole field fallow 1 Low CR7 Freshly harvested/stubble 1 Low CRZ Other arable and horticulture 1 Low RE2 Artificial rock exposures and waste 1 Low RE21 Quarry 1 Low RE2 Mine 1 Low RE2Z Other artifical rock exposure and waste 1 Low LF1Z Other hedges/line of trees 1 Low LF2 Other boundaries and linear features 1 Low LF21 Line of trees (not originally intended to be stock proof) 1 Low LF22 Bank 1 Low LF2 Wall 1 Low LF24 Dry ditch 1 Low

13 LF25 Grass strip 1 Low LF272 Transport corridor associated verges only 1 Low UR0 Built-up areas and gardens 1 Low OV0 Unknown terrestrial vegetation 1 Low OV1 Other unknown terrestrial vegetation, possibly wetland 1 Low OV2 Undetermined gorse 1 Low OV Undetermined young woodland 1 Low OVZ Other unknown terrestrial vegetation 1 Low SR0 Supralittoral Rock 1 Low RE22 Spoil heap 0 0 RE24 Refuse tip 0 0 LF26 Fence 0 0 LF27 Transport corridors 0 0 LF271 Transport corridor without associated verges 0 0