High Nature Value Farming in the Northern Upland Chain

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1 High Nature Value Farming in the Northern Upland Chain 1. Introduction High Nature Value (HNV) farming systems are characterised by low-intensity, traditional land management. They typically support high levels of biodiversity and deliver other important ecosystem services such as carbon or water storage. If these systems are to survive, they need to be widely recognised as valuable and need mechanisms put in place to ensure their long-term sustainability. The Northern Upland Chain Local Nature Partnership (LNP) area supports a number of sub-areas which are excellent examples of High Nature Value farming. The value to society of these farming systems is poorly appreciated, however, and their long-term survival is far from certain. Semi-natural grasslands are one of the cornerstones of HNV farming and European farmland biodiversity. A number of sub-areas within the Northern Upland Chain LNP area support outstanding examples of these habitats and include: the majority of the UK resource of species-rich upland hay meadows virtually the entire English population of black grouse some of the highest densities and most important populations of breeding wading birds in the UK. This important biodiversity exists on extensively farmed, low-intensity grassland which will also be providing important public goods in terms of carbon storage, soil conservation, protection of water resources and provision of habitat for invertebrate pollinators. Those who are farming these areas are delivering a fine example of High Nature Value farming. However, farming here is marginal and difficult there is a constant pressure to improve (modest) farm incomes and to modernise. Despite the many benefits these farmers deliver on behalf of society, for them, delivery of these benefits often seems like a burden. Despite the presence of agri-environment scheme incentives since the late 1980s, there is evidence that the biodiversity value of our semi-natural habitats is declining. If these declines are to be halted, the knowledge and motivation of the people who are farming these lands must be harnessed and supported, both socially and economically. A new approach to supporting HNV farming in the Northern Upland Chain needs to be developed. This project will be a first step in doing this by developing a pilot approach in a number of areas within the LNP.

2 2. Local Nature Partnership HNV farming working group A working group has been set up to develop and progress an HNV farming project for the Northern Upland Chain. The group held its first meeting in February 2013 and comprises: Gary Smith Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority Helen Keep Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority Rebecca Barrett North Pennines AONB Partnership Paul Burgess Nidderdale AONB Partnership Andrew Miller Northumberland National Park Authority Mary Gough Northumberland National Park Authority Adrian Vass Natural England David Shaw Natural England Ian Ryding RSPB Laurie Norris NFU Malcolm Newsome Tyne Rivers Trust Farmer representatives from the four protected areas are to be invited to future meetings of this group. 3. A Plan of Action The LNP HNV farming working group has agreed the following aim, objectives and actions for the project. Aim To build a shared vision with the farming community for safeguarding the future of extensive farming and the wildlife it supports (i.e. High Nature Value Farming) within the Northern Upland Chain Protected Areas - Nidderdale AONB, North Pennines AONB, Northumberland National Park, Yorkshire Dales National Park. Objectives Work with and through four groups of farmers in the four Protected Areas to: 1. Celebrate and raise awareness of the importance of extensive upland farming to nature conservation and the provision of other public goods such as beautiful historic landscapes, production of high quality water and food, carbon storage. 2. Identify and increase understanding of the threats to these extensive or High Nature Value (HNV) farming systems. 3. Identify opportunities for securing a long term future for these farms. 4. Explore and test some of the approaches identified with a view to informing future land management policy and support measures including agri-environment schemes.

3 Case studies Four case studies will be developed and progressed, one in each of the four protected areas. Details of these are given in the following section. Each case study will include the following actions: 1. Characterise the area in terms of the status and trends in biodiversity and ecosystem services. 2. Characterise the area in terms of the status and trends in farm economies. 3. Characterise the area in terms of farm management practices and land-use characteristics. 4. Through interviews/discussions with a representative sample of farmers, seek their views on key issues and opportunities in relation to biodiversity and farm economies. 5. Present the information gathered for each case example and undertake a SWOT analysis through facilitated workshops for farmers and key stakeholders. These will highlight knowledge gaps and further research requirements. 6. Identify potential opportunities or new approaches for securing a sustainable future for HNV farming within the LNP area. 7. Produce a concise and accessible report for each case example including recommendations for trialling potential new approaches. Outputs The four case studies will together deliver the following outputs: 10 workshops with farmers within the four study areas One joint, facilitated workshop for farmers and key stakeholders from each of the study areas A final report for the Local Nature Partnership area detailing: - the status of biodiversity, ecosystem services and farm economies for each of the four study areas - farmers views on key issues and opportunities drawn from structured interviews from each of the study areas - costed recommendations for how to progress the work in terms of promotion and the establishment of new approaches or trial schemes Timescale The four case studies will be complete and a final report with recommendations produced by March 2014.

4 The Northern Upland Chain Local Nature Partnership The purpose of the Northern Upland Chain Local Nature Partnership (NUCLNP) is to act as a strategic body, with clear priorities focused on securing practical benefits for nature and the natural economy of the uplands. The area covered by the NUCLNP includes the protected landscapes of Northumberland National Park, North Pennines AONB, Yorkshire Dales National Park and Nidderdale AONB. This chain of upland Protected Areas is broken only by the Tyne gap between the North Pennines and the Northumberland National Park, containing the River Tyne that drains the surrounding catchments. The NUCLNP bridges this gap. A map of the LNP is shown below. The NUCLNP was established in It aims to plan and deliver strategic environmental action enabling the recognition of the value of biodiversity in social and economic as well as environmental terms. The NUCLNP facilitates coordinated decision-making on the natural environment and members of the NUCLNP act jointly to deliver integrated outcomes that provide a wide range of benefits and ecosystem services. The objectives of the NUCLNP are to: Conserve and enhance the natural heritage of the northern uplands, increasing resilience and ensuring these landscapes can meet the challenges of the future; Support the economic and social well-being of our upland communities in ways which contribute to the conservation and enhancement of natural beauty; Promote public understanding and enjoyment of the nature and culture of these areas, encouraging people to take action for their conservation; Value, sustain and promote the benefits that the Northern Upland Chain provides for society, including clean air and water, food, carbon storage and other services vital to the nation s health and well-being. The NUCLNP comprises: A core group (the Board) of cross-sectoral representatives; Working groups to support the delivery of practical programmes and strategic initiatives; A wider partnership whose membership feeds into the working groups and receives & inputs communications; A wider forum which meets annually.

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