CFE County Priorities for Cumbria 1. Aim This document has been drawn together by the CFE Local Liaison Group for Cumbria with input from all LLG members and their respective organisations. The aim is to ensure that all advisers and partners have a clear, concise and consistent message about the aims of CFE in Cumbria that can be used by farmers and landowners to ensure their actions deliver maximum benefit to the environment. The action undertaken on each farm may differ depending on the farm type and enterprise. 2. County Overview Cumbria is the second largest county in England. The landscape ranges from the extensive uplands of the Lake District, North Pennines and northwestern fringe of the Yorkshire Dales to the lowlands of the Eden Valley, the Solway Basin, West Cumbria Coastal plain and the peninsulas of Morecambe Bay Limestones character areas. A substantial part of the county lies within the Less Favoured Area, including large areas that lie above the moorland line. Outside the LFA, the lowland areas of Cumbria correspond to Grade 2 and 3 of the Agricultural Land classification Cumbria is a predominantly agricultural county, having 4,768 holdings, most of which are owneroccupied, family-run businesses. In terms of the CFE, dairying, beef and sheep are the key agricultural enterprises with 711 dairy farms and 1282 lowland grazing livestock holdings in the county in 2010. Arable production is generally restricted to small-scale cropping for supplementary livestock feed although there are a few commercial arable holdings in the central and lower Eden valley and Solway coastal areas. In addition to the main farming enterprises, there are a specialist poultry and intensive pig holdings. Cumbria has also seen a substantial increase in farm diversification following the FMD epidemic in 2001. Diversified enterprises include free range egg production and livestock breeding for fibre production including alpacca and angora goats. Programme Office will insert expiring ELS agreement figures
3. County designated sites and partnerships Cumbria has a high environmental profile. There are several important landscape designations in addition to numerous sites designated for their significant ecological interest. The majority of the landscape designations relate to the upland areas of the county but a small part of the Lake District National Park extends down to the coastal plain of West Cumbria. A proportion of North Cumbria is designated as the Solway Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and part of the Arnside and Silverdale AONB extends into South Cumbria. There are 278 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Cumbria, of which 178 are designated for their biological interest. Many of these correspond to upland habitats but the lowlands of Cumbria support numerous mosses that are designated as SSSIs. Many of these and other lowland SSSIs are also Special Areas of Conservation (SACs). Farming practices on the catchments of these mosses have a significant effect on the ecological quality of the majority of these mosses. Areas designated as Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZ, surface water) in Cumbria are mainly located within the Central Eden Valley and sections of the Solway coastal plain. A Local Nature Partnership (LNP) has been established over the whole of Cumbria. Part of the Morecambe Bay LNP also extends into the southern part of the county. Other designations include 25 National Nature Reserves (NNRs) and over 1,600 County Wildlife Sites (CWS).
4. County Priorities The following sections aim to define the county priorities by theme. a) Theme: Priority farmland habitats and description Priority Habitats on Cumbria Farms Mature, high wildlife value hedgerows, with traditional hedgerow management (North Cumberland and Westmorland styles). Mosses (basin mires, lowland raised mires) Semi-improved, species-rich grassland and lowland meadows. Issues Aim to encourage maintenance and restoration of hedgerow (and associated boundary features) linkages between other habitats (seminatural woodlands, river wildlife corridors) Many mire habitats in the lowlands of Cumbria are in unfavourable / poor ecological condition - partly due to inappropriate management of adjoining agricultural land. Aim to improve management of farmland surrounding mosses. These habitats are often limited in extent but relatively important sites for traditional grassland plants and associated invertebrates including pollinators. Lowland meadow habitats are very rare in the county. CFE Voluntary Measure VM17 - Field corners VM1 - Grass buffer strips next to a watercourse or pond; VM2 - In-field grass strips to avoid erosion; VM3 - Management of maize to avoid erosion; VM4. - Watercourse fencing; VM17 - Field corners VM19 - Fertiliser free VM6 Wildflower mix VM19 - Fertiliser-free Actions required: Promote sympathetic hedgerow management through farm walks, association with existing hedgerow management events/competitions. Promote resource protection, nutrient management and other appropriate agricultural practices, e.g., livestock management, to reduce detrimental inputs on the catchments of moss sites. Work with Solway AONB Wetlands Project. Promote sympathetic grassland management (avoid nutrient enrichment, overgrazing) of semi-improved grassland areas and their benefits to pollinators (see below).
b) Theme: Priority species and requirements Species Requirements CFE Voluntary Measure Pollinators (honeybees, bumblebees, solitary bees, hoverflies, beetles, butterflies and moths) Maintenance /restoration of grassland habitats (field margins, corners, banks and other semi-improved areas) that support pollinating invertebrates VM6 Wildflower mix VM7 Pollen & nectar mix VM8 Legume and herb rich temporary grass VM13 Unsprayed and/or unfertilised cereal headlands VM17 Field corners VM18 Beetle banks VM19 Fertiliser free VM21 Selective use of spring herbicides Farmland birds Curlew Lapwing Grey partridge Skylark Tree sparrow Nesting and feeding habitats mosaic of open tussocky vegetation cover, year round food supply from mix of crops VM 9 Ryegrass seed for birds VM 10 Wild bird seed mix VM 12 Lapwing plots VM 15 Over wintered stubbles VM 16 Supplementary winter feeding for farmland birds Any specific action required: Potential for a series of (spring/summer) farm walks to promote issues associated with priority species Work with Cumbria Wildlife Trust, through projects such as meadow life to promote importance of pollinators and appropriate conservation measures for them.
c) Theme: priority river catchments Catchment Priority Issues CFE Voluntary Measure River Eden and Tributaries Rivers Waver and Wampool West Cumbrian Catchments Bassenthwaite Lake River Duddon Rivers Kent and Leven Water quality and SSSI failure on sub-catchments. Diffuse pollution from manure, fertiliser and soil runoff, sedimentation. Bathing water at risk of failing European standards, shellfish waters failing to meet guideline standards due to faecal indicator organisms (FIOs) from sources including diffuse pollution from agriculture (DWPA). FIOs impacting on Bathing Waters, Failing SSSI status (nutrient inputs affecting freshwater pearl mussel population), impact of FIOs on the local bathing waters. DWPA (build-up of phosphorous, P and sediment in Bassenthwaite Lake. SSSI sub-catchments affected by P and sediment. Part of catchment within a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ) Bathing Water non-compliance under revised Bathing Water directive (rbwd) DWPA on SSSIs and Ramsar site, Leighton Moss and Hawes Water and water quality in Windermere Lake, FIOs effects on the Shellfish Waters of Morecambe Bay Key approach to dealing with the range of issues throughout the priority river catchments is to raise awareness and understanding of the farming industry initiatives tried and Tested and the Voluntary Initiative and codes of good agricultural practice. VM1 - Grass buffer strips next to a watercourse or pond; VM2 - In-field grass strips to avoid erosion; VM3 - Management of maize to avoid erosion; VM4. - Watercourse fencing; VM17 - Field corners VM19 - Fertiliser free Actions required: Majority of county now well covered by CSF measures so main scope is to continue to work with local CSF Officers. Work with Eden, West Cumbria and South Cumbria Rivers Trusts to promote good farming practices, raise awareness and understanding of nutrient management benefits. Promotion of Tried & Tested approach to improve nutrient management / reduce nutrient run-off associated with farming activities, Encourage adherence to Voluntary Initiative, to encourage good practice in pesticide use and reduce impact of pesticides on environment.
5. Action Plan CFE Local priority Delivery action Delivered by Target area Hedgerows and associated boundary habitats Mosses (mires) Semi-improved (vulnerable) grasslands Promote ongoing CFE Partners sympathetic hedge management including post ELS agreement management Advice to promote CFE Partners, Solway AONB management that reduces/eliminates nutrient enrichment of the habitats Advice to promote CFE Partners sympathetic management of existing semi-improved grassland and restoration / creation of species-rich grassland habitats Eden Valley and Solway and West Cumbria Coastal Plains Solway Basin, Eden Valley Eden Valley and West Cumbria Coastal Plain Pollinators Events focused on CFE Partners, Cumbria management to benefit Wildlife Trust pollinating insects, including sound management of pollen and nectar mixtures. Local press articles. High Priority Areas Eden Valley and South Lakeland (Morecambe Bay Peninsulas) Farmland Birds Events focused on management to benefit farmland birds, including sound management of cover crops / wildbird mixtures and pollen and nectar mixtures. Local press articles. CFE Partners, Natural England, Newton Rigg College, Eden Valley and Solway and West Cumbria Coastal Plains Promote actions to protect watercourses and surface & ground water Events with specific resource protection theme and linked to VI/T&T and general farm input usage CFE/CSF/ Rivers Trusts/ Farmer Network / Dairy Co stand alone CFE events Priority river catchments and areas not covered by CSF (e,g Border Esk, Irt and Esk)