Barry Gamble. An Atlas of the Tamar Valley AONB

Transcription

1 Barry Gamble An Atlas of the Tamar Valley AONB

2 An Atlas of the Tamar Valley AONB: Introduction In the Tamar Valley AONB undertook an exercise of consultation and planning to decide on work priorities for the period , this work formed the basis of the current AONB Management Plan. We were also asked to produce a State of the AONB Report, a snapshot of the health of the AONB landscape. This online Atlas is the result of that data collection exercise; the aim is to bring together maps and statistics that together paint a picture of the landscape in It will also form a valuable baseline for future monitoring work to pick up trends in terms of the way that the landscape is being managed and the resilience of local communities. How to use the Atlas You can navigate to each section using the headings at the foot of each page. The information in the Atlas is presented as a series of layered PDFs, where you see a label stating Click to View Layered Map, you can click the image which will open a map as a PDF. Once the PDF has opened, press the Layers Icon to view the available layers. You can then turn layers on and off using the check boxes on the left hand side of the page to reveal the information in each section. If you see a Plus sign, clicking on it will reveal further Layers which can be switched on/off. The Other Layer contains the Legend for the map, which can also be turned on/off using the check boxes. The Image Layer contains an Ordnance Survey base map which can also be turned on/off using the check boxes. It is also possible to zoom in and out of the map to see an area in detail by increasing or decreasing the Zoom % The Hand Tool can be used to pan around the map, this can be found in the Tools Menu > Select and Zoom

3 An Atlas of the Tamar Valley AONB: Context The Tamar Valley AONB is located in the South West of England on the border of Devon and Cornwall and encompasses the lower valleys of three Westcountry rivers, the Tamar, Tavy and Lynher, joining together at Plymouth Sound. It borders Dartmoor National Park to the east and lies just north of the conurbation of Plymouth. The designated area is split into two parts the Tamar-Tavy area and the Lynher area. The former extends north from the broad estuary at Plymouth to the intricate, deeply incised river meanders just below Launceston and Tavistock. The Lynher is an estuarine area extending west from Saltash and Torpoint to St Germans in south east Cornwall. The area had been highlighted as a candidate for designation nearly fifty years ago, yet it took until 1995 for this to be finally ratified. Tamar Valley AONB River Tamar near Bere Pennisula Barry Gamble

4 An Atlas of the Tamar Valley AONB: Context The Tamar Valley AONB is one of 41 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty across England and Wales. In South-west England there are 12 AONBs and 2 National Parks reflecting the high quality of landscape in the SW peninsula. The Tamar Valley AONB also includes land recently inscribed as a World Heritage Site, part of the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape. The Tamar Valley AONB is located in the lower valleys of the River Tamar and its tributaries the Lynher and the Tavy. The designation includes the landscapes of the freshwater rivers above the tidal limit and the wide expanses of the estuaries. The boundaries of the designated area include 5 local authorities: Cornwall Council, West Devon Borough Council, South Hams District Council and Plymouth City Council. There are 24 parishes in the AONB, and several large villages including Bere Alston, St Dominick, Calstock and Gunnislake. There are no towns but Callington, Saltash and Tavistock are on the margins of the protected landscape. Plymouth is also nearby at the mouth of the river and dominates the southern edge of the AONB. Legend AONB Distance from AONB 1 km 2.5 km 5 km 10 km 15 km City of Plymouth Cornwall County Devon County Devon Districts Devon Parish Cornwall Parish The AONB was designated in 1995 and includes a total area of 190 sq kms, or 16,155 hectares. It has a resident population of 27,000 people. Click to View Layered Map

5 An Atlas of the Tamar Valley AONB: Landscape The Natural Environment When the Tamar valley was designated as an AONB the reasons were primarily concerned with the quality of its landscape A Rare Valley and Water Landscape and A Landscape of high Visual Quality. However within that broad character description there are many landscape types within the Valley, each characteristic in its own way. Since designation the science of landscape characterisation has been well established and formal methodologies have evolved, such that landscape types can be separated and described. This has enormous value for those who have to protect and enhance the landscape, as it can also be used as a process to measure and monitor change. Tamar Valley AONB

6 An Atlas of the Tamar Valley AONB: Landscape The Natural Environment The following map shows the Landscape Character Areas that have been derived in Devon and Cornwall. Clicking on the map will open a full map in which the Landscape Types that have been described in Devon, and can also be viewed. Landscape Character Types are a more generic description of the landscape across a region closely related to geology and the way that land use clothes the barebones of the landscape. Landscape Character areas are a more local description conveying a set of landscape characteristics that make up a sense of place. For a full set of landscape character area profiles go to the Tamar Valley AONB website: Legend Lower Tamar and Tavy Valleys Middle Tamar Valley River Tavy Middle Valley East Cornwall and Tamar Moorland Fringe Kit Hill Lower Tamar and Tavy Valleys Lynher and Tiddy River Valleys Middle Tamar Valley South East Cornwall Plateau Upper Tamar and Ottery Valleys ( planningandlandscapecharacter/landscapecharacter/) These are local character descriptions, to see the Tamar Valley Landscape described in its national setting see Natural England Natural Areas Profiles. South Devon: Science/natural/NA_Details.asp?NA_ID=91&S=&R=7 Cornish Killas Science/natural/NA_Details.asp?NA_ID=95&S=&R=7 Click to View Layered Map

7 An Atlas of the Tamar Valley AONB: The Natural Environment Monitoring the Landscape of the AONB The 2008 Landscape Monitoring Project sought to set a baseline of Landscape Monitoring Indicators from which future changes in Landscape Character could be assessed. These Indicators included: Tranquillity Extent of Dark Night Skies Intrusion Extent of Woodland Cover/Tree Cover Type Extent of Semi-Natural Habitats SSSI Condition Extent of Designed Landscapes Use of the River Agricultural Land Use Field Pattern Hedge Condition Extent of Traditional Orchards Settlement pattern, Transport infrastructure and covered horticulture Aerial View of Bohertheric Tamar Valley AONB Tamar Valley AONB THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT: LANDSCAPE SUSTAINABILITY: ACCESS & RECREATION LANDSCAPE MONITORING RURAL LIFE, ECONOMY & COMMUNITY BIODIVERSITY & GEODIVERSITY HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT LAND USE

8 An Atlas of the Tamar Valley AONB: The Natural Environment Monitoring the Landscape of the AONB In 2008 the Tamar Valley AONB adopted a new methodology for monitoring landscape character. The methodology was evolved in conjunction with Cornwall AONB and the Isles of Scilly AONB, and was designed to set down a baseline so that change in the character of the landscape could be reassessed every 5 years to inform future AONB Management. With the help of Land Use Consultants a system was developed that would use existing Landscape Character Areas to select Landscape Monitoring Units (LMU). These were areas of common landscape character with similar forces for change operating on the landscape. In each LMU indicators were selected that make up the landscape character, then data was obtained where possible on the current status of that indicator. For some indicators the sheer size of the area meant that meaningful analysis was not possible so sample squares (1km) were also selected that represented the character of the LMU. In these squares closer analysis was possible using aerial photography (2005 coverage). The areas were subsequently visited and some indicators were recorded in the field with the help of students from Plymouth University. The 2008 baseline results are presented in the following pages. The next round of monitoring will take place in Once those results are assessed a scoring system has been devised to assess the changes in the landscape character of the AONB over the past 5 years. Legend Sample Squares Landscape Monitoring Units T1 - Kit Hill T2 - River Corridor T3 - Lynher T4 - Tamar & Tavy Plateau T5 - Mining Heritage Area T6 - Dartmoor Fringe

9 An : Atlas of the Tamar Valley AONB: The Natural Environment Monitoring the Landscape of the AONB: Tranquillity The map of tranquillity is part of a national map produced by the Council for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE). They asked people what is important to them in feeling tranquil in a particular place, and came up with positive features such as the presence of a natural landscape and water, and negative features such as noise from roads or the sight of power lines. They used many data sets to produce the map where each 500m square is coloured on a scale from most tranquil to least tranquil. Legend Most Tranquil Least Tranquil Data Source: CPRE 2007 In the Tamar Valley AONB the built up areas are clearly shown to reduce tranquillity, with the influence of Plymouth strongly felt in the south and south-east and the Callington-Tavistock axial road and roadside development affecting the mid-tamar. Levels of Tranquility Highest Lowest Mean Cornwall Side Devon Side Lynher River Tamar Ted Giffords

10 An Atlas of the Tamar Valley AONB: The Natural Environment Monitoring the Landscape of the AONB: Night Blight CPRE also produces maps showing the effects of light pollution on our night skies. Satellite images of the landscape at night are examined and the images defined as pixels that show bands of artificial light at night graded from Again the dominant effect is from Plymouth and well-lit arterial roads. There is also a cumulative effect from domestic and small public buildings, especially with the widespread use of security lighting. Legend Night Blight Dark Brighter Saturated Cornwall Council has announced a gradual replacement of its public lighting with lights equipped with downlighters, and it will be interesting to see if this has an effect in future maps. Data Source: CPRE % 9% 12% 14% Light Category 1 to 2 3 to to to to 255 % km 2 % km 2 % km 2 % km 2 % km 2 Tamar Valley Devon Southwest ±

11 An Atlas of the Tamar Valley AONB: The Natural Environment Monitoring the Landscape of the AONB: Intrusion Another CPRE map, this one shows the area of influence of intrusive features, whether they are visual or derived from noise. CPRE have collected the data from a number of sources and the system is to map the source of the intrusion, whether it be a road, or quarry for example, then illustrate a zone of influence dependent on the scale of the intrusion. It is very similar to the tranquillity map but lacks the positive influence of wild areas. Milton Abbot Legend Intrusion Disturbed Undisturbed Data Source: CPRE 2007 Plymouth and the road network are once more the main sources of the intrusions. In the Table it is interesting to compare the AONB with its wider region, from the mid-90s to 2007, the AONB has declined in the % of its area subject to intrusion, whereas the figures for the wider regions show substantial increases. Callington Tavistock Bere Alston Total area (km2) Early 1990s 2007 Disturbed area (km2) % of region Disturbed area (km2) % of region Tamar AONB Cornwall Devon Southwest Saltash City of Plymouth km

12 An Atlas of the Tamar Valley AONB: The Natural Environment Monitoring the Landscape of the AONB: Woodland Cover Together with field pattern, woodland and trees are dominant features in terms of the character of the landscape. In the Tamar Valley most of the woodland is confined in the valley system on steeper less favourable slopes for farming, so in the landscape the woodland helps to define the valleys. The source of the data is the National Inventory of Woodland and Trees which only includes woodland over 2ha, so the map and figures are underestimates as they do not include small farm woodlands and copses. The percentage of the whole AONB under woodland cover is 15% (2003) which represented a 3% increase on the previous survey in Changes in woodland cover usually occur as a result of the subtle balance of income from farming and incentives from woodland planting grants, though some woodlands are planted for shooting or amenity reasons. Landscape Monitoring Unit Broadleaved (ha) Ancient Semi- Natural (ha) PAWS (ha) Mixed (ha) Conifer (ha) Scrub (ha) T1 - Kit Hill T2 - River Corridor T3 - Lynher T4 - Tamar and Tavy Plateau T5 - Mining Heritage Area Callington Milton Abbot Tavistock Bere Alston Saltash City of Plymouth Legend Woodland Cover Broadleaved Conifer Felled Woodland Mixed Scrub Ancient Woodland Ancient Semi Natural Planted Ancient Woodland Sites Data Sources: Forestry Commission (2000) Natural England (1999) CEH (2000) T6 - Dartmoor Fringe km

13 An Atlas of the Tamar Valley AONB: The Natural Environment Monitoring the Landscape of the AONB: Agricultural Land Use In the AONB 67% of the land is farmed so the day to day decisions of farmers with regards to crops grown or livestock kept has a widespread impact on the character of the landscape. Figures from the DEFRA annual farm census provide a detailed picture of holding size, farm types, crops, livestock and farm management. Looking at the figures over a longer time span also reveals trends; since 2003 the area of farmed land has increased by 6%. The area of grassland and of arable cropping land have both increased, while set aside has decreased. The area under farm woodlands has also increased. The number of holdings in the over 100ha category has increased as farms are amalgamated and small farms are sold. The numbers of dairy cattle fell from 1990 to 2003, but increased again by 2007, as dairy farmers reorganised into larger units, then expanded. There is a perception of marginal land on farms falling out of use, but there is little sign of that in the figures, apart from a small increase in a figure for other land of c.30ha ( ). The area of rough grazing on farms has decreased from 779ha in 1999, to 438 in The growth of maize is increasingly popular especially on large dairy farms, the area under maize in 2007 was 415ha, so it will be interesting to see if there is an increase in that figure in AONB Area Grassland Catagories Arable Catagories Horticultural Catagories <5 yrs & Permanent pasture (ha) Rough Grazing (ha) Cereals (ha) Potatoes (ha) Maize (ha) Hardy Nursery Stock Bulbs and Flowers (ha) Glass House Bulbs and Flowers (ha) No of Holdings in Differerent Size Catagories <5 ha 5-10 ha 10-20ha >20 ha Cornwall Side Devon Side Lynher Source: DEFRA June Agricultural Census 2007

14 An Atlas of the Tamar Valley AONB: The Natural Environment Monitoring the Landscape of the AONB: Semi-Natural Habitats The remaining areas of semi-natural habitat are a key characteristic of the landscape because they provide a measure of the extent to which a man-made landscape can still retain its wilder and more biologically diverse areas, despite many pressures on land. This indicator does not include woodland so should be added to the woodland figure for a total picture of the non-farmed countryside (18%). The most extensive habitats are those connected to the estuary such as the littoral sediment (mud flats and rocky shores) and saltmarshes. These areas are important for their contribution to the landscape of the AONB as well as their role in hosting internationally important bird populations. The categories of semi -natural habitat are fairly broad and encompass other types of habitat, i.e. wetland would include various types of marshy ground such as mires, fens or rush pasture. Landscape Monitoring Unit Habitat Area (ha) T1 - Kit Hill Dwarf Shrub Heath 83 T2 - River Corridor Saltmarsh 92.7 Wetland 17.9 Acid Grassland 2.4 Dwarf Shrub Heath 4.8 Littoral Sediment T4 - Tamar and Tavy Plateau Dwarf Shrub Heath 21.1 Acid Grassland 57.2 Littoral Sediment 14.1 Saltmarsh 9.7 T5 - Mining Heritage Area Dwarf Shrub Heath 2.7 Acid Grassland 1.9 T6 - Dartmoor Fringe Acid Grassland 18.5 Dwarf Shrub Heath 2.2 Callington Milton Abbot Saltash Bere Alston Tavistock City of Plymouth Legend Heathland Saltmarsh Wetland Acid Grass Dwarf Shrub Heath Littoral Sediment Saltmarsh Data Sources: ERCCIS (1995) CEH (2000) km

15 An Atlas of the Tamar Valley AONB: The Natural Environment Monitoring the Landscape of the AONB: SSSI Condition Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Special Areas for Conservation (SAC) are top national and international designations for habitats and their associated species. Their condition is monitored by Natural England and reported on their website Nature on the Map. Most of the designated areas in the AONB are in the Estuary and include the intertidal habitats and neighbouring shore land if it is considered to be of sufficient value. Other SSSI include woodlands such as Greenscombe, designated for the Heath Fritillary butterfly, moorland at West Down and geological SSSI such as Lockridge Mine. Milton Abbot Tavistock Legend SSSI Favourable SSSI Unfavourable Declining SSSI Unfavourable No Change SSSI Unfavourable Recovering Unfavourable condition is due to a decline in the value of the habitat due to such factors as invasive plants or a lack of the right kind of management. Environmental Stewardship has been heavily targeted towards improving SSSI condition in recent years so the trend towards favourable condition should continue. Callington Bere Alston AONB Area Favourable (%) Unfavourable Recovering (%) Unfavourable Declining (%) Unfavourable No Change (%) Cornwall Side Devon Side Lynher Saltash City of Plymouth km

16 An Atlas of the Tamar Valley AONB: The Natural Environment Monitoring the Landscape of the AONB: Parks & Gardens The presence of large estates with their parks and designed landscapes does not affect the whole AONB but in some areas, like the river Lynher, it is a dominant feature and changes in that type of land use would have a substantial impact on the landscape character of the area. Milton Abbot Legend GRADE I II* Tavistock Callington Antony House Tamar Valley AONB Bere Alston Landscape Area in Total Area Parkland Grade Monitoring Unit LMU (ha) (ha) T1 - Kit Hill T2 - River Corridor T3 - Lynher Port Elliot I T3 - Lynher Anthony II* T4 - Tamar and Tavy Endsleigh Plateau I T4 - Tamar and Tavy Cotehele Plateau II* T5 - Mining Heritage Area T6 - Dartmoor Fringe Saltash City of Plymouth km

17 An Atlas of the Tamar Valley AONB: The Natural Environment Monitoring the Landscape of the AONB: Rivers & Ferries The use of the rivers in the AONB changes continuously and the resulting changes in activity and infrastructure all have impacts on the landscape. Once the river was a major transport artery for goods and passengers and would have been busy and noisy; now it is busy only on fine weather weekends with leisure craft. The two indicators that have been selected are the number of passenger ferries and the number of boat moorings. Tamar Valley AONB Number of Moorings T2 - River Corridor T3 - Lynher Number of Ferries Calstock 53 Cotehele 11 Halton Quay 10 Holes Hole 33 Weir Quay 157 Cargreen 157 Tavy 26 Tamerton Lake 25 Total 426 Wearde Quay 47 Forder 55 St Germans 21 Total 123 T2 - River Corridor Calstock to Cotehele (Summer Only) 1 Total 1 Ted Giffords

18 An Atlas of the Tamar Valley AONB: The Natural Environment Monitoring the Landscape of the AONB: Sample Squares Sample squares were analysed for indicators that would have been too time consuming to cover for the whole AONB landscape, especially where aerial photography analysis and field survey were required. Two sample squares of 1km were selected for each LMU, with 4 selected for the largest LMU the Tamar and Tavy Plateau. The squares were chosen to represent the key indicators for the LMU, ensuring that some squares included such indicators as settlement pattern. Where relevant data for all of the sample squares is presented. For some indicators there is a closer focus on one sample square at Bohetherick near St Dominick in Cornwall to show the range of data that has been recorded. SX4072 SX3871 SX4368 SX4176 SX4373 SX4469 SX4869 SX4167 SX4466 Bere Alston SX3758 SX4963 SX4662 SX4466 Get Mapping SX3755

19 An Atlas of the Tamar Valley AONB: The Natural Environment Monitoring the Landscape of the AONB: Field Pattern The network of small fields and ancient hedges is a key characteristic of the Tamar Valley Landscape. Within the sample squares, all of the hedge network (complete hedges within the perimeter of the squares) was digitally mapped from aerial photographs and categorized into hedge types; hedge banks, continuous or non-continuous, and wooded boundaries. The degree of curvature of the hedge (sinuosity) was also assessed, in order to illustrate the relative antiquity of the hedge pattern, as anciently enclosed hedge landscapes are more likely to have sinuous field boundaries. This process will be repeated every 5 years to assess changes in field pattern. In the Bohetherick square the average field size is currently 1ha. The percentage of hedges that are sinuous is 11%. These can be seen in the north-eastern corner of the square, reflecting the medieval enclosure of former strip fields. Landscape Monitoring Unit T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 Sample Square Average field size (ha) Total Sinuos Boundaries (m) Total Straight Boundaries (m) SX SX SX SX SX SX SX SX SX SX SX SX SX SX Get Mapping

20 An Atlas of the Tamar Valley AONB: The Natural Environment Monitoring the Landscape of the AONB: Hedge Condition Further work was undertaken in the field to check hedge condition in each square, hedges were photographed, and a basic survey undertaken to confirm the aerial photograph analysis, also to record features that could not be seen from the air, such as hedge bank vegetation, and whether the hedge had been managed by flailing. This survey work will also be repeated every 5 years. Some hedges were not recorded as they were not visible from public viewpoints. The table below shows the number of hedges in each LMU showing the recorded features. Hedge Types Total Total Length Average Length Cornish Hedgebanks Cornish Hedgebanks - Non - Continuous Devon Hedgebanks Devon Hedgebank - Non - continuous Hedgebank Hedgebank non-continuous Wooded Boundary Wooded Boundary - non continuous Removed Grand Total Tamar Valley AONB

21 An Atlas of the Tamar Valley AONB: The Natural Environment Monitoring the Landscape of the AONB: Hedge Condition Percentage of Hedges with Features Features T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 Summary Hedgebanks with Trees Shrubs Gorse Gorse and Bracken Bracken Bracken and Scrub Scrub Grasses Grasses and Wildflowers Wildflowers Earth Facing Stone Facing Earth and Stone Facing Management Flailed Not Flailed Tamar Valley AONB

22 An Atlas of the Tamar Valley AONB: The Natural Environment Monitoring the Landscape of the AONB: Traditional Orchards The area within sample squares that is under traditional orchard management was also surveyed from aerial photographs. Traditional orchards were once widespread in the Tamar Valley landscape and they remain important features in some of the LMUs. Field survey was also used to check orchard condition where accessible from public roads or footpaths. Traditionally Managed Orchard Area (ha) Modern Orchard Area (ha) Landscape Monitoring Unit T1 - Kit Hill - - T2 - River Corridor - - T3 - Lynher - - T4 - Tamar and Tavy Plateau T5 - Mining Heritage Area T6 - Dartmoor Fringe T4 - Tamar and Tavy Plateau (Field Survey) Orchards surveyed 2 Total Apple Trees 17 Total Cherry Trees 4 Other Trees 30 Total Prostrate Alive 51 Mature 10 Young 32 Grazed No Mown Yes Get Mapping

23 An Atlas of the Tamar Valley AONB: The Natural Environment Monitoring the Landscape of the AONB: Settlement Pattern, Transport Infrastructure & Covered Horticulture Areas within sample squares were also examined for built development features including settlement pattern, the infrastructure connected to highways and the presence of covered horticulture. Areas of settlement were mapped from aerial photos, so that expansions of the settlement edge could be assessed during future monitoring. Areas under covered horticulture were also mapped where they occurred. Subsequent field survey then recorded whether the horticulture was under glass or polytunnels, and whether the covered areas were still being used. Field survey was also used to record the presence of highway infrastructure such as speeding signs and road markings. Legend Development Glasshouses This kind of detailed monitoring is essential to pick up slow incremental change in built environment type features, some of which are covered by the planning process and some of which are not. Glasshouses Permanent (ha) Landscape Monitoring Unit (ha) T1 - Kit Hill 12 - T2 - River Corridor - - T3 - Lynher T4 - Tamar and Tavy Plateau T5 - Mining Heritage Area T6 - Dartmoor Fringe 2 - Get Mapping

24 An Atlas of the Tamar Valley AONB: Biodiversity & Geodiversity The Natural Environment The significance of the Tamar Valley as a wildlife resource is recognised through an array of national and international designations, particularly within the estuary complex including: 16.6 km 2 Ancient Woodland 5 RIGS 7 SSSIs covering 21.6 km 2 1 Local Nature Reserve 33 County Wildlife Sites Tamar Estuaries Complex Special Protection Area Plymouth Sound and Estuaries Special Area of Conservation Fern Ted Giffords

25 An Atlas of the Tamar Valley AONB: The Natural Environment Biodiversity & Geodiversity The Tamar, Tavy and Lynher estuaries and adjacent high-value semi-natural habitats have been designated as a Special Area of Conservation. Together with the Special Protection Area designation for birds the area is granted the highest-level international protection. There are 7 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) covering 10.9% of the AONB, mostly within the estuaries, although there are also woodland sites and an area of Western heath habitat at Kit Hill. Local County Wildlife sites (33) cover 26.5 km2, which accounts for 13.4% of the AONB. Lopwell Dam Local Nature Reserve covers 4.63 ha. There are currently 5 Regionally Important Geological Sites (RIGS) and 3 Geological Conservation Review (GCR) sites in the areas with a further 7 proposed RIGS. Natural England has been working hard with their CSS/HLS schemes to bring SAC/SSSIs into good condition and using their own assessment process 93.4% are in favourable condition with a further 6.2% that are Unfavourable Recovering. A small section of the Tamar Tavy-Tavy estuary is Unfavourable with No Change (0.18%) with a further small area that is Unfavourable Declining (0.13%). Heath Fritillary David Chapman One of the factors causing a failure in SAC condition has been the abundance of invasive plants in the riparian corridor. A programme of control has been undertaken by a partnership of organisations in the valley since 2005 and the maps show locations of plants in It is hoped that Giant hogweed will be eliminated from the catchment in the next 5 years. There is an area of concern with the proportion of valuable semi-natural sites falling out of agrienvironmental schemes over the next few years. The period represented a peak of land under management through the Countryside Stewardship Scheme (CQC Data). The Tamar Valley was heavily targeted under this scheme; for example during that time 54,029m hedges were restored and 1,178ha of Lowland heath was enhanced. The Environmental Stewardship Scheme replaced it with Higher Level agreements for habitat enhancement and restoration. HLS is highly targeted to very specific Natural England targets so the Estuary will continue to be managed under agreement but ordinary farmland features like hedges will not receive grant aid in future.

26 An Atlas of the Tamar Valley AONB: The Natural Environment Biodiversity & Geodiversity This map shows the extent of Japanese Knotweed, Himalayan Balsam and Giant Hogweed. The 7 SSSI sites are displayed according to their current condition status. The extent of the Special Protection Area and Special Area of Conservation are reflected along with the Regionally Important Geological Sites (RIGS). The map also shows the Devon County Wildlife sites and the Cornwall Nature Conservation Sites are also shown with areas of ancient woodland. Clicking on the map will access a full map of the Biodiversity and Geodiversity of the Valley including details of the areas Geology. For more information on designated areas in the Tamar Valley go to the Natural England Nature on the Map website: Data Sources: DBRC (2006) Devon RIGS Group (2007) CBRC (1994) Natural England (1999) Natural England (2006, 2006a, 2006b) Click to View Layered Map

27 An Atlas of the Tamar Valley AONB: The Natural Environment Historic Environment The quality of the historic landscapes and sites in the Tamar Valley AONB is well recognised with a variety of national and international designations: World Heritage Site Cornish Mining Scheduled Ancient Monuments 20 Listed buildings 647 Historic Environment Record entries 2681 Tamar Valley AONB THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT: LANDSCAPE SUSTAINABILITY: ACCESS & RECREATION LANDSCAPE MONITORING RURAL LIFE, ECONOMY & COMMUNITY BIODIVERSITY & GEODIVERSITY HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT LAND USE

28 An Atlas of the Tamar Valley AONB: The Natural Environment Historic Environment The Tamar Valley AONB also includes historic features and landscapes of international significance as shown by the recent inscription of a large part of the AONB as a World Heritage site, part of the Cornish Mining WHS. The historic significance of the area however extends further back into history with settlement and active trading in the area since prehistory. The legacy of this history is evident in the variety of important heritage sites that remain with 20 nationally important Scheduled Ancient Monuments, 647 Listed Buildings and 2681 entries on the local county Historic Environment Registers. The extensive estates that once extended both sides of the river with their legacy of formal parks and gardens and villages with local vernacular styles also determine much of the character of local landscapes. The maps also show the maximum extent of the important market gardening industry in the valley, and the locations of former river quays that were once so important for trading and accessing remote settlements. For more information on the World Heritage Site go to: Data Sources: Cornwall Council (2008) Devon Council (2008) English Heritage (2005) English Heritage (2006) Click to View Layered Map

29 An Atlas of the Tamar Valley AONB: Historic Environment Record Entries Conservation Areas Total Listed Buildings Grade I Grade II* Grade II Grade Other Registered Parks and Gardens Total Grade I Grade II* Grade II Scheduled Ancient Monuments Tamar AONB Valley Calciner at Devon Great Consuls

30 An Atlas of the Tamar Valley AONB: The Natural Environment Land Use The DEFRA annual farm census provides an excellent snapshot of the use of land in the AONB, especially the types of crops that are grown and the livestock that are kept. The everchanging nature of farming has a big impact on the landscape and these trends are important in the assessment of the main causes of landscape change. This section presents this data plus map information on land use and participation in agrienvironment schemes. Tamar Valley AONB THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT: LANDSCAPE SUSTAINABILITY: ACCESS & RECREATION LANDSCAPE MONITORING RURAL LIFE, ECONOMY & COMMUNITY BIODIVERSITY & GEODIVERSITY HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT LAND USE

31 An Atlas of the Tamar Valley AONB: The Natural Environment Land Use The use of land colours the landscape of the Tamar Valley; the hues and textures of the different crops and vegetation types, interlaced by ancient hedgerows is what gives the landscape its diverse and ever-changing patterns. Land use is a combination of the basic capacity of the landscape to grow crops or support livestock, as shown in the Agricultural Land Classification (ALC), and the decisions of scores of land managers reacting to markets for produce or incentives. The map layers show the ALC categories, main types of land use in the valley and the current take up of agri-environment schemes. Most of the land in Environmental Stewardship is under an agreement for very basic Entry Level maintenance of farm features Farmed Area Source: DEFRA June Agricultural Census 2007 Data Source: Natural England (2002) Holdings Area (ha) Click to View Layered Map

32 An Atlas of the Tamar Valley AONB: The Natural Environment Land Use The diagrams show the results of the 2007 DEFRA farm census for the AONB; farms describing themselves as dairy have decreased from 62 in 1995 to 29 in The area under arable cropping and temporary pasture has increased since 1995 as farms seek to become more self-sufficient in forage, note the large area now under maize. Livestock (Numbers) Area Under Crops (ha)

33 An Atlas of the Tamar Valley AONB: Sustainability Access and Recreation The Tamar Valley AONB is a popular destination for those who want to explore the landscape for quiet recreation both on land and on water. There is a substantial network of public rights of way plus permissive paths, offered by landowners to supplement the public access network. There is comparatively little open access land (CROW Act), however there are two major tracts at Kit Hill in Cornwall (run as a Country Park by Cornwall Council) and West Down on the edge of Dartmoor. The National Trust also offers permissive access on their estates at Cotehele and Buckland Abbey. Cyclists have a choice of quiet roads or dedicated multi-use trails such as the new Tamar Trails network. It is also possible to launch boats and canoes at several public slipways. RDavies Tamar Valley AONB THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT: LANDSCAPE SUSTAINABILITY: ACCESS & RECREATION LANDSCAPE MONITORING RURAL LIFE, ECONOMY & COMMUNITY BIODIVERSITY & GEODIVERSITY HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT LAND USE

34 An Atlas of the Tamar Valley AONB: Sustainability Access and Recreation The ability of people to access the countryside in the AONB depends on a combination of open public access routes and areas, and an adequate level of public knowledge and understanding about access. The Tamar Valley has a highly variable network of Public Rights of Way (PROW), many of them are a legacy of the days when people walked between villages and are not very useful for recreational routes. Many of the large estates have no PROW at all and the Lynher area of the AONB has very little public access for this reason. The AONB works with other partners to keep public access routes open and widely promoted, and has its own promoted longdistance Discovery Trail running along the length of the river corridor. It has also recently opened a new multi-use trail (including routes for cyclists and horse riders) network in the middle of the valley on the Devon side near Gulworthy under the Mining Heritage Project. Data Source: Natural England (2011) Sailors and canoeists are welcome to use the estuarine waters at any time of year and there are several public slipways in the AONB. Click to View Layered Map

35 An Atlas of the Tamar Valley AONB: Sustainability Rural Life, Economy & Community Designated landscapes such as AONBs and National Parks can sometimes become like museums, beautiful but lifeless, and it is vital to the sustainable future of this landscape that its communities remain viable and that its farms are resilient to the waves of change facing land managers into the future as they are buffeted by climate change and volatile commodity markets. These diagrams present some statistical data concerning life in the valley for its land managers and local populations. They include the types of farms, whether the farms are owned or rented, and the numbers of farm labourers employed. They also include data concerning the population of the valley; employment, housing and house prices, car ownership and tourism spend. Tamar Valley AONB

36 An Atlas of the Tamar Valley AONB: Sustainability Rural Life, Economy & Community Source: DEFRA June Agricultural Census 2007

37 An Atlas of the Tamar Valley AONB: Sustainability Rural Life, Economy & Data Source: DEFRA (2007) Data Source: ONS (2006) Key to Industry Type Group A & B Agriculture; hunting and forestry; fishing : Group C & E Mining and quarrying; electricity; gas and water supply Group D Manufacturing Group F Construction Group G Wholesale and retail trade; repairs Group H Hotels and restaurants Group I Transport storage and communications Group J Financial Intermediation Group K Real estate; renting and business activities Group L Public administration and defence; social security Group M Education Group N Health and social work Group O, P & Q Other Data Source: ONS (2001)

38 An Atlas of the Tamar Valley AONB: Sustainability Rural Life, Economy & Community Average House Price Change , , , , , , Tamar Valley AONB Value of Tourism Number of Trips per Year Visitor Spend Staying Nights Day Trip Spend Tourism Employment 481

39 An Atlas of the Tamar Valley AONB: Data Sources: Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (2000) Land Cover Map CPRE (2000) Extent of Dark Night Skies CBRC (1994) Cornwall Nature Conservation Sites Cornwall Council (2008) Historic Environment Record Devon Council (2008) Historic Environment Record DEFRA (2007) June Agricultural Census Natural England (2006) Sites of Special Scientific Interest Natural England (2006) Special Protection Areas Natural England (2006) Special Areas of Conservation Natural England (2011) Access Land Office for National Statistics (2001) Census Office for National Statistics (2006) Population CPRE (2007) Levels of Intrusion CPRE (2007) Levels of Tranquillity DBRC (2006) County Wildlife Sites Devon RIGS Group (2007) RIGS English Heritage (2005) Scheduled Monuments English Heritage (2006) Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Interest ERCCIS - Cornwall LIFE data (1995) Forestry Commission (2000) National Inventory of Woodland and Trees Natural England (1999) Ancient Woodland Inventory Natural England (2002) Agricultural Land Classification

40 The Tamar Valley AONB would like to acknowledge the help of many organisations and individuals in producing this Atlas: Dr Faye Davey and the team at the University of Plymouth mapping and data presentation Roger English and South Devon AONB assistance with data collation Devon County Council - Statistics Land Use Consultants Cornwall, Tamar Valley and Isles of Scilly Landscape Monitoring Project 2008