Mark Fishermn.fisher@ukonline.co.uk

RURAL VISIONA view of Bradford District’s rural

landscape and its public goods and services. Workshop at the Rural

Conference, 21 October 2004

LAND WATER TREES

ACCESS LAND

Access land

Moorland line (250-300m)

www. countrysideaccess.gov.uk

Open country

(mountain, moor,

heath and down) and registered common

land

Agricultural Land

ClassificationGrade 3

Grade 4

Grade 5

No arable or horticulture

Farming - Less Favoured

AreasDisadvantaged

SeverelyDisadvantaged

•Dairy farming - only holding on in valley bottom•Sheep and cattle – precarious viability on hillsides & moors

Average Annual Rainfall

756-824

921-1083

1083-1344

710-756

824-921

Rainfall highest into the Pennine upland

Reservoirs & Watercourses

River Aire

North Beck

River North

Harden Beck

Clayton Beck

Bradford Beck

Flood Risk Areas

Reservoirs

Landscape Conservation

Areas

Special areas of conservation

Twite

LapwingCurlewOwlSparrow hawkKestrel

Woodland Coverage

Woodland or plantation

Flood risk areas

< 5% woodland cover in Bradford DistrictFlooding risk in all riparian habitats

Baildon Access Areawoodland & wildflowers

Midgeley wood

Water woodTrench wood

Broadstone wood

BAILDON BANK

BAILDON MOOR

Loadpit Beck

SHIPLEY GLEN

Sphagnum mossBog asphodelSundewHeath orchidRagged RobinCranberryWater mintGreater birdsfoot trefoil

Baildon Moor - southBracken

Woodland spreading in from Mitton Spring

Millstone grit guild

Birch, rowan, holly, gorse, broom, heather

Moorland grass and sedge, with some heather and bilberry

A

A B

B

C

C

D

D

East side

West side

Baildon Moor southern area - re-wooding the bracken areas

Baildon Moor re-wooding – action -plan

•Identify archaeological sites •Survey soil depths•Devise planting plan – birch, rowan, holly, hawthorn, willow, broom, gorse – with some oak?•Fence off areas or use individual tree guards? Check whether commons registration affects ability to fence-off

ISSUES

1. The low tree cover in the District (4%) compared to the national average (10%)2. The level of local information and promotion of open access areas in the District, and guidance on the public's use of the land3. Because of the nature of land use in the District, there needs to be recognition that landowners as well as farmers need support for environmental management of their land.

ACTIONS

1. Develop a view and strategy for the public goods and services of the rural landscape of the District, exploring new woodland as a way in by considering the examples of tree planting in riparian habitats for flood mitigation and for the control of bracken on Baildon Moor.2. Explore the potential of planning obligations as a means of raising funds in the District for organisations such as Forest of Bradford to carry out tree planting identified in action plans arising from the strategy.3. Improve local information on open access by presenting feature walks on the council's website (i.e. the reservoir walks on the Yorkshire Water website) and accompany it with general information on open access and the Countryside Code. Refresh and vary the Guided Walks program of the Countryside Service.

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