riverside north park, bewdley, worcestershire … · 2016-09-13 · worcestershire wildlife...

RIVERSIDE NORTH PARK, BEWDLEY,

WORCESTERSHIRE

Management Brief

Report to Friends of Riverside North Park

Project number 2016/134 (B) v1

Worcestershire Wildlife Consultancy Lower Smite Farm

Smite Hill Hindlip

Worcester WR3 8SZ

Tel: 01905 754909

www.worcestershirewildlifeconsultancy.org

15th August 2016

Worcestershire Wildlife Consultancy 2016/134 (B) v1 Riverside North Park, Bewdley Management Brief

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QUALITY ASSURANCE

Title: Riverside North Park, Bewdley, Worcestershire Submitted to: Friends of Riverside North Park

Report number: 2016/134 (B) v1 Date: 15th August 2016

Author: Joshua Evans BSc (Hons) MCIEEM – Consultancy Ecologist Internal reviewer: Alan Shepherd MCIEEM – Senior Ecologist

Authorised by: Edward Leszczynski BSc (Hons) MSc MCIEEM – Consultancy Manager

Disclaimer: Worcestershire Wildlife Consultancy is a wholly owned subsidiary of Worcestershire Wildlife Trust. However, the views expressed in this report are those of the Consultancy alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Worcestershire Wildlife Trust. Nor does the report infer any form of consultation with either

Worcestershire Wildlife Trust or any other Wildlife Trust.

Document Control: The report shall not be reproduced, except in full, without the written approval of Worcestershire Wildlife Consultancy.


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Table of Contents Page number INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 3 1. DESCRIPTION .............................................................................................................. 3 1.1 General Information .................................................................................................. 3 1.2 Location ..................................................................................................................... 3 1.3 Elevation and geology ............................................................................................... 3 1.4 Surrounding land usage and Tenure ......................................................................... 3 1.5 Cultural Information.................................................................................................. 4 1.6 Tenure ........................................................................................................................ 4 2. BIOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................... 4 2.1 Flora ........................................................................................................................... 4 2.2 Fauna ......................................................................................................................... 5 3. EVALUATION .................................................................................................................... 6 3.1 Identification/ confirmation of important features ................................................... 6 3.2 UK and Worcestershire Biodiversity Action Plans ...................................................... 7 4. MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES ............................................................................................ 7 4.1 Objectives .................................................................................................................. 7 4.2 Rationale .................................................................................................................... 7 5. OPERATIONAL OBJECTIVES ............................................................................................ 12 6. PRESCRIPTIONS AND PROJECT REGISTER ...................................................................... 13 7. WORK PROGRAMME .................................................................................................... 17 9. BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................... 18 Appendix 1 Site Map ......................................................................................................... 19 Appendix 2 Club-tailed Dragonfly .................................................................................... 20


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INTRODUCTION In July 2016 Worcestershire Wildlife Consultancy was commissioned by Mr Mac Chamberlain of the Friends of Riverside North Park to produce a management brief on land and the pond of Riverside North Park, Bewdley, Worcestershire. This follows on from an initial preliminary ecological appraisal undertaken by Worcestershire Wildlife Consultancy ‐ report reference 2016/134 (A). The main focus of this brief will be on pond restoration but will include other benefits for the local community. The management brief will take the form of a ten year plan. 1. DESCRIPTION 1.1 General Information The site comprises of an amenity park with an overgrown pond on the north‐western side. The park has a number of planted trees and is largely amenity grassland with some amenity facilities located in the centre of the site including a playground and a paddling pool. There is a public footpath alongside the pond but the vegetation is largely overgrown. The pond is beginning to show signs of eutrophication due to litter fall from the adjacent trees and shrubs. The surrounding land use is suburban along with the River Severn. By reviewing historical Ordinance Survey maps, it would appear the park and its pond have been created since the 1990s. The park is maintained to a high standard and is managed by Wyre Forest District Council and the Friends of Riverside North Park. The Friends of Riverside North Park started up in 2012 and have formed a close working relationship with Bewdley Town Council, Wyre Forest District Council and Worcestershire County Council. In addition, the friends group have begun extend their co‐operation with West Mercia Police Community Support Officers in order to extend their working relationships and monitor any vandalism. 1.2 Location The site is located between the River Severn and Nursery Road, Bewdley, Worcestershire DY12 1AR at NGR SO 78484 75872. 1.3 Elevation and geology The site overlies glacial and post‐glacial sands, alluvium and river terrace gravels at an altitude of 15m‐20m OD. The soils are pelo‐alluvial gley soils, clayey and reddish, resulting from alluvium deposited by the River Severn over the underlying Carboniferous sandstones. 1.4 Surrounding land usage and Tenure The surrounding land usage is a complex of residential, industrial and open space. This complexity arises from the various land ownerships, particularly Severn Valley Railway and the private properties in Northwood Road and Nursery Road.


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1.5 Cultural Information The park and its pond are located immediately adjacent to the River Severn and are on the Severn Way Public Footpath. The top end of the park forms part of the administrative and political boundary between the civil Bewdley and Kidderminster Foreign parishes. As the site is located immediately adjacent to the River Severn, it would have been subject to local navigation and trade, especially prior to town receiving its borough status and original bridge in the 15th century (prior to Thomas Telford’s 18th century bridge). Nowadays the surrounding land use is predominately gardens and District Council owned land generally used for recreation, particularly where large areas of open space occur. Access to the park is via a mixture of public, permissive and unofficial footpaths. 1.6 Tenure The park is owned by Wyre Forest District Council. 2. BIOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION 2.1 Flora

The site is an amenity park with trees and a pond with its associated trees and bank‐side vegetation. The bank is an overgrown area that contains variety of grasses such as cock’s foot (Dactylis glomerata), creeping bent (Agrostis stolonifera), Yorkshire fog (Holcus lanatus) and tufted hair‐grass (Deschampsia cespitosa). Other plants include bramble (Rubus fruticosus agg.) , Russian comfrey (Symphytum × uplandicum), rosebay willowherb (Chamerion angustifolium), greater willowherb (Epilobium hirsutum), pendulous sedge (Carex pendula), bush vetch (Vicia sepium), hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium), cleaver (Galium aparine), green alkanet (Pentaglottis sempervirens), black bryony (Dioscorea communis), hedge bindweed (Calystegia sepium), common nettle (Urtica dioica), greater burdock (Arctium lappa), meadow sweet (Filipendula ulmaria), soft rush (Juncus effusus), rough chervil (Chaerophyllum temulum), male fern (Dryopteris filix‐max) ivy (Hedera helix), herb Robert (Geranium robertianum), white dead‐nettle (Lamium album) and bittersweet (Solanum dulcamara). Stands of Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) were also noted. There are a number of trees and shrubs around the pond including dogwood (Cornus sanguinea), hazel (Corylus avellana), sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus), Norway maple (A. platanoides), ash (Fraxinus excelsior), white willow (Salix alba), crack willow (S. fragilis), osier (S. viminalis), elder (Sambucus nigra), dog rose (Rosa canina agg.), silver birch (Betula pendula), Lawson cypress (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana) alder (Alnus glutinosa) and beech (Fagus sylvatica). Other trees and shrubs on site planted in the park include sycamore, beech and field elm (Ulmus minor agg).


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The vegetation on the margins of the pond includes reedmace (Typha latifolium) and yellow flag (Iris pseudacorus). Floating plants include common duckweed (Lemna minor) and possibly American skunk‐cabbage (Lysichiton americanus). The American skunk‐cabbage was seen from the banks but was not definitely identified. Submerged plants that were recorded included Nuttall’s pondweed (Elodea nuttallii) and soft hornwort (Ceratophyllum submersum). Bryophytes on the bank margins included Calliergonella cuspidata moss and Pellia epiphylla liverwort. 2.2 Fauna The site has the potential to support a wide range of animals but only very few were observed during the preliminary ecological appraisal. The following is considered to be a speculative indication of what the site could potentially support. It is not definitely known whether or not there are fish present within the pond but given the close proximity of the River Severn and the fact that the river can flood into the pond via the lower section of land on the southern boundary, it is highly likely that some fish may be present; especially three‐spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus). Although speculative, it is also possible that that fish may have been deposited into the waterbody as fry attached to waterfowl or even by people who can longer care for pet fish such as goldfish and koi‐carp. The immediately adjacent River Severn is known to support a wide range of fish within its middle reaches, such as carp (Cyprinus carpio), barbel (Barbus barbus), chub (Leuciscus cephalus), dace (L. leuciscus), perch (Perca fluviatilis), minnow (Phoxinus phoxinus), salmon (Salmo salar) and brown trout (S. trutta). Some of these species can survive in static waterbodies, should they have entered the pond and could thrive; a good example would be carp. In any case, the waterbody appears to be well‐oxygenated by dense oxygenating plants such as Nuttall’s pondweed and given the presence of Odonata (damselflies and dragonflies), it is highly likely that there is a thriving aquatic invertebrate assemblage. The most significant limiting factor to most forms of aquatic life is the eutrophication of the waterbody by leaf fall from the dense trees and shrubs. The pond does have the potential to support a range of amphibians such as common frogs (Rana temporaria), common toads (Bufo bufo) and possibly smooth newts (Lissotriton vulgaris). However, as detailed within the preliminary ecological appraisal, it is not likely to support great crested newts (Triturus cristatus). The site was generally considered poor for reptiles with the exception of grass snakes (Natrix natrix) which may forage within the pond but are unlikely to be found in the River Severn as the current is too strong. Aquatic invertebrates noted included freshwater shrimp (Gammarus sp.) water hog‐louse (Asellus aquatica), lesser water boatmen (Corixa punctata), common pond‐skaters (Gerris lacustris), caddis‐flies (Trichoptera), common blue damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum), common hawker (Aeshna juncea) and common darter (Sympetrum striolatum). Although not seen on site at the time of the preliminary ecological appraisal, it is possible that a nationally important dragonfly – the club‐tailed dragonfly (Gomphus vulgatissimus) may be present near or even within the site as it has been recorded in this part of Worcestershire. This species is a nationally notable species, being found in less than 100 10km‐squares in Britain. It is an extremely local insect but where suitable habitats occur it


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can be found in very large numbers. It is the subject of three local Biodiversity Action Plans, in Worcestershire (more 1km‐square records than any other county nationwide) as well as Shropshire and Cheshire. It is a riverine species typically associated with moderate to slow flowing water but has been recorded breeding in static waterbodies. Given that club‐tailed dragonflies have been recorded within the Worcestershire stretch of the River Severn, it is entirely plausible that this species could forage and/or even breed within the Riverside North Park pond. The club‐tailed dragonfly is a spring species with a tightly synchronised emergence triggered by increasing day length and rising water temperature in May and June. The adult flight period is early May to end of June/early July and therefore at that time of year it would be worth monitoring the pond and its adjacent habitat for this species. Casual observations of birds include widely distributed passerines such as moorhen (Gallinula chloropus), mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), blackbird (Turdus merula), song thrush (T. philomelos), robin (Erithacus rubecula), blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) and great tit (Parus major), all of which are resident. It was reported via the client that a pair of mute swans (Cygnus olor) were regularly breeding on the pond but have since died. The River Severn is likely to provide habitat for kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) and grey wagtail (Motacilla cinerea). The site is likely to support a range of foraging bats, most likely Daubenton’s bat (Myotis daubentonii), common pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus), soprano pipistrelle (P. pygmaeus) and noctule (Nyctalus noctula). Roost trees on site appear to be absent as there are no suitable candidate trees. With other mammals, it is highly likely that otters (Lutra lutra) will forage down this section of the River Severn at Bewdley but there are no suitable areas within the pond area to provide a holt. Almost certainly, brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) will be present. 3. EVALUATION 3.1 Identification/ confirmation of important features

Site features National Regional Local

Habitat

River corridor Low Low High

Pond Low Low Medium

Park Low Low Low

Trees and shrubs Low Low Medium

Fauna and Flora

Otter High High High

Nesting birds Low Low Medium

Club‐tailed Dragonfly High High High

Bats (all species) High High High


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3.2 UK and Worcestershire Biodiversity Action Plans Rivers & streams and ponds are included in the Worcestershire Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) and are also National BAP Priority Habitats. The otter is a European Protected Species and a National BAP species 4. MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES 4.1 Objectives A. To conserve the integrity of the park as an area of green space within the town. B. To conserve and enhance and maintain a diverse mixture of habitats for the benefit of

wildlife, particularly notable and endangered species. C. To encourage public appreciation and understanding of the site and use of the site for

recreation and education. D. To encourage involvement by the local community in care and management of the site

and to increase scientific knowledge and recording on the site. 4.2 Rationale The foundation on which the management of any pond rests is best viewed as four pillars. In no particular order, these are conservation, education, recreation and community participation. The emphasis can be adjusted to suit the needs of any particular component but where possible a balance should be retained at all times. A Community participation: There is already an active consultation from a local community group, the Friends of Riverside North Park with the local authorities; this should be continued as the group is active and dedicated. It is vital that the lines of communication between the Friends and the local councils are kept open. Although many of the management tasks will require some professional and skilled personnel there are other tasks that could be undertaken by the local group. These include planting trees, community litter picking or even some practical management work. For example hand‐pulling of Himalayan balsam should be carried out on regular basis, especially prior to flowering. Some management of the scrub and keeping the pathways open will be required and again this could be done in association with the local group in order to focus and encourage a sense of ownership. Apart from this feeling of ownership and community that is generated by group participation, there are cultural, historical and potentially artistic connections to be made. There is also the social aspect of “collective toil” on organised work parties and while some people might consider it to be hard work, in essence it is recreational.


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B Recreation: This is difficult to quantify but put simply, just having the site on their doorsteps means that people have a source of open green space in which to walk or sit, which when added to the wildlife that can be seen, makes a significant contribution towards what is usually described by sociologists as “important to the quality of everyday life”. It is understood that the Friends of Riverside North Park desire to have an improved footpath around the entire pond or at least part of the pond. Initially, this was to take the form of raised duckboards but now the current plan to achieve a hard‐standing path as this would be easier maintain. In any case, the path should improve disabled access and thus open the site to the wider community. On any urban site with open access, vandalism, litter and dog fouling are obvious problems but here such issues are generally minor. Hopefully, much of this stems from respect for the site by the community, although there will inevitably be some incidents. These should be addressed via education, information and involvement. C Education: There is an opportunity for schools, youth groups or even adults to undertake surveys or practical tasks, whether targeted at a more formal educational level or merely for enjoyment. For example, if a local school were to “adopt” the site then it could assist with the management and promote a positive image as well as serving as an educational resource. The site could be used for drawing and painting “wild‐areas” and this need not focused toward school children but adults also. A more obvious option is to facilitate pond‐dipping for a wide range of student ages. This would initially require some skill on the event leader to interpret what animals and plants are found but on a very basic level, the main groups can be easily identified. The key issue here is safety and the there will be a requirement for a risk assessment to be carried out to ensure public safety. Although, outside the remit of the management brief, there will be a requirement for at least one lifebelt on site, an adequate safety platform to a minimum width of 1.5m and a length of 3m with an optional safety rail. For further guidance on educationally support, it is suggested that the Friends of Riverside North Park contact Worcestershire Wildlife Trust who have an educational team. Hopefully, this will not only enhance appreciation of the site itself but will also reinforce the importance of conservation on a broader scale. Creating an open‐air classroom area can increase the ability to deliver such a message and it would be an appropriate time to restore the former seated area that has now become overgrown. Linking education with community activities and surveys can be done by organising a series of “come and see” events, for example an evening bat walk with experts and bat detectors on hand, combined with a moth trapping session. These events should be educational but informal and again would link in perfectly with the aims of the local group.


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The site could be greatly improved with educational information boards. Currently, there is only scant knowledge of what flora and fauna are present via the preliminary ecological appraisal. This can be enhanced in the initial stages by contacting Worcestershire Biological Records Service (email‐ [email protected] ). This can be a free of charge service assuming that the information is not required for a profit‐earning exercise. The records centre would require background information and what information is required (it is suggested that all species with 2km radius of the site is asked for). It would be advisable to contact to local charities such as Worcestershire Wildlife Trust for experiences in obtaining educational boards or even Wyre Forest District Council.. D Conservation: Pond With any site it is unavoidable that at times the primary concern will be conservation and therefore the social and environmental needs of local people will become (or appear to become) secondary. The pond currently is in a state of decline due to lack of management in recent years and although not apparent at the present time, the “health” of the pond will decline due to over shading and eutrophication. The pond should become the central feature for both the ecological and amenity interest of the site meaning that much of the work will rely on management undertaken by Wyre Forest District Council and/or works carried out by Friends of Riverside North Park. This means that liaison with Wyre Forest District Council is vital for the upkeep of the pond and its associated park. Much of the pond appears to be deep water with emergent vegetation on some margins, dense submerged vegetation and a considerable number of trees and shrubs on the banks. Because the overall site is well‐established and has developed its own relatively stable ecosystem there is little or no option to create entirely new habitats but there is some potential for enhancing the existing pond. Primary among these is to control emergent vegetation from taken over all the shore lines and shallows. Mechanical/manual clearance is far preferable than the use of herbicides. However, the aim should also be to maintain a certain amount of emergent vegetation and this increases the diversity of micro‐habitats on site. The creation of muddy banks, which are currently lacking, would also assist in diversification of micro‐habitats. In essence, the more habitat features present within the waterbody, the greater increase in biological diversity for the site. It is not known what the current pond profile is but the creation of gentle shelving margins to a maximum depth of 2m is another habitat feature that can increase habitat diversity. There is a clear need to remove some trees/shrubs to allow increased light onto the water, which in turn will increase the intrinsic and amenity value of the pond for the local


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community. However, it is preferable to maintain some tree cover at the northern end of the pond to prevent exposure to cold, northern winds. An additional feature could be created by pollarding suitable trees at the appropriate time of year. Pollarding generally increases the longevity of a tree and reduces shade on the pond. It will be necessary to communicate with a suitable qualified arboriculturist to identify what trees can be pollarded. It is possible that Wyre Forest District Council may have suitable trained staff who can perform this type of work. As the pond management appears to have been non‐intervention since its creation there may be need to remove some silt/sediment but this may have to be a long‐term management prescription. However, it is fundamental that no more than 25% of the sediment is removed over a three year period. This is to ensure that present biological entities are allowed to acclimatize to dynamic changes to their environment. Sediment removal will increase the species richness of the waterbody over time. Although it is highly likely that fish are already present, it is recommended no fish are introduced to the waterbody as there can be detrimental to both aquatic invertebrates and native amphibians. In addition to this routine management, some control of invasive species will need to be undertaken. In the case of the Himalayan balsam, hand pulling the plant prior to flowering is important but due to the dominant nature of the plant it will be an annual task as it is virtually impossible to eradicate from site. This is due to the fact that no matter how much is removed from a site the seeds will always come back from further upstream and the species is now widespread throughout the middle course of the River Severn. However, it is important to control the plant as it outcompetes native plants and reduces the biological integrity and diversity of a site. Total removal by spot spraying will be the best course of action. Grassland As the park’s amenity grassland is well‐maintained and will be continued to be managed by Wyre Forest District Council, there is little scope to recommend a management brief for the vast majority of the park. Therefore this section will focus on the creation of a meadow. The existing amenity grassland is maintained to a high standard already. The margins of the park, especially towards the banks of the River Severn, are more diverse but are ultimately more nutrient enriched and contain ruderal communities. The vegetation immediately between the Severn and the pond more is complex but even in the local context, is relatively ecologically insignificant. The Friends of Riverside North Park are considering the creation of a ‘meadow’ on the section of amenity grassland between the pond and the adjacent properties on the north‐eastern side. Traditional hay meadows tend to be very good for conservation value as they can support a wide range of invertebrates and plants along with nesting birds and small mammals. In addition, they have a high intrinsic value and can be a place where people can find stress‐relief. True meadows are grasslands that have a long history (usually centuries) of


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management towards the production of hay and are generally nutrient deficient. As a result, traditional meadows tend to be herb‐rich and have tall plants (herbs and grasses) during mid‐ May and mid‐July, prior to being cut and later grazed other parts of the year. This means that it is difficult to reproduce a traditional meadow but a herb‐rich grassland can be created. The proposed area is on a shallow‐sloping bank which does have some slight advantages for the creation of an artificial meadow in that nutrient levels may be slightly less than the area immediately by the pond due to percolation and mineral seepage due to gravity. The initial stage ideally would be to scrape back the top soil with an excavator to expose the subsoil. The turf could be re‐deposited elsewhere on site to create a habitat mound, mixed in with tree logs. This would in turn be another conservation feature for the site. The important point is the removal of the organic level of soil where most of the existing seed bank and nutrient would be stored. Then the exposed area can be tilled and be re‐seeded with either a local hay cut (i.e. arisings from a site nearby in June or July) or purchased seeds from a reputable company. Once established, the best option for this grassland is to manage it as a traditional hay meadow with a single hay cut taken in late July or early August and the arisings removed, preferably as baled hay. Removal of the cut material will help to reduce the fertility which in turn will reduce the dominance of coarse grasses and allow the wildflower meadow to develop further. Taking a single cut once a year should also reduce costs compared to multiple cuts, although it may still be desirable to mow the perimeter strip on a more regular basis to keep the fence line clear. If it is not practical for any reason to undertake the mowing using the Wyre Forest Management Team then it could be contracted out to an agricultural contractor or simply sold to a local farmer/smallholder who will cut, bale and remove the hay. It will be necessary to monitor and control invasive weeds, particularly creeping thistle (Cirsium vulgare), either by spot spraying and/or hand pulling. Spraying is the most effective method in terms of both cost and effort but the systemic herbicide used must be carefully selected and applied so that it does not affect anything other that the target species. The only herbicide that would be suitable here would be glyphosate since this becomes inert on contact with the soil and will only affect plants that have been spot treated. Herbicide must only be used by qualified operatives and its use should be restricted to invasive “problem” species only. Elsewhere the amenity grassland is mown regularly but there is little ecological value to these areas and therefore there will be little or no impact from continuing this management regime. However, if it is possible to identify any parts that can be left longer and/or cut less often then this could result in reducing costs as well as creating a small ecological enhancement.


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Trees and scrub In the case of nettle and bramble patches a degree of flexibility and tolerance should be retained as long as they are kept in check since both are a valuable food source for butterflies and other invertebrates. Spraying should only be undertaken by licensed operatives using approved chemicals (in most cases with glyphosate) but there is scope for community work parties to undertake some hand‐weeding and scrub clearance. Use of herbicide near the watercourse will require the consent of the Environment Agency. There is a need to control scrub but this should not need to be undertaken often, although it is important that any ongoing management is continued. This should aim at a rotational cutting regime to ensure that a mosaic of differing growth stages is provided for birds and invertebrates. Inevitably unforeseen problems will arise with dead or damaged trees. However, standing dead wood is a valuable habitat and should be left alone where safety is not compromised. This will need careful consideration of each case on its own merits and naturally it will be necessary to err on the side of safety at all times. Dead wood on the floor should be left whenever possible to provide habitat for invertebrates and amphibians unless safety is compromised. Ideally it should be left on the edges of the site away from the banks of the brook and any other areas likely to flood regularly. Given the frequent negative public reaction to tree work, full details of the reasons for the work should be given to all visitors and local residents, via interpretation notices, local press or even public meetings. Brash from all tree management should be chipped on site and as required used as mulch around plantings or as a surface material for paths. If not it should be removed and used elsewhere within the town for example mulching park flowerbeds. Alternatively it could be distributed to local residents for use in their own gardens. Many of the prescribed operations will require some degree of flexibility and subjective judgement with regard to the timing but as a lot of the management work is repetitive from year to year the main constraint will probably be the weather conditions. Fortunately there is a great degree of flexibility on this site: for example, as there is no need to produce quality timber the timing of tree work should be less critical. As well as this, the growth rate of the trees and shrubs will obviously vary, along with the need to prune or trim and again flexibility should be the rule here. 5. OPERATIONAL OBJECTIVES Operational objective 1 To meet Objective B, manage the pond and its immediately adjacent habitat for conservation and biodiversity. Continue to liaise with the Wyre Forest District Council and Worcestershire County Council. In addition, dialogue with local conservation organisations


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such as Worcestershire Wildlife Trust and Wyre Community Land Trust could be initiated with intent to obtain further advice and support. To meet Objective B with pond restoration in mind, management should involve control of emergent vegetation and reduction of tree and shrub cover. In addition the creation of micro‐habitat features such as log‐piles and bare mud would befit the site. Re‐profiling the pond margins and dredging the substrate is more optional but can certainly assist the pond’s longevity to increase local biodiversity. Control undesirable weeds by hand‐pulling, spot treating or spraying. This is especially important regarding Himalayan balsam. Operational objective 2 To meet Objectives A, B, C & D, create a meadow on the northern eastern end of the park for amenity and conservation value. Continue to mow the amenity grassland, leaving longer areas where possible/practical. Cut back and if necessary spray brambles to control further encroachment. Control undesirable weeds by hand‐pulling, spot treating or spraying. Operational objective 3 To meet Objectives C& D , encourage and involve local community groups in active management, events, surveys, etc. Operational objective 4 To meet management objective D, monitor and record all species. Adjust management if required. Operational objective 5 To meet management objectives A, B, C & D, continue to maintain site. 6. PRESCRIPTIONS AND PROJECT REGISTER Operational objective 1– Maintain & Enhance the pond and its immediate habitat. Outline prescription 1.1 Manage emergent vegetation. Cut back reedmace to approximately 25 % to 33% to prevent excessive growth and ‘choking’ the pond. In addition, there may be American skunk‐cabbage on site – this would need to be eliminated as it is a non‐native pernicious weed Year: All as required. Initially Year 1 then every three years Season: Winter or as necessary Priority: High


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1.2 Re‐profiling. Using excavators remove 25%of the substrate of the pond and then leave for at least three years. At the same time, the pond could be re‐profiled but it is not known if this is required. It would be dependent on the existing profile and would need to be determined at a later stage. Year: 3 then at least three years later Season: Winter 1.3 Manage overhanging trees, bushes and brambles. Cut back, pollard or coppice trees and bushes as necessary to prevent excessive shading of pond and margins. Remove dead wood that may fall into pond . Deadwood can be stored on site as habitat piles. Year: All as required Season: Winter or as necessary Priority: High 1.4 Manage bank‐side vegetation, in particular Himalayan balsam . Hand‐pulling Himalayan balsam and controlling bramble by mechanical and/or chemical means Year: All as required Season: Spring or as necessary Priority: High Operational objective 2 – Maintain amenity grassland and create meadow Outline prescription 2.1 Continue to mow the amenity grassland ‐maintaining the short grassland for public amenity. Year: All Seasons: Spring and Summer Priority: High 2.2 Create a meadow on the top bank in the north‐eastern corner of the site. 1. Prepare ground by removing top soil to a depth of 5cm+ to sub‐soil and tilling to form seed‐bed. Year: 1 Season: Any but preferably Autumn‐Winter Option 1 2.3 (1). Sow with appropriate mix of grass and wildflower seeds. Control invasive weeds (e.g. thistles, brambles) by hand pulling/spot spraying as necessary. Year: 2 Season: Spring


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OR Option 2 2.3 (2). Spread hay from an existing wildflower meadow and allow species to colonise naturally. Control invasive weeds (e.g. thistles, brambles) by hand pulling/spot spraying as necessary. Year: 2 Season: Late Summer ‐ Autumn Operational objective 3 ‐ Involve local community groups Outline prescription 3.1 Maintain network of paths to allow free access to all. Be aware of safety at all times, especially if near watercourse or on steep slopes. It is understood that an improved footpath for wheel chair access to cover either the entire or partial site will be installed. This is beneficial to the wider community and should be created in the near future Year: All Season: All Priority – High 3.2 Create interpretative notice boards. Ensure that notices explain the wildlife interest of the site and safety aspect. This will be based on observations from volunteers and paid professionals. Year: 2 plus Season: All Priority: Moderate 3.3 Increase public awareness of the site and its conservation measures via meetings, press releases, etc. Organise/ co‐operate in local events, e.g., informal but educational walks, work parties, litter patrols. Year: All Season: All Priority: High 3.4 Involve local school(s). Encourage open‐air studies. Year: All Season: All Priority: Medium Operational objective 4 ‐ Record all flora and fauna Outline prescription 4.1 Record/monitor all species. Initiate fixed point survey, e.g. fixed point photography, quadrats. Involve local schools and community groups in surveys. Paid professionals may be


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an necessity – this is dependent on the levels of detail aspired to by the Friends of Riverside North Park. Year: All Season: All Priority: Medium 4.2 Monitor site and use information to inform future management Year: All Season: All Priority: Medium Operational objective 5 ‐ Maintain the site 5.1 Create rock and stone pile Priority: Medium Year: 1 or 2 Season: Any 5.2 Erect bird and bat boxes on suitable trees within park or by the pond. Priority: Medium Year: 1 or 2 Season: Any but preferably winter 5.3 Monitor health and condition of all trees and manage as necessary. Consult arboriculturist if required.

Priority: High Year: All Season: Autumn/Winter or Any as necessary 5.4 Maintain park feature, etc. Year: All Season: All as necessary Priority: Medium 5.5 Remove litter Year: All Season: All ‐ as necessary Priority: High 5.6 Continue to liaise with the Wyre Forest District Council and Worcestershire County Council over management plans. Year: All Season: All Priority: High


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5.7 Investigate possibility of communications with local wildlife organisations . Year: 1 and 3 Season: Any Priority: High 7. WORK PROGRAMME

Project Years Season Priority

1. Manage Pond

1.1 Manage overhanging trees & bushes. Cut back, pollard or coppice as necessary to prevent excessive shading. Remove dead wood.

1 or 2 then every three years

Autumn or Winter

High

1.2 Manage bank‐side vegetation. All (as suitable)

Spring or any Medium

1.3 Manage emergent vegetation(i.e. reedmace etc.

All Winter – Spring or any

High

1.4 Re‐profiling and de‐silting. Dependent on the knowledge of the current profile. De‐silting would be required at least once within the next ten years

3 then every three years if

necessary

Winter Medium


2. Creating a “meadow” and amenity park management

2.1 Continue to mow the amenity grassland for public use.

All as necessa

ry

Spring and Summer

High

2.2 Create a meadow on the top bank by preparing ground.

1 Autumn/Winter Medium‐High

2.3 (1) Re‐seed with commercial wildflower seed mixture and control weeds or

2 Spring/Summer Medium‐High

2.3 (2) Re‐seed with wildflower seeds with arisings from a local meadow and control weeds

2 Spring/Summer Medium‐High


3. Involve Local community groups

3.1 Maintain network of paths to allow free access. Create hard standing path around the pond

All

All High

3.2 Create interpretive notice boards. Control undesirable weeds by spraying/spot‐treating, hand weeding. Chemicals to be used only by qualified personnel. Obtain permission from Environment Agency for spraying near or over

2 + All High


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watercourse.

3.3 Increase public awareness of the site All All High

3.4 Involve local schools All All Medium


4 Record all flora and fauna

4.1 Record/monitor all species All All High

4.2 Monitor site & use future information to inform future management

All All Medium


5 Maintain site

5.1 Create rock and stone piles 1 or 2 & as necessary

Any Medium

5.2 Monitor health and condition of all trees and manage as necessary. Consult arboriculturist if required.

All Late Autumn –Winter or as necessary

High

5.3 Erect bird and bat boxes 1 or 2 & as necessary

Winter Medium

5.4 Maintain all fixtures, fences, etc. All All High

5.5 Remove litter All All High

9. BIBLIOGRAPHY Worcestershire Biodiversity Action Plan: http://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/cms/environment‐and‐planning/biodiversity/action‐plans.aspx Worcestershire Wildlife Consultancy (2016). Preliminary Ecological Appraisal of Riverside North Park 2016/134 (A) v1.


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Appendix 1 Site Map


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Appendix 2 Club-tailed Dragonfly Although not seen on site at the time of the preliminary ecological appraisal, it is possible that a nationally important dragonfly – the club‐tailed dragonfly (Gomphus vulgatissimus) may be present near or even within the site as it has been recorded in this part of Worcestershire. This species is a nationally notable species, being found in less than 100 10km‐squares in Britain. It is an extremely local insect but where suitable habitats occur it can be found in very large numbers. It is the subject of three local Biodiversity Action Plans, in Worcestershire (more 1km‐square records than any other county nationwide) as well as Shropshire and Cheshire. It is a riverine species typically associated with moderate to slow flowing water but has been occasionally recorded breeding in static waterbodies. It generally breeds in unpolluted, meandering rivers, which have a depositional nature. Silty substrates are favoured over stretches with rock beds as the larvae are burrowers, living in the mud and silt. Inhabited reaches are typically adjacent to woodland, as it provides cover for the adults, rather than more open habitats. Club‐tailed dragonflies spend most of their adult life away from water perching on the ground, on bushes and in treetops. They are often found in woodland and use the tree canopy more than most species. They are elusive insects and consequently knowledge about their terrestrial requirements is limited. Given that club‐tailed dragonflies have been recorded within the Worcestershire stretch of the River Severn, it is entirely plausible that this species could forage and even breed within the Riverside North Park pond. The club‐tailed dragonfly is a spring species with a tightly synchronised emergence triggered by increasing day length and rising water temperature in May and June. The larvae wait for the sun to come up before leaving the water and may travel some distance to find a suitable emergence site. Following emergence, the maiden flight of teneral dragonflies aims away from water, usually into vegetation at the top of the riverbank. Thus, woodland or scrub within close proximity of inhabited rivers provides a local source of food and shelter for adults, particularly during their maturation period. Dispersal is invariably away from the river and adults can be seen flying in woodland rides or along hedgerows often several kilometres away from the breeding site. The adult flight period is early May to end of June/early July and therefore at that time of year it would be worth monitoring the pond and its adjacent habitat for this species.

riverside north park, bewdley, worcestershire … · 2016-09-13 · worcestershire wildlife...

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