Slapton Ley National Nature Reserve

Management Plan 2010-2019

(Reviewed for 2015-2019)

produced by Graham Burton

Conservation and Countryside Consultant

Contents

1. SITE INFORMATION

1.1. Location & statutory information

1.1.1. Site location & relevant authorities

1.1.2. Aerial photographic coverage

1.1.3. Statutory, planning & other designations

1.1.4. Tenure

1.1.5. Wayleaves & easements

1.1.6. Conditions of grants, gifts & sponsorship

1.1.7. Planning permissions, statutory consents & statutory licences

1.1.8. Public access

1.1.9. Revenue grant schemes & area-based subsidies

1.1.10. Main fixed assets

1.2. Environmental information

1.2.1. Geology & soils

1.2.2. Hydrology

1.3. Biological information

1.3.1. Recording areas

1.3.2. Data sources & under-recorded groups

1.3.3. Habitats

1.3.4. Vegetation communities

1.3.5. Important plant & animal species

1.3.6. Population trends of important plant and animal species

1.4. Visitors & Public Affairs

1.4.1. Legal requirements

1.4.2. The Visitor Experience

1.4.3. Existing visitor numbers, profile and trends

1.4.4. Visitor facilities and services

1.4.5. Visitor perceptions

1.4.6. Visitor potential

1.4.7. Environmental understanding

1.4.8. Advocacy

1.4.9. Accessibility

1.4.10. Local community

2. EVALUATION & RATIONALE FOR MANAGEMENT 2.1. Conservation 2.1.1. Current issues & constraints

2.1.2. Identification of the Features Influencing Management of the site 2.1.3. Condition of the Features Influencing Management & Main Factors affecting them

2.2. Visitors & Public Affairs 2.2.1. Site constraints and opportunities 2.2.2 Audience analyses

2.2.3. SWOT analysis 2.2.4 Rationale for visitor management 2.2.5. Identification of actions needed to achieve visitor and public affairs objectives 2.2.6 Actions undertaken by other stakeholders on site

3. SUPPORT SERVICES 3.1. Health and Safety rationale

3.2. Objectives, prescriptions and projects

3.2.1 Safe environment

3.2.2 Office systems

4. VISION, OBJECTIVES & MANAGEMENT

4.1. Long-term vision

4.2. Objectives & management tasks.

5. PROJECT REGISTER

5.1. Compartment map

5.2. Work Programme

6. FINANCIAL PLAN

7. REFERENCES

8. Maps

1 Location of the reserve

2. Statutory, planning & other designations

3. Land/rights held by WWCT/FSC

4. Land/rights let out by WWCT/FSC

5. Way leaves & easements

6. Planning permissions, statutory licences & statutory consents

7. Public access

8. Tracks and paths – maintenance priorities

9. Revenue grants schemes & area-based subsidies

10. Main fixed assets

11. Reserve recording areas

12. Habitats on the reserve

13. Compartments

1.1. Location & statutory information

1.1.1. Site location & relevant authorities

The location of the reserve is shown in Map 1 and details of relevant authorities given in the table

below.

Site name Slapton Ley

Area (ha) 209.3 ha

Grid ref (centre of reserve) SX 826441

County Council * 1 Devon

District Council**2 South Hams

Parish Council Slapton

Stokenham

Strete

Parliamentary

Constituency

Totnes

Local Environment Agency

office3

Manley House, Kestrel Way, Exeter. EX2 7LQ

Drainage Authority4 None

Airport Safeguarding zone No

1.1.2. Aerial photographic coverage

Date Cover Scale Location of copies

01-Nov-45 Slapton Ley, Slapton Wood,

Start Bay

10,300 Field Centre

12-May-51 Whole 10,000

12-Jun-69 ? 60,000

04-Jun-70 SL

Dec-71 SL

14-Jun-72 SW, SL 10,000

01-Jun-73 SL 5,000

01-Jun-73 SL

26-Apr-76 SL 7,000

03-Apr-80 SL 23,500

13-Jun-81 SL

15-Oct-92 Whole 25,000

Historical data:

Other aerial coverage held by NERC, MOD et al

Details from Field Centre

1.1.3. Statutory, planning & other designations

Details of statutory, planning and other designations are given in the following table.

Designation All or part

of site?

Name & other details

SSSI/ASSI All Slapton Ley – parts of SSSI are not part of NNR

NNR All Slapton Ley

Statutory Bird Sanctuary Part Slapton Ley - 1880

AONB All South Devon AONB, 1960

Heritage Coast All South Devon HC, 1984

Public open space Shingle

ridge

SHDC has enabled bye-laws to control use of

the Sands as part of their sub lease

This management plan provides the consent for management of the site from Natural England

under Schedule 9 28E of the Wildlife and Rights of Way Act as amended under the Countryside

& Rights of Way Act 2000.

Reason for Notification from SSSI Citation:

Slapton Ley is nationally important for its

coastal geomorphology (shingle barrier beach enclosing a coastal lagoon),

open water,

vegetated shingle,

reed-bed, tall herb-fen and fen woodland plant communities,

an assemblage of breeding birds of lowland open waters and their margins,

a breeding population of the rare Cetti’s warbler Cettia cetti,

non-breeding passage birds, particularly hirundines, wintering bittern Botaurus stellaris,

a vascular plant assemblage (within the NNR this is Corrigiola littoralis)

a lichen assemblage.

1.1.4. Tenure

Tenure of the site is shown in Map 3.

Land or rights let out are shown in Section 1.1.4.b and on Map 4.

The National Nature Reserve agreement was originally signed in 1991 and renewed from 1 April

2011. It is enabled by a Policy document that relies on a Management plan agreed by all parties.

The NNR signatories are:

Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust WWCT

Field Studies Council FSC

Natural England NE

South Hams District Council SHDC

This new agreement will expire in 2035.

The range of aims and objectives include:

Nature conservation

Research

Environmental education

Landscape and amenity

Informal recreation

Coastal protection

a) Land / Rights held

i) Leasehold:

Owned by Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust (WWCT) and leased to FSC:

Compartment code/

OS no.

Name Area in ha (acres) Date of

acquisition

Slapton Ley Bird Sanctuary 191.37 (472.68) 6 Nov 1956

pt G4/pt 1777 Rush Marsh <1acre 25 Apr 1967

pt G4/1765, 1766, 1767 pt Frittiscombe Farm 3.30 (8.14) 13 Jul 1973

pt G4/16 South Parks Marsh (pt Sloutts

Farm)

0.82 (2.02) 22 Dec 1980

pt G4, G3, O/ pt 12, 13,

14, 15, 24, pt 26, pt27,

pt28, pt 42

Southgrounds Marshes 6.68 (16.51) 31 Jan 1978

pt K/0690 Ireland Cottage 0.158 (0.39) 12 Feb 1986

NG 1228, Big Hill

Little hill

6.5 1988

NG 4792,6182 Lower Summer Gaps

Hedgelands

5.3 2004

ii) Management agreements, licences, consents & other rights: None.

b) Land/rights let

i) Sub Leases

Shingle ridge:

From

2010

South Hams DC 31.7 ha 25 years

Rent reviewed every 5 years

ii) Tenancies Bird ringing hut DEVON BIRDS 0.1ha On going - 6 months notice either side

iii) Licences Land/right Date Licensee Area Term &

review/expiry date

Field No. pt1426 01/04/2004 B. Lethbridge 1.60ha Current License

Executed 22/04/04 Field No. pt1427

Grazing licence

Hartshorn Ley side

fringes

31/12/2004

c) Land rights owned by WWCT and part of NNR/SSSI Land/right Date Tenant Area Term &

review/expiry date

Slapton Ley NNR 2010 Field Studies

Council

209.3ha 2035

1.1.5. Way leaves & easements See Map 5, in files, for details of access routes across land owned by third parties.

1.1.6. Conditions of grants, gifts & corporate sponsorship None current

1.1.7. Planning permissions, statutory consents & statutory licences

Planning permissions, statutory consents and statutory licences are shown in the table below.

Planning permissions

Planning

Consent Ref.

No.

Date Subject Type of

consent

Expiry

date

Comments

53/2274/02/F 21/02/03 Replacement of

Torcross bird hide

Conditional 20/02/08 Consents implemented

9/531523/93/3 22/11/93 Renewal/alteration to

Stokeley bird hide

Conditional 21/11/98 Consent implemented

2001 Re-alignment of

A379

Granted by Devon CC

44/2241/06/CM 14/11/06 Land between A379

Torcross to

Dartmouth Road and

Higher Ley at

Slapton, Nr

Kingsbridge

Devon CCC

consent for

their own

highway

works

14/11/13 Construction of new

carriageway a

maximum of 21 metres

inland of existing road

to replace sections of

A379 vulnerable to

storm damage.

1.1.8. Public access

Access, car parking and public rights of way are shown in Map 7.

1.1.9. Revenue grant schemes, management contracts & area-based

subsidies

Land entered into revenue grant schemes is shown on Map 8.

Scheme Commencement &

expiry dates

Tier/landsca

pe type etc

Area (ha) works

DEFRA – single

Payment

2010-2020

Higher Level

Scheme

209 ha

Various – see Work

Programme

Devon Highways To 2023

Mitigation

works

1ha Monitor dormouse

Mow back slope

grassland

1.1.10. Main fixed assets

Details of all fixed assets are given in the tables below, and their location shown in Map 9.

Timber buildings & hides

Name Insured by policy? Comments

Torcross bird hide Yes Built 2003, renewed 2010

Stokeley bird hide Yes Built 1993 – rebuilt 2013

Ireland Bay hide Yes Built 2013

Slapton Bird

Observatory

No Responsibility of DEVON BIRDS

Miscellaneous structures

Name Insured by policy? Comments

Fishing hut at Slapton

Bridge

Yes Formerly a Lime Kiln, stone built and

extended. Refurbished 2004 and used

for storage of sundry items.

1.2. Environmental information

1.2.1. Geology & soils

Important geology/geomorphology

The Lower Devonian Meadfoot group slates were laid down as silts and muds in a shallow sea

about 360 million years ago. The rock strata, as seen exposed at, for example, Southgrounds

Quarry, slope down to the margins of the Ley. Lower Devonian Dartmouth group slates underlie

the northernmost part of the Slapton Wood area. North of the Ley, fragments of early fossil fish

have been found in Dartmouth slates.

The shingle bar is an important example of a shingle barrier beach, and is described in the

Geological Conservation Review. It was formed in immediate post-glacial times by the 'Flandrian

Transgression' pushing a predominantly flint and quartz shingle ridge onshore. When this ridge

joined the headlands at Strete (GR:845465) and Torcross (GR:823417) a tidal lagoon was formed.

The system is further described by Hails (1975).

The first freshwater peats have been carbon-14 dated at 2,889 ±50 BP (ref. IX), though marine

incursions have occurred since then. The gentle, mostly vegetated slopes that were the

interglacial sea-cliffs form the landward shore of the Ley. These cliffs are now degraded to

heights not exceeding 10m (35 ft) above the height of the Ley.

The highest point of the reserve is at 98 m (325 ft.) a.s.l.

See Burt (ed.) 1993 for a useful introduction to the geomorphology of the Slapton region.

Soils

The soils derived from Devonian slates are deep, and rich in silt and clay, a mixture which makes

them easy to cultivate except when they are wet. Where true soils exist (ie non-alluvial) on the

reserve they are of the brown-earth type, shallow and moderately acid (pH 5.0 - 6.5). Trudgill

(1983) described the soils of Slapton Wood, which are acid (pH 3.8 - 4.6) and nutrient poor with a

high content of silt-sized particles and slate fragments.

1.2.2. Hydrology Many studies have been carried out on the hydrology of the Ley and its catchment. Slapton Ley

Field Centre holds detailed information.

See Reference section (7, below).

A Diffuse Water Pollution Plan was agreed in 2012 between Natural England and the

Environment Agency. This summarises details of the catchment and includes the objective:

Natural England and the Environment Agency commit to work together to gather evidence and implement

necessary remedy measures as guided by this plan, in order to maintain an improving trend in nutrients

and sediment in the Slapton Ley catchment, so that SSSI condition targets are achieved in the future.

1.2.3 Chemical composition of Ley waters

Regular sampling of the catchment has been undertaken for over 40 years and a number of

academic papers produced – see Reference section.

The graphs below summarise the data for 2 key indicators.

N levels

Nitrate at Torcross

-10.000

-

10.000

20.000

30.000

40.000

50.000

60.000

Years 1982-2013

mg/l

P levels

Phosphates at Torcross

0.0000

1.0000

2.0000

3.0000

4.0000

5.0000

6.0000

7.0000

8.0000

9.0000

10.0000

Years 1988 - 2013

mg/l

1.3. Biological information

1.3.1. Recording areas Recording areas are shown in Maps 12a

1.3.2. Data sources and under-recorded groups

Data sources - See Reference section 7.1.1

Under-recorded groups

Many, but none that currently affect the SSSI designation or management decisions.

1.3.3. Habitats The distribution of habitats on the reserve is shown in Map 12.

Major habitats BAP habitats Where? Area (ha)

Shingle ridge Coastal vegetation

Bare Shingle

Shingle ridge, backslope

and beach

31.7

Freshwater lagoon Eutrophic standing

water

Lower Ley 66.6

Rich fen and reedbed Swamp/Fen

Reed bed

Lower ley bays, Higher

Ley, Start valley wetland

36.1

Deciduous woodland Chiefly Slapton and France

woods

50.8

Wet woodland Wet carr woodland Higher Ley, Start valley 4.8

Grazed marsh Floodplain grazing

marsh

Southgrounds 1.0

Scrub Old cliff line, 7.4

Agricultural

grassland Loworthy, Ireland bay

10.9

Total 209.3

1.3.4. Vegetation communities

NVC communities

Swamp/fen and carr woodland in Lower Ley

Shingle ridge

All swamp/fen and carr woodland

Rivers 1999

Wilson 2002

Bennett 2008

1.3.5. Important plant & animal species

Plants See Brookes and Burns (1969) for an account of the flora and list of vascular plants. Over 490

species of vascular plant have been recorded, as well as 197 species of mosses and liverworts

Species Popn. size Status Comments

Swamp/Fen and ley shore:

Strapwort Corrigola littoralis See graph below

WCA 8 & RDB

(Critical))

Only remaining site in UK

Pennyroyal Mentha pulegium 0 WCA 8 & RDB

(Vulnerable)

Not noted in last 10 years

Prickly Sedge

Carex muricata ssp. muricata

? RDB (CR)

Three-lobed Water Crowfoot

Ranunculus tripartitus

? RDB (V)

Convergent Stonewort

Chara connivens

? RDB (Endangered)

An aquatic macrophyte

Ceratophyllum submersum

? RDB (V) Only site in Devon

Shingle ridge

Shore Dock Rumex rupestris 0 WCA 8, EPS &

RDB (E)

Not noted in last 10 years

Carr and fringing woodland:

Many-fruited Beardless-moss

Weissia multicapsularis

? RDB (E)

Lichens:

Cryptolechia carneolutea

?

RDB (V)

Lichens surveyed by NE,

most recently 2012

Parmelina quercina ? RDB (V)

Southern Grey

Physcia tribacioides

? RDB (E)

Golden-hair Lichen Teloschistes

flavicans

? RDB (V)

Fungi See papers by Hawksworth and Ing for accounts of the fungi. The number of species recorded stood at 2,344 in October 1995 (including 323 lichenised species). The total number of species estimated to exist at Slapton now exceeds 3,000. 64 species have been recorded as new to the British Isles, including 21 as new to science

Breeding birds (BOCC and other key species related to Slapton habitats)

UK population figures taken from British Birds 2013- Musgrove et al.

Wildfowl population estimated using standard BTO field survey protocol- full survey in 2012.

BOCC – Birds of Conservation Concern

BAP – Biodiversity Action Plan

SPEC – of European conservation concern

Species Status Popn. Size Importance Comments

SSSI feature

Cetti's warbler SSSI feature

NB - No longer

red or amber

BOCC

36 territories

(Mean of last 5 years)

1.8% UK

(in 2009)

UK population now

over 2,000 prs. SSSI

feature figure from

2009 should be

amended.

Red listed (BOCC) - breeding

Bittern BAP priority Possibly bred 1998 May nest again if

UK population

increases

Cirl bunting BAP priority 8 prs 1% UK

On, or recorded

from, the reserve

2014

Linnet BAP priority Nesting in various

places but popn size

unknown

Regional Added to Red list in

2010

Other Red list BOCC species recorded at Slapton in last 10 years

Skylark Song thrush Grasshopper warbler Spotted flycatcher

Starling House sparrow Cuckoo Yellowhammer

Red listed (BOCC) – non-breeding

Bittern BAP priority 1-2 winter 1% UK? Regular in winter

Aquatic warbler Globally

threatened

Passage only Last trapped

by ringing

scheme in

2008

Site may be

important staging

post on migration

Amber listed - breeding

Open water and fringes

Garganey SPEC

BAP priority 1 pair 2013 Regional Irregular nesting

Tufted duck SPEC 17 prs Regional 2012 survey

Little Egret BAP priority 1 pair Unclear Nested 2011 -

possibly still

breeding in heronry

Species Status Popn. Size Importance Comments

Kingfisher SPEC

BAP priority Last confirmed nest

2002

Regional Regularly seen all

year round

Reed bunting BAP priority 8 prs Regional Last count 2005

Other Amber (breeding) list BOCC species recorded at Slapton

Willow warbler Dunnock Mistle thrush

Green woodpecker Stock Dove Whitethroat Bullfinch

Amber listed - Non-breeding

Species Status Popn. Size Importance Comments

Reedbed/fen

Marsh harrier Amber for both

breeding and

wintering

1-2 passage/winter

Regional Spring/autumn

passage only. No

breeding records.

Hirundine

roost

SSSI feature

(passage bird

assemblage)

10,000 peak count

(30/7/2012)

3rd top UK

site

(2002)

Very variable each

year

Open water Winter populations (Average of peak counts last 5 yrs (mainly late summer and winter peaks)

Mallard SSSI assemblage 160 Regional Wildfowl numbers

considerably lower

than 20 years ago,

apart from the winter

of 2013-14 when water

crowfoot rafts

attracted peak

numbers.

Pochard SPEC

SSSI assemblage 42

Regional

Shoveler SPEC

SSSI assemblage 5

Wigeon SSSI assemblage 63 Regional

Teal SSSI assemblage 4

Other species of regional importance

Great crested

grebe

SSSI assemblage 20prs Regional 2012 – possible pairs

Grey heron SSSI assemblage 4 prs Regional Stable colony

Mute swan SSSI assemblage 3 prs Regional 2012 survey

Coot SSSI assemblage 13 prs Regional Also important

winter numbers

Water rail SSSI assemblage 12 territories 1% UK 2012 survey

Other Fauna

Species Popn. size Status Comments

Mammals

Common Dormouse

Muscardinus avellanarius

See below WCA 5, EPS & RDB

(Red)

Woods and shingle ridge

gorse

Otter

Lutra lutra

unknown WCA 5, EPS & RDB

(Red)

See Riley (1996) for a review

of the work on otters

Bats –

- Lesser Horseshoe

- Barbastelle

- Greater Horseshoe

- Bechstein’s

-

- Daubenton’s

- Soprano Pipistrelle

- Nathusius’ Pipistrelle

- Whiskered

- Brandt’s

See graph

below for

LH

Unknown

for all

others

4 bats on Annexe II

of the EU Habitats

directive -

All other bats are

listed on Annex IV

LH Roost in Field Centre

buildings

Legally all bat species are EU

protected.

Invertebrates Invertebrate groups best represented in records for the reserve are probably the Lepidoptera (thanks to the use of light traps) and the freshwater invertebrates. Studies on the latter have been made by Lamont (1985), Smith (1990), and Chatfield (1972) inter alia. The Invertebrate Site Register lists 88 species for Slapton Ley, comprising 1 vulnerable, 7 rare, 2 notable A, 39 nationally scarce and 28 local, with a further 11 species needing further information on either status at Slapton, or status of the species. Two uncommon species of mollusc have been recorded - Planorbis laevis and Segmentina nitida - but neither of them recently. The latter is a UK Priority species, but the record is unsubstantiated.

The area (NNR and environs) is very rich in oribatids (moss mites) with 100 species recorded in 1996

This is 32% of the known oribatid fauna of the British Isles, and includes 6 species newly recorded in

Britain.

A new species of millipede was discovered in Slapton Wood in 1992 - Anthogona britannica sp. nov.

see References, Section 7

1.3.6. Population trends of important plant & animal species Note – no records in 2001 (Foot and mouth year).

1.3.6.1Strapwort:

Strapwort - number of rosettes from 1978

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2000

1978

1979

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

Year

Nu

mb

er

Of

Str

ap

wo

rt

High counts 2006-11 could be linked to favourable shore conditions in drier summers.

1.3.6.2 Cetti’s Warbler;

Cetti's territories

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

year

terr

ito

ries

19991996 1997 1998 2000 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Slight decline in territories since peaks of 1990s but stable since 2005.

As noted above this species is no longer of Conservation concern in the UK and the SSSI feature

notification may need to be reviewed.

1.3.6.3 Dormouse:

Dormice Totals 2002 to 2008

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Years

Num

bers

of D

orm

ice

Backslope

Southgrounds

Dormice counts on backslope

Dormice records

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

21/04/2009 21/04/2010 21/04/2011 21/04/2012 21/04/2013

No. of dormice No. of empty nests

Dormouse counts reflect effort and presence but population trends hard to establish due to

variable number of nest boxes.

1.3.6.4 Loworthy winter bird counts

Summary of winter counts

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14

Year

Bir

ds Cirl

All birds total

Species

Too early to detect valid trends. Regular over wintering flock of between 6-12 cirl buntings

1.3.6.5 Lesser Horseshoe bat roost at Field Centre

Lesser Horseshoe roost counts

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

Colony seems stable.

1.3.6.6 Wildfowl counts

Wildfowl peak totals - last 18 years

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

96-97 97-98 98-99 99-00 00-01 01-02 02-03 03-04 04-05 05-06 06-07 07-08 08-09 09-10 10-11 11-12 12-13 13-14

Steady decline in winter wildfowl numbers. Proposed that this is linked to food availability, and

therefore biological health of water body, as bloom of water crowfoot in 2013 attracted high

numbers back.

1.3.6.7 Sample survey of Higher Ley bird territories

as carried out by SBO in May each year – snapshot survey on one day.

Reed Warbler – with trend line

Other species –with trend lines

Reed bunting only species with long term decline, mirroring UK trend.

1.3.7 Important habitat changes

1.3.7.1 Changes to shingle ridge post February 2014 storms

Area measured

- North of central car park from Slapton turn to the roadside SLNNR sign on the highway

area around the monument and the car park itself not measured

- South of central car park from end of overflow area to start of beach boulders 670 metres

north of TX car park

area protected by boulders showed no change, was not affected by storm in terms of ridge width

- The ridge was measured from the roadside to the edge of the visible vegetation 'cliff'

Areas of ridge crest

In square metres

2009 2014 Area lost % change

Total 36,458 31,665 4,793 13.1

North 20,478 16,918 3,560 17.4

South 15,980 14,747 1,233 7.7

1.3.8 Summary of Natural England condition report at 1 July 2014 Team - Cornwall, Devon And The Isles Of Scilly - SSSI name - Slapton Ley - Staff member responsible for site - Jon Grimes Region

Count

y

District

Main

habitat

Staff

member

responsible

for unit

Unit

number

Unit ID

Unit

area

(ha)

Latest

assessment

date

Assessment

description

Condition assessment comment

South

West

Devon South Hams Supralittoral

sediment

Jon Grimes 1 1028224 60.71 14 Sep 2010 Unfavourable

recovering

Supralittoral sediment (coastal vegetated shingle):

UNF (road); Supralittoral rock (MC community):

UNF (road); Geology UNF (road); VPA (St. John’s

Wort): FAV; Cetti’s Warbler: FAV; Non-breeding bird

assemblage; FAV. Vegetation along the shingle ridge

includes positive indicator species all along.

Restoration of areas damaged by trampling is

working although visitor pressure is very high along

most of the unit and will probably require similar

management into the future. The road and its

maintenance remains an issue in this unit as it

prevents natural processes from occurring.

South

West

Devon South Hams Standing

open water

and canals

Jon Grimes 2 1028481 67.99 25 Nov 2010 Unfavourable

recovering

DWPP plan in place and agreed by Natural England

and Environment Agency Lichen Management Plan

in place and to be implemented.

South

West

Devon South Hams Standing

open water

and canals

Jon Grimes 3 1028226 126.03 25 Nov 2010 Unfavourable

recovering

DWPP completed - needed to maintain recovering

status, review in 2011 Lichen management plan to

remove Ivy - needed to maintain recovering status,

review in 2011

1.4. Visitors & public affairs 1.4.1. Legal requirements None, apart from maintaining safe access to Public Footpaths. 1.4.2. The Visitor Experience Area Comments

Shingle ridge Excellent open views of Start Bay. Long distance footpath runs N-S and

allows views of both Lower and Higher Ley.

Path runs through various shingle ridge habitats, with yellow horn

poppies, gorse and other typical flowers.

Nature trail Popular and varied circular walk from Slapton Bridge to Slapton village

via fringe of Lower Ley.

Allows views of open water, reed beds, coppice woodland and grazing

marsh. Flowers and birds to see all year round.

Some sections fairly steep and not suitable for all abilities

Hides Torcross hide easily accessible; overlooks open water of Lower Ley, with

water birds always in view.

Stokeley Bay hide, harder to access as it requires walking along the main

road for 200m. Different view of Lower Ley, sometimes closer to

sheltering waterfowl.

Beach Trailer The beach trailer is open for approximately 40 days in July and August

each year. It is typically operated by a team of 12 volunteers, this includes

a 2 month volunteer beach warden and local volunteers and students

during their holidays who are ideally available at least once a week and

some also do conservation tasks. This enables 2 volunteers to be available

each day. In preparation recruitment starts in April and training is

provided in June and the rota is confirmed by July with a team review in

September. An outgoing personality enables them to attract and engage

beach visitors.

1.4.3. Existing visitor numbers, profile and trends

Car park usage Monthly pattern of Pay and Display tickets issued – Monument car park

Total tickets issued in 4 car parks

Slapton Ley Field Centre students

ave 2008-10 2011 2012 2013

resident learners 5879 6369 8125 7868

non-resident learners 3801 3158 3377

Events summary

2010-2013

Detail of events in 2013

Events delivered by month – cumulative 2013.

Volunteers

1.4.4. Visitor facilities and services Facility or service Infrastructure

Managed by NNR team

Information staff

Events programme

Car park

Cycle rack

Hides

Viewpoints

Nature Trails

Boardwalks

Fishing Hut and Lawn

Facilities for visitors with

disabilities

Signs

Trailside communication

Display Trailer

None – visitor contact by reserve staff or beach warden

Annual reserve events programme; 2000 customers pa

Small car park at Fishing Hut - capacity 6 cars

None

2 – Torcross and Stokeley Bay

Ireland Bay carved handrail

Southgrounds viewpoint

Observation platform by Bridge car park

Observation shelter overlooking Ireland Bay/Start marsh built

2013

One circular trail of 2 km

Long distance footpath along full length of shingle ridge

150m through fen from Ley Trail to Marsh Lane

Short elevated section along Ley shore – new in 2003

Pond dipping platform – new in 2013

Display area extended 2012

New split chestnut benches on lawn 2012

Observation platform by Bridge car park

Extensive signage on A379. Web site

Small area for signs and notices at Fishing Hut

New NNR signage in place 2009

Acquired 2009 – 5m trailer for use in beach car parks and

elsewhere for information/interpretation services.

Managed by SHDC and AONB

Car parks

Toilets

Facilities for visitors with

disabilities

Displays

Parking on shingle ridge at 2 locations (Central and TX) with

extra parking in TX and at Strete Gate. Total – 400 cars

Monument car park and Torcross

Viewing platform at Monument car park - disused

Much of shingle ridge accessible by ambulant disabled

Information panels at car parks

1.4.5. Visitor perceptions Visitor survey paper

Marchant P. (1997) A visitor survey of the types of people who visit Slapton Ley nature trail.

1.4.6. Visitor potential Over 200k people visit the shingle ridge and many more could be attracted to facilities around

the Ley shore

1.4.7. Environmental understanding Strong links with Field Centre

See information on guided walks and use by the FSC above. 1.4.8. Advocacy NNR receives occasional visits by land managers and other peer groups.

1.4.9. Accessibility Easily accessible by both road and bus. Majority of site unsuited to access by visitors with

mobility problems, especially wheelchairs.

1.4.10. Local community Annual Research meeting hosted by the Field Centre in Slapton open to all community

1.5. History of recent management In reserve files.

See ‘Annual Reserve Reports’ in files and minutes of Land Management Group.

2. EVALUATION & RATIONALE FOR

MANAGEMENT

2.1. Conservation

Context:

Slapton Ley is set deep in the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which

encompasses a wide range of natural and semi natural habitat features.

There are 2017ha of designated Sites of Special Scientific Interest across 18 sites in the

South Devon AONB, including National Nature Reserves at both Slapton Ley and Berry

Head in Brixham, and one Local Nature Reserve at the Salcombe-Kingsbridge estuary.

Significant habitats include:

International importance

Vegetated sea cliffs;

Dry grassland and scrubland on calcareous substrates

Coastal vegetated shingle

Sandbanks slightly covered by seawater all the time

Large shallow sheltered marine inlets

Exposed and sheltered rocky foreshores

South Devon importance

Maritime grassland and heathland

Flower-rich meadows and pastures

Sand dunes

Salt marsh

Hedgerows on banks (Devon hedges)

Freshwater lagoons with marsh and reedbeds

Orchards

Oak and wet woodlands

Traditional orchards

Cereal field margins

(More detail in the AONB Management Plan 2014-19, available on-line)

The two most important conservation elements of Slapton Ley from a UK perspective

are the Ley and associated wetlands, and the shingle bar. Both of these features are

found in relative isolation. Key species are separated from other nodes of biodiversity by

the land forms in the area, though of course this depends on the mobility of the

individual species. Birds can move more easily from site to site than lichens.

Significantly, the NNR is part of a wider landscape setting on Start Bay, a fragment of

the Slapton catchment, the Start Bay Hinterland Landscape Character Area and the

sweep of the bay itself. Many of the controlling factors that influence management

decisions, especially responses to sea level rise and the nitrate pollution from the

catchment, can only be addressed by working on a macro scale with other agencies and

partners.

Wetlands;

The same geomorphological processes that produced the Ley at Slapton also created a

number of smaller wetland sites on Start Bay.

To the south is Beesands, or Widdicombe, Ley, important for birds and aquatic

macrophytes, including Chara connivens, though recent pollution events seem to have

diminished the water quality.

At Hallsands, 2 miles further down the bay is a small reed bed and wetland area of 1-2

ha.

In the Kingsbridge estuary an area of wet meadow and ditches connects West Charleton

to the shoreline.

On the west facing coast of the South Hams, near Thurlestone, is South Milton Ley (16.2

ha), one of the best examples of freshwater reedbed in Devon. It is of particular

importance for its breeding bird community and for the variety of birds using the site on

passage.

A part of the site is managed as a nature reserve by Devon Birds.

To the north there are reed beds and wetlands on the Dart estuary near Totnes which

certainly support reed warbler and little egret, but are brackish rather than freshwater.

The Teign in Newton Abbot also contains some reed corridors and brackish wetlands as

does the Exe, but the next comparable wetland on the English coast is at Weymouth,

some 30 miles away across Lyme Bay.

There are no comparable wetlands to the west until Marazion marsh near Penzance.

There is good evidence that passage birds at least connect the two sites.

Shingle and dune

The shingle ridge of the NNR extends north to the base of the Strete Gate cliffs and there

is some evidence that this part of the feature is accreting as other sections erode. The

SSSI extends to encompass this area and it is important to consider the quality of the

features here when planning management for the NNR shingle.

Smaller shingle bars can be found at Beesands and Hallsands to the south and Man

Sands to the north.

To the west the beaches are sandier and the dune system at Bigbury is notable. A few

plant species characteristic of Slapton can be found.

To the north is the important feature of Dawlish Warren which supports a rich coastal

flora, but comprises a sandy beach and dune series of habitats.

As with the wetlands, it is the opposite arm of the coast to the East, at Weymouth

/Portland where the next comparable shingle area can be found, at Chesil Beach.

2.1.1. Current issues and constraints

Eutrophication and succession

It is well documented (mainly by Cannell 1992) that the natural succession of the

wetland habitats has been proceeding at different rates over the last 1000 years.

Most recently, the creation of the toll road along the shingle ridge in 1886 and the raising

of the Torcross sluice in the 1920’s have combined with massive agricultural

‘improvement’ by ploughing and fertilising in the catchment to cause very high rates of

sedimentation and eutrophication. This has especially affected the Higher Ley and the

Start valley.

There is some evidence that both of these processes have moderated in recent years, but

the levels of N and P in the Ley system could take many years to fall to acceptable levels

(Burt pers comm.).

Economic use

Although details are sketchy, it is thought that reed was harvested for local use up until

WW2 and semi-commercial fishing, possibly for eels, practised until the arrival of the

FSC in the late 1950’s. The last reed for thatching in the village was harvested in Ireland

Bay from 1975-77.

There is still commercial value in both of these products but it has become impractical or

uneconomic to make use of either again.

Fine quality reed is now imported from the Baltic States, with even the East Anglian

industry under threat. The SSSI/NNR designation makes it impossible to manage a

commercial reed bed, especially the unfeasibility of establishing water control features

that would enable such management to take place.

WW 2 ordnance

The D-day exercises that were undertaken on Slapton Sands left a legacy of the remains

of shell casings, bombs, and even vehicles in the muds of the Ley and shrapnel in the

timber of all the woodlands.

Commercial removal of any timber is now impossible – no sawmill would accept it and

it would be potentially dangerous to cut down significant numbers of trees.

The use of large machinery to excavate sediment from parts of the Ley, or excavate on

the shingle ridge, is similarly fraught with potential dangers.

Shingle ridge and coastal processes

Elsewhere can be found a huge body of work on the evident changes to the structure of

the shingle ridge. (E.g. Royal Haskoning Report – 2007)The ridge is a geologically recent

construct and it is to be expected that it will be dynamic, especially at a time of rising sea

levels.

The existence of a main road and car park along the top of the ridge is a constraint to

natural processes. A working relationship between the local community and the NNR

has been developed through the Slapton Line Partnership.

Shingle ridge and visitors

Visitor pressure on the shingle ridge vegetation is a feature of certain stretches between

the Monument car park and Torcross. This trampling pressure limits the pioneering and

fine grass vegetation zones. A number of exclosures allow the damage to be measured.

Certain areas around the car parks are subject to disturbance and fouling by dogs. It is

not known whether this is an ecological issue or not.

2.1.2. Identification of the Features Influencing Management of the site

The following tables list all the important features identified in Section 1.2-1.4 and identifies which of these are the Features Influencing

Management as at January 2010.

These include:

dertake at the site.

he management we undertake at the site.

* = other important conservation features whose requirements we need to take into account when deciding upon management of the site.

V = Features of particular importance to visitors.

At the end of this section is a Review section where these targets and features are revised in the light of up to date information and the

Management Actions in Section 4.2 suitably amended.

Important feature:

Shingle Ridge

Influencing

management?

Why?

Vegetated shingle √√v SSSI feature

Backslope √√v Part of SSSI feature

- Invert fauna *

Dormouse * European protected species

- Linnet * UK & Devon BAP species

Important feature

Open water and margins

Influencing

management?

Why?

Open water (& margins) √√v SSSI feature

Corrigola spp √√ Part of SSSI feature

Otter * UK & Devon BAP species

Macrophytes √√ Part of SSSI feature

Charaphytes √√ One Nationally scarce

‘Breeding bird assemblage of lowland open waters and their margins’

√√ Part of SSSI feature

Holocene sediments √ Part of SSSI feature

Important feature

Swamp/Fen Carr

Influencing

management?

Why?

Swamp/fen/carr √√v SSSI feature & supporting SSSI feature

Cetti’s Warbler √√v SSSI feature

Passage birds √v SSSI feature

Bittern √v SSSI feature

Otter * European protected species

Bat sps * European protection

- Breeding birds assemblage √v SSSI feature

- Lichen assemblage √ SSSI feature

Important feature

Woodland

Influencing

management?

Why?

Semi-natural broadleaved woodland

* Ancient woodland (Slapton Wood)

Dormouse * European protected species

Important feature

Other

Influencing

management?

Why?

Wet meadow * Locally important

Fungi * Slapton valuable for fungi

Cirl Bunting * BOCC species. Bird of agricultural fringes (Loworthy)

Large Blue butterfly * Globally threatened species – introduction project proposed for Loworthy fields

2.1.3. Condition of the Features Influencing Management & the Main Factors affecting them

The following tables identify the target condition of the Features Influencing Management and the Main Factors influencing whether these target

conditions are attained as at 2010.

Feature

Shingle

ridge

Attribute(s) Current figure

for attribute

Target for

attribute

Main factor(s) Target for main

factor(s)

Comments

Ridge crest

grassland

Area of ridge

crest vegetation

in natural

condition

2.71 ha

3.53 ha Trampling

Reduce trampling by

use of fencing

Redirect foot traffic

across to back slope by

formalising existing

‘desire lines’

Use teaching plots

as core of new

fencing to direct

foot traffic

Up to 3 improved

crossing points -

location to be

decided

Back slope

scrub

Area of scattered

scrub and

grassland

6.0 ha

6.0 ha Scrub area on target,

but becoming too

old/dense

Open up some dense

scrub areas

Ensure avoiding

cetti’s territories on

ley margins

May conflict with

dormouse

requirements –

ensure a suitable

balance.

Non

conservation

areas

Extent as % of

shingle ridge

4.3% No more than

4.3% of shingle

ridge area

Engineering activities

No expansion of areas

If new road

constructed, old

areas to be

(car parks,

highway etc)

‘reclaimed’ for

conservation use

Dormouse

presence present Continued

presence

Areas of scrub available Maintain sufficient

scrub cover

Monitor using nest

boxes

Feature

Open water

& margins

Attribute(s) Current figure

for attribute

Target for

attribute

Main factor(s) Target for main

factor(s)

Comments

Open water Area of eutrophic

open water

59.5 Hectares ‹59.5 Hectares Torcross spillway

height

Blockages of culvert

outfall

Keep TX spillway clear

Blockages removed

FSC to undertake as

appropriate

Chemical make-

up of water

Nitrates

Phosphates

pH

At Torcross

weir:

NO -N – 2.8-

6.5 mg/l

P - 0.1–0.30mg/l

pH – 6.5-10.0

Mean summer

level below

1.5mg/l

Mean summer

level below

0.1mg/l

Level May-Aug

always between

7.0 and 9.0

Quality of water inputs

from whole catchment

Cycleau/ECAP

AMP3/4/5

NB – timescales for

targets over 20 years

Continue

monitoring

Macrophyte and

Charaphyte

composition

Macrophyte

biomass: 92-

232g per trawl

Filamentous

algae biomass:

1-130% of

macrophyte

summer

biomass

4-7 macrophyte

species

recorded as

occasional at

one or more

sample points

C. connivens –

present

Key stonewort

sps at 60% of

sample points

Elodea 7-45%

of august

biomass

>250g per trawl

‹ 20%

> 10

confirm presence

> 80%

<50%

Links to water quality

and sediment inputs

Absence/low amounts

of invasive species

Disturbance by

research and fishing

Improve water quality,

as above

Remove new invasive

sps.

Reduce disturbance

Survey and

monitor key factors

C. littoralis Number of plants 2009 counts

Boat mooring

100

Hartshorn

468

Hartshorn 2

119

> 50 visible plants

in each year at

Boat moorings

and Hartshorn

Adequate summer

draw down –exposure

of C. littoralis areas by

end May

Exposure to sunlight

Ensure any blockage of

outflow cleared within

48 hours, May-August

Ensure vegn cut back

around all 3 sites early

on in growing season

Investigate spillway

height – would

lowering improve

edge habitat for C.

littoralis?

Investigate, with NE,

the longer term

future of C. littoralis,

including the option

of re-introduction to

other areas.

>25 visible plants

established at

South grounds

Establish new plants at

Southgrounds site

Clear vegetation from

shoreline

Plant seedlings and

seeds

Number of sites 2 > 3 Protect from grazing Protect with wire cages

as necessary

May need weir

spillway lowering –

to be investigated

Otter Presence Yes Yes Active spraint sites Spraints at known sites

checked twice per year

Monitor only

Breeding

birds of open

waters and

margins

Index score of 31 Index of 36 Index stays > 31

Stable water levels Maintain free flow of

water through outlet

sluice April-August

Disturbance No disturbance from

fishing boats

No fishing policy

continues

Predation Minimise by maintain

Mink-trapping regime

Holocene

sediments

Disturbance

status

Undisturbed Undisturbed Ensure watching

brief

Reference table of key breeding bird sps and Index score, as per above:

Feature

Swamp

Fen/Carr

Attribute(s) Current figure

for attribute

Target for

attribute

Main factor(s) Target for main

factor(s)

Comments

Wetland

community

% area of NVC

communities

17.3 ha Fen

Carr

5.4 ha tall herb

None Succession through

sedimentation and seral

processes

Natural succession

No invasive

Only substantial

management

effort, including

fen

27.6 ha reed

bed

not NVC

management

Seek to extend habitats

inland to create new,

pioneering

communities

lowering reed bed

by excavation

would affect

succession.

Fringes protected

from disturbance

and unsuitable

stock damage

Heavily eroded

sections of ley

fringes

Reduce erosion Cattle grazing fringes

of ley

Investigate if mains-fed

troughs already present

on Middlegrounds

fields - investigate

fencing-off

Middlegrounds fields

from Little Marsh to

Broadstone point

Investigate erosion in

other areas

Discuss with Jim

McPetrie

Passage

migrants

”regular use by

exceptionally

large numbers

of birds”

Peak count of

swallows and

martins

5,000 in 2002 >5,000 ? ? Continue to

monitor

Cetti’s

Warbler

Number of

singing males

40 (5-year

mean)

=>40

Large % of carr in

swamp community

No less carr Should happen

anyway with

natural succession

Ensure scrub on

back slope replaced

if road re-routed

Bittern Wintering Bittern 1 >1 Fish availability Not manageable

Monitor only

Lichen

assemblage

Presence of key

species

4 Scarce or Rare

species

Teloschistes

flavicans

Cryptolechia

carneolutea

Physcia

tribacioides

Parmelina

quercina

No loss of key

species

Habitat quality?

Air quality (specifically

ammonia resulting

from cattle

dung/manure)

Maintain trees and

scrub areas supporting

rare species

No excessive animal

dunging or manure

spreading around rare

lichen locations

Need to monitor

status of rarer

lichens.

Research habitat

requirements?

Feature

Woodland

Attribute(s) Current figure

for attribute Target for

attribute

Main factor(s) Target for main

factor(s)

Comments

Semi-natural

broadleaf

woodland

Area dominated

by ancient

woodland

character

(Slapton Wood)

Area dominated

by native tree

8 ha

4.3 ha

8 ha

12.3 ha

Competition from

sycamore

Competition from

sycamore

Reduce sycamore seed

trees in and on edges

of oak core area – to

100metres

Remove young

sycamore growth in

clearings in oak area

Remove mature

sycamore by

Ring bark mature

female sycamores,

away from access

paths

Remove

competition for

native sps.

species (France

Wood and

adjoining Lower

Ley woodlands –

total 12.3ha)

felling/ring barking at

rate of 0.2ha pa for next

50 years

Hand pull new

seedlings in treated

plots for 10 years

Treat stumps with

glyphosate to stop

regrowth

Semi-natural

broadleaf

woodland

Expand area

dominated by

native tree

species into

adjoining grass

fields (Loworthy)

0 4ha No grazing

No alien species

Fence off from grazing

regime

Remove any alien sps

saplings (sycamore)

Dormouse Presence Present in hazel

coppice

Continued

presence

Coppiced hazel 0.5ha hazel coppiced on

7-9 year rotation

Monitor using small

number of nest boxes

Feature

Other

Attribute(s) Current figure

for attribute

Target for

attribute

Main factor(s) Target for main

factor(s)

Comments

Wet meadow Number of

orchid spikes –

D. praetermissa

Between 4->15 >10 Mowing and grazing Annual mowing

Re-introduce cattle

grazing if feasible

Could allow

student trampling

to mimic cattle

effect ?

Large Blue Viable Nil ≥2000 Thymus Short grassland sward Sward<3cm all year Regular grazing at

butterfly

Maculinae

arion

reintroduction

(Loworthy)

population of

Thymus

plants scattered

over 1 hectare

Flower rich sward

round

No grazing Apr-Aug

density 1 lu/ha/pa

Sept-Mar

Cattle or/and

ponies – not sheep.

Thymus planted from

stock

500 plants per year for

4 years

Need to test soil

conditions to

ensure good ‘take’

of plants

Viable

population of

Ant species

Myrmica sabuleti

Probably nil ? to be advised Only introduce

once Thymus

established.

May not be in next 5

years.

Ulex –

shelterbelt

Scattered

bushes across

0.5 hectares

50% increase Reduce grazing Fence area from

grazing

Area to be decided

Cirl bunting

(Loworthy)

No. of breeding

Cirl Bunting

3 =>3prs Wild bird seed crop 2 blocks (2.14 Ha; field

no. 2792) to be planted

on alternate annual

rotation.

Rank grassland to field

margins to encourage

grasshopper

populations

Minimum 25 metre

field margins

Ulex scrub fringes Allow further Ulex

colonisation

Reduce grazing on

lower fields

2.1.4 Commentary on above as reviewed in 2014

Feature Comment Changes to plan?

Shingle ridge

The storms of February 2014 have altered the character of the shingle

ridge and re-opened local debate about protecting the road.

The ridge crest saw a reduction in extent of 13%, with the section north

of the Monument losing most, shrinking by 17%. Large amounts of

shingle were thrown on to the crest, effectively masking the effects of

trampling (being measured annually as part of the reserve monitoring

programme).

Due to the fragility of the ridge crest, any future management initiatives

on the NVC communities should be focussed on the backslope.

This should also take into account any road re-alignment plans and the

presence of both dormouse and nesting cirl bunting.

Linnet has now been added to BOCC Red list of threatened species.

The HLS monitoring regime to continue

and be slightly expanded in scope.

See Section 4.2 below.

An assessment and proposal for

management of the backslope, including

road routes, should be carried out.

Monitor linnets on backslope to ensure

management not harming population.

Open Water

and fringes

Indicators for pollution – nitrates, phosphates and pH – are all showing

favourable trends.

The picture for macrophytes is mixed with some indicators positive but

others still negative:

‘2013 data shows mixed success when measured against the Man Plan targets.

Biomass was substantial, well above target, and the amount of filamentous algae

was much reduced, well below target. Both these measures are favourable.

Presence of Chara connivens was not confirmed as it was lumped with C.

Support Diffuse Water Pollution Plan,

currently in prep. by NE.

globularis in the records – probably unfavourable.

Chara sp. were found at 30% of the sample points - target is 60%.

Unfavourable.

The non-native Elodea sp. produced over 80% of the biomass, well above the

<50% target. Unfavourable.’

Strapwort (C. litoralis) has successfully colonised both Hartshorn and

Southgrounds shores, probably with help from the planting project. The

species had particular success in a series of dry summers, 2010, 2011 and

possibly again in 2014.

The breeding bird index has varied from 31-38, meeting the target.

Concern has been expressed over the continue failure of grebes to nest

successfully, which has been linked by some observers to a decline in

fish stocks.

Continue to monitor

It has been agreed to suspend artificial

enhancements for the remainder of this

plan.

A repeat of previous fish surveys should

be commissioned to try to compile a

picture of changes to the fish populations

over time.

Swamp Fen

Carr

A reed bed survey was carried out in 2012 by RSPB specialists. In

conclusion the report states:

Overall, the reedbeds at Slapton show a nice succession from wet reed through to

drier reedfen and scrub, thus providing habitat for a full range of associated

species. If particular species were considered to be important, the management

could be tweaked to favour them. However in general, the maintenance of

diversity of habitat within the reedbed is a good objective.

Local observers have suggested a decline in reed warblers and reed

buntings. Survey results from SBO indicate some recent decline for both

species, but since 1978 reed warbler index slightly up, though reed

buntings show a decline.

2 areas of dry fen recommended for re-

instatement of wet conditions:

- Little Marsh; plan approved by LMG

2012

- Southgrounds dry fen; carry out

feasibility study and experimental

management for next plan 2020

Support SBO to continue their May

‘snapshot survey’ of passerines in the H

Ley

Cetti’s population is slightly below target, perhaps due to a series of very

cold winters and wet springs. The UK population has increased

markedly since the SSSI note from 2009 and the SLNNR popn now

comprises 1.8% of the UK total.

The hirundine roost continues to meet the target but is very variable each

year, linked to other roost possibilities in adjacent fields.

Population is still of UK significance and

requires continued habitat protection.

Ensure good monitoring regime

Woodland

The woodland work is on target

Loworthy

The agreed HLS management tasks were followed but it is clear that the

land remains too nutrient rich for introduction of yellow rattle and other

desired species.

The management committee, with NE, has agreed to manage the land as

standard semi-natural grassland for the next 10 years before re-

attempting large blue prescriptions. Focus on nesting cirl bunting.

Exclosure plots containing planted thyme have been erected.

Continue to monitor butterflies, ants,

sward, planted thyme and HLS indicator

species.

Change grazing regime to allowing stock,

preferably cattle, onto the land between

August-April in Hedgelands, with light

summer grazing also on Big/Little Hill.

Enhance scrub areas for nesting cirl

bunting.

2.2 Visitors & Public Affairs

2.2.1 Site constraints and opportunities analysis

Matrix of constraints and opportunities

for assessing the suitability of reserves for visitors

Level of suitability for visitors

Minimal Low Medium High

Legal ability to

develop/access,

Full lease over NNR, but

some areas no access rights

for visitors e.g. Slapton

wood

Physical access

- getting to

Yes – good road and

bus links

Physical access

- getting around

Shingle ridge poor

surface for wheelchairs.

Nature trail steep

slopes

Robustness of

habitat/species

Shingle ridge vegn.

fragile

Ley fringes fauna

disturbed by too much

access.

Lower Ley footpath – some

disturbance in spring

Woodland – robust

habitat

Bird/wildlife

spectacle

Woodlands – bluebells

attractive in April-May

Good birding most of year

around wetlands

Butterflies and dragonflies

in summer. Flowers,

especially beach in early

summer

Swallow roosts late

summer

Countryside

experience

Yes - Scenic location

Visitor

history/present

use

14,000 South Grounds

access,

38,000 Fishing Hut access

Over 250k visitors to

shingle ridge

Visitor ‘pool’ 120 school visits

4000 students visiting

2.2.2 Audience analysis

Audience Analysis – (existing and potential)

An assessment of the key audiences for pro-active effort by the NNR

Audience

Comment – how significant?

Visitors Very high

Visitors with disabilities high – should recognise in any new developments

Birders Medium – occasional rarities

Educational groups Very high – FSC core business Land owners and tenants Very high – WWCT and SHDC

Legal rights users High - users of the public rights of way

Neighbours Very high - adjacent land use crucial to value

Other farmers and land managers and advisors

Catchment audience essential, especially farmers

Local decision-makers Very high – parish/district communication

Regional decision-makers Medium – DCC, as highway authority

Country decision-makers DEFRA - Vital to future of shingle ridge/road

Funders and sponsors Low at moment but will increase if funders found

Statutory agencies Essential - English Nature / Environment Agency

Alternative attractions & service providers

Opportunity - Zoo, Green tourism/AONB

Media Modest – reactive

Volunteers High - BTCV, DEVON BIRDS, work days, community

volunteers

Schools and F&H Education Core activity – Field centre and other users

2.2.3. SWOT Analysis As produced by invitees to Pathfinder meeting at Slapton, September 2004

Strengths Weaknesses

All year birds

Nice walk – landscape

Uniqueness – magic

Staff/FSC/onsite management

Easy access – parking

Income opportunities

Locally valued

WWII history

Literature

Lots of ‘partners’

Centre of excellence for field studies

Limited staff time

Footpath infrastructure – not suitable for all

visitors

Finance – outside funding/income

Access for all abilities

Lots of ‘cooks’

Low recognition of wildlife value by visitors

Opportunities Threats

Visitor pool

‘Environmental Understanding for All’

Charging

More local involvement

Focussed research

Knowledge available to share

Good news – sewage plant

Extend access

Over develop/Over use – more visitors could

damage value

Staff diverted from other management

Integrity of beach/road/ley

Declining ecological value

Differing expectations – nature value not

widely perceived

2.2.4 Visitor vision and rationale

Slapton is an extremely well known site and appreciated by many thousands of

people as an undeveloped and scenically beautiful section of the UK coastline.

The conservation and amenity value of Slapton Sands and Ley will continue to

be cherished and conserved, partly by effective ecological delivery but also by

suitable management of the amenity elements and resistance to inappropriate

built development.

The research, education and public access aspects of Slapton Ley NNR are

especially important and the reserve has a long history of public engagement. It

is intended that the FSC’s mission to bring environmental understanding to all

will be enhanced over the course of this plan, with an increase in events,

communications and engagement.

An Interpretive plan has already been prepared for the entire range of work at

Slapton Ley Field centre which includes modest, affordable infrastructure

improvements to the nature trails and beach areas.

It is recognised that efforts to increase the transparency of the work on the site

should continue and in the future, more resources will be put into this aspect of

the work. The NNR should be relevant to the local community and extra efforts

needs to be made to communicate with residents.

The role of the reserve in the social and economic health of the area is recognised

and valued and more opportunities for local residents and visitors alike to

contribute and take part in to the management of the NNR will be developed,

especially through enhancements of volunteer opportunities. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2.2.5 Identification of actions needed to achieve visitor and public affairs objectives

At the end of this section is a Review section where these targets and projects are revised in the light of up to date information in 2014 and the

Management Actions in Section 4.2 have been suitably amended.

Actions needed to build and retain support from general public

Target audience

(attribute)

Prescription

(what we want to achieve)

Projects

(what we will do to achieve the prescription)

Targets

(SMART)

Visitors Enable and maintain

suitable access for visitors

Develop new infrastructure

to support visiting

Develop new interpretation

to inform and engage

visitors

Publicise NNR

appropriately

Maintain all paths

Ensure views unhindered (trim bushes/trees)

Sanctuary Areas to remain no-access

Feasibility study for new observation platform on northern side

of Stokeley Bay

Devise new interpretive ideas, especially for the nature trail.

Update existing signs in butterfly glade, Torcross duckery and

Southgrounds viewpoint. New sign for Wet meadow.

Investigate interpretation for entrance to Slapton Wood, aimed at

visiting groups.

Maintain signage

Suitable new signage in car parks

Regular press releases

Slapton newsletter produced

Maintain and enhance web site

Trails remain useable

all year round

Minimal disturbance

to sensitive areas

New platform built

by 2020

Products in place by

2016

NNR profile raised

4 releases pa

2 newsletters pa

Web site up to date

and well used

Programme of up to 100

events each year

Monitor visitor use of

reserve

Make use of Social media

Continue to review balance of event

Re-develop mobile trailer on beach car park: to engage more

visitors.

- recruit and train volunteers

Develop monitoring regime for both quantitative and qualitative

data

Regular Twitter feed

100 events attracting

at least 10 people per.

In place for 2015

Visitors with disabilities

Enable and maintain

suitable access for visitors

with disabilities

Ensure that new hub developments are accessible to visitors

with disabilities, where reasonably practicable.

Hubs suitable

Birders Enable and maintain

suitable access for birders

Maintain Stokeley Bay hide as birders hide

Manage rare bird viewing as appropriate

Hide kept in good

condition

Rare birds not

disturbed

Educational groups

Enable and enhance access

to teaching sites

Ensure tutor team have up

to date data on

management and

monitoring results

Develop 2 more safe crossing points in the Line for student use

Liaise with DCC Highways to ask for traffic control measures

Compile Fact pack about exclosures, and scrapes on shingle

ridge

Mark scrapes clearly ; re-excavate on 10 year cycle

Upgrade access and facilities in Slapton Wood e.g. cleared area

by fairy bridge, seating circle

High quality maintenance of key access routes and sites

Access to v-notch weir – ensure weir cleared regularly

Ensure wider track network cleared for Apr/May independent

groups

Access maintenance plan needed.

Provide information on Woodland management, backslope

clearance, loworthy grasslands, dormice and coppicing at

Southgrounds

Crossings in place

by 2015

Compiled ready for

2015

Scrapes marked and

clear timetable

developed

Good access to

teaching groups at all

times

Plan in place early

2015

Data provided and

updated annually

Actions needed to build and retain support from key stakeholders Target

audience

(attribute)

Prescription

(what we want to achieve)

Projects

(what we will do to achieve the prescription)

Targets

(SMART)

Land owners and tenants

Ensure good working relationships

with owners and tenants

Regular review with SHDC over car park issues, via Land

Management sub committee

Report to Land Management Sub-Committee 2 times per year

Report to landowners and FSC executive at Slapton Annual

meeting

Liaise with DEVON BIRDS over ringing activities

Good relations

maintained

Reports to LMC and

AGM produced

Annual report

received from

DEVON BIRDS – 1

meeting per annum

Legal rights users

Ensure clarity of liability for

Torcross outfall

Resolve control of outfall.

Issues resolved and

agreed

Neighbours Ensure good relations with

residents of Slapton, Stokenham,

Strete, Blackawton parishes

Maintain conservation integrity of

NNR with neighbours and users

Hold Celebrate Start Bay open day each year

Make NNR Mgt Plan summary freely available

Continue arrangement with Stokenham Parish for

management of TX duckery and ley side path

Work with immediate neighbouring farms to promote

suitable agri-environment schemes to support NNR objectives

Regularly check boundaries for reserve integrity – pollution,

dumping, fence quality, encroachment etc

Local feeling about

NNR positive

Prepare and distribute

Summary

Annual meeting to

discuss issues

Lower nutrient input

to Ley

Local decision-makers

Retain close links with local Parish

Councils

Attend annual Parish Council meetings

Contribute to Parish/village/AONB websites and newsletters,

Inc. Slapton Lines

Parishes aware of

NNR work

Regional decision-makers

Retain close links with SHDC and

DCC through Slapton Line

Partnership

Liaise as appropriate re study of shoreline management

options and agree future strategy with Partnership

Statutory agencies

Retain close links with local NE

and EA

At least annual meeting of officers to discuss operational

issues

Management plan ‘on

track’

Actions needed to promote opportunities for environmental education and research

Target audience

(attribute)

Prescription

(what we want to achieve)

Projects

(what we will do to achieve the prescription)

Targets

(SMART)

Visitors Interpret NNR Offer guided walks and events programme – see above

Produce informative leaflets

Maintain displays at visitor hubs Maintain and enhance reserve web site

Visitors well

informed

Schools and F&H Education

Ensure NNR used

effectively by educational

groups

Regular liaison with teaching staff of Field Centre

Maintain suitable access routes for student use – see above

NNR integrity

maintained

Media Produce media stories Reactive positively and effectively to media requests

Positive media

coverage

Researchers Support agreed external

research projects

Agree list of research projects from external academics

Support access for research projects, as appropriate

Research work

transparent and

useful

Volunteers Ensure good management

of volunteers

Manage volunteers from BTCV, DEVON BIRDS, BRNC,

individual long term volunteers

Develop new volunteer scheme to enhance visitor engagement

capabilities

Enhance capacity for physical work on reserve, especially trail

and access management.

Management

capability enhanced

by 100%

Actions needed to maximise income and funding

Funding stream Prescription Projects Targets

Rights holders Ensure income maximised

from key stakeholders

Prepare 5 year budget

Identify funding support from WWCT, NE, FSC and SHDC

Man plan fully

funded

External funders Seek new income streams Discuss funding advice and support with FSC and WWCT

fund-raisers

Capital schemes,

especially new

Interpretive Plan

work, 75% funded by

outside sources

2.2.6 Actions performed by other stakeholders on site

South Hams District Council, as the sub lessee of the shingle ridge car parks, has both contractual and legal responsibilities for that

part of the NNR.

The FSC under lease outlines these as:

Provision/control of parking on Slapton line

Management of recreation pressure e.g. not permitting camping, or allowing any fishing boating paddling bathing or diving

in the waters of Slapton Ley.

Support for nature conservation measures on Slapton line

The council delivers its responsibilities chiefly through;

Provision/enforcement of open space bye-laws.

Provision, maintenance and cleaning of the 2 public car parks

Maintenance of Monument car park public toilets

(Torcross car park toilets are subject to a separate agreement with the WWCT)

Funding of the seasonal beach warden service (managed by FSC)

Provision of beach safety measures (via RNLI)

Provision of dog warden service.

Erection of necessary signage, agreed in advance with the FSC as to design and location.

Coastal defence of car parks.

Annual report to Land Management Committee under headings above.

These management tasks are planned and delivered by the SHDC and their delivery is reported to the Slapton Land Management

Committee annually.

2.2.7 Commentary on above as reviewed in 2014

The Events programme supported by HLS has required some modification since 2011. Key points were made in a note and guidance

from Yvonne Salmon, Natural England received by email 2012.

1. ‘Educational visits by schools or other groups for curriculum studies at all levels or to learn about the relationship between farming,

conservation and food production.....All visits must be free of charge. They should comprise a conducted tour of the farm/reserve to fit the

requirements of the group, normally lasting at least 2 hours. Groups should normally be a minimum of 6 people.

Subject matter of visits

The main aim of educational access in the HLS scheme is to teach about farming, food production, conservation or curriculum studies.

Each visit must be linked to one or more of these themes ... Increasingly we are being asked to show good value for money from our visits

and this is sometimes difficult to justify if the activity description does not clearly show the link to conservation or one of the other topics.

...You could explain these links on the visit table.

Please add additional information to your forms, maybe in a different coloured pen to explain the activity and how it links to the themes. If

you repeat activities each year it would be useful to have copies of the lesson plans for your visits that I could place on your file. This

would then prevent us having to ask for clarification each year of what the visit/activity entailed.

Leaders and timings

Several forms are submitted for the same day on several occasions where different activities have taken place. This is acceptable where each

group has a different leader for the minimum two hour visit and where the groups are doing a completely separate activity. It is useful to

annotate the forms with the group leader name and the times that the visit took place.

Volunteers

Volunteering on practical tasks is permitted providing the volunteers learn about different conservation matters as well as carrying out

the practical activity. Ideally volunteers should undertake a different task and learn something different on each visit. Please indicate what

was learnt on each occasion.

Craft activities

These should back-up learning about the reserve, not be the main focus of the visit. The craft activity should be a supplementary activity to

enhance learning.

In a separate note, from Jon Grimes, (Natural England email 2014):

“3 visits from the same school on separate days covering different material is indeed eligible.”

This guidance will mean the team need to review how many events we can reasonably provide to fit the requirements of the

scheme.

2. Volunteer input has been steady but has not increased as we initially planned. Following a recent workshop led by an

experienced RSPB Volunteers officer, the volunteer programme will be re-assessed and new initiatives considered.

3. Visitor use of the shingle ridge, both on foot and by road, is a crucial part of the conservation of the SSSI feature. Following

the experience of the recent storms, where over 17% of the ridge crest vegetation was lost to the sea, it is proposed that

further thought needs to be given to devising ways in which both objectives can be catered for on the backslope. A Zonation

plan should be devised to explore how this might best be delivered, in close cooperation with the Slapton Line Partnership.

4. The Actions in the Tables above have been amended to reflect the objectives already delivered and to highlight the next steps

in delivering our vison for visitors and the local community. They are also reproduced in the Objectives, Section 4, below.

Section 3.

SUPPORT SERVICES

3.1 Health and Safety Rationale

Special risks: Extensive use of volunteers requires high standard of risk assessment re their work programmes.

Use of boats on Ley by students and visiting staff require highest standards of safety assessment

and provision

Visitor safety:

Nature trails not especially risky. Warnings required if major algal bloom to deter visitors from

bathing.

Dog faeces an issue re educational groups – public awareness needs to be raised.

The Field Studies Council OCOPs should be used to inform and guide all aspects of reserve

work (referenced in 4.2.12 below).

3.2 Objectives, prescriptions, projects

3.2.1. To ensure a safe and well maintained work environment

Prescription requirements project

Carry out all

required safety

checks and

inspections

Emergency procedures:

Liaison with emergency services

Lone field work procedure

Emergency action plans

Accident recording

Accident reports

Visitor safety procedures

Inspection procedure for safety of timber

structures

Inspection procedure for other possible

hazards to visitors, especially Tree safety

checks

Visitor safety planning

Tree safety checks

Safety notes for storage and working

procedures

Machinery safety inspection procedures

Machinery safety planning

– external consultant

Northgate Arinso

Carry out all

required safety

checks and

inspections

Equipment inspections

Electrical safety

Annual inspections

Annual inspections

Inspect equipment

Risk assessments

COSHH assessments and records

PPE

Relevant equipment for staff and volunteers

Risk assessments for manual tasks

Noise assessments

Assess risks for staff and

volunteers

Training

Safety training for staff

Safety training for Vols

Train/inform staff and

volunteers

Maintain all

buildings and

hides

Ensure maintenance of;

Office

Workshops

Maintain buildings

Ensure maintenance of :

2 hides, 3 viewpoints

Maintain hides and

viewpoints

Maintain other

reserve infra-

structure

Ensure maintenance of:

Ley nature trail

Boardwalks, including pond dipping area

Educational access areas

(Reference Map 8)

Maintain paths and

boardwalks – safety

assessed to agreed

timetable and remedial

works carried out within 1

week.

Ensure maintenance of :

Fences and gates

Maintain fences

Ensure maintenance of :

Slapton bridge sluice

Miscellaneous estate fabric

Maintain reserve

vehicle/machinery

/equipment.

Service and maintain

Landrover

Tractor

Boats

Maintain vehicles,

including rowing boats

Service and maintain

Power tools

Outboard engines

Maintain machinery

Service and maintain

General tools

Maintain existing tools and

acquire/ service machinery

Train staff;

In driving ATVs and Landrover

Etc

Train staff in driving

techniques

3.2.2. To manage the reserve administration systems efficiently and on a sound

legal basis whereby the site integrity is maintained and NNR protocols and

reporting needs are delivered on time and in a suitable form

Prescription Requirements project

Maintain records

& produce reports

Maintain work records on a monthly basis

and prepare reports for managers as

necessary, including Annual report

Maintain records and

produce annual report

Maintain finance reports and supply as

necessary

General records

Maintain figures for visitor numbers

Supply visitor figures

Administer

general office

requirements

Reply to correspondence

General correspondence

Keep records of all admin and

correspondence

General admin.

Ensure all legal

obligations

fulfilled and

reserve assets

protected

Liaise regularly with WWCT via Slapton

Committee, producing annual report on

management

Liaise landowner

Annual boundary check to ensure no

encroachment by others

Check boundaries

Negotiate for new areas to manage as

necessary

Reserve extension

Manage Staff team Carry our regular appraisals and define

work plans with team members

Manage team

Manage Staff team Supervise contractors

Manage contractors

Identify and provide personal development

training for staff and volunteers

Train staff

Section 4: VISION, OBJECTIVES & MANAGEMENT TASKS

4.1 Vision Slapton Ley NNR will continue to deliver its legal obligation to maintain and enhance

the important features and habitats - notably the shingle ridge, swamp fen communities,

and open water - in ‘favourable condition’, and to support the outstanding biodiversity

interest of local, national and international importance.

The FSC will ensure public access consistent with the conservation aims above, and

strive to improve the environmental awareness and appreciation of visitors and the local

community.

Conservation rationale

The shingle ridge will be managed to ensure that the key vegetation communities,

especially the pioneering plants, are in favourable or unfavourable recovering condition.

This will mean reducing trampling effects as practicable on the ridge crest grassland to

rehabilitate this habitat, and ensuring that any road set-back schemes allow areas to

revert to pioneering shingle communities.

The future of the road and the integrity of the shingle ridge in the light of greater storm

events is the subject of an on-going study. The FSC will continue to support this

consultative and decision-making process and seek to ensure an optimal balance of

vegetation communities.

Coastal erosion to the ridge crest continues to reduce the size of this area of shingle ridge

habitat and visitor amenity (car parking and paths). As part of the adaptation to this,

there is increased focus on the back slope for these different objectives. As a result

management should be focused on short term and low cost “quick wins” on the ridge

crest to improve habitat condition. Longer term management should be focused on the

back slope to plan for increasing pressure.

The swamp/fen communities are continuing to develop through natural succession,

eventually to climax woodland. This process will take many years. At many other sites

in Europe, the land would be managed to delay this succession in order to maintain

conditions for a range of rare species.

However, there are factors at Slapton that make this form of management impractical:

removing willow scrub and burning reed are only effective at sites where water levels

can be controlled, allowing flooding to enhance the effect – this is not viable at Slapton

due to lack of control over neighbouring land: increasing sedimentation is a further

crucial factor and at other sites this issue has led to the lowering of the land by

excavation, by up to a metre - this is unattainable at Slapton due to the military training

in 1944, which has left a legacy of unexploded ordnance and metal obstructions, making

excavation work too hazardous.

There is also an ecological rationale. In the west of the UK the reed habitat is less rich

than in the east. The notification for the reserve highlights the developing alder fen

community as of high importance and the willow scrub supports a further notified

feature, Cetti’s warbler.

It is therefore proposed that the swamp/fen be allowed to develop naturally.

There may be specific instances where some modest cutting and clearing might enhance the

visitor experience or assist research work

In the long term, the sustainability of the swamp/fen habitats at Slapton could be

secured by re-creating pioneering wetlands further inland. This will only be achieved by

working closely with other landowners in the catchment and making use of any funding

or government incentives that might support this initiative

The open water and margins of the Lower Ley are also greatly affected by the water

inputs to the system. Fluctuating water levels and the quality of the water are crucial to

the nationally important features – aquatic macrophytes and charaphytes, the shoreline

flora and the breeding waterfowl. Long-term initiatives to address these problems are

being undertaken, through South West Water’s AMP3 schemes and the Environment

agency.

A number of the key conservation features of the lower Ley, especially the otter and

breeding wildfowl, are affected by disturbance. Aquatic macrophytes can be damaged

by too much disturbance by boats during the summer. The moratorium on angling from

boats is proposed to continue.

The woodlands have been subject to a 100-year plan for over 50 years. Slapton Wood

has been left to develop naturally, while France Wood and Hartshorn have been

managed in a modest but regular way to remove exotic tree species and ensure

succession by native oak and ash. This form of long-term management is intended to

continue, if amended slightly, but some areas of Slapton Wood may be managed to

improve access and control the spread of invasive species.

4.2 Objectives & management tasks NB –

1. Targets and management underlined will be the Key Performance Indicators (KPI) for the new

plan. They relate to either the major Features in the SSSI, or are crucial to delivering

commitments the HLS commitments.

2. Targets in red are Aspirational. They define the favourable state of the feature, but it is

understood that they will probably not be achieved in the life time of this plan. No management

work is specifically linked to these targets.

Ecological

1. To achieve ‘favourable condition’ on 15.8 hectares of vegetated SSSI shingle

ridge

Species targets/CMS prescriptions:

Dormouse present

Habitat condition targets/CMS prescriptions Ensure that Non conservation areas (car parks, highway etc) remain ⁼‹4.3% of ridge by area.

Open up dense areas of scrub to encourage floral diversity and invertebrates across 9ha

of backslope on 20 year rotation.

Ensure favourable condition for 3.53 ha of NVC ‘Coastal vegetated shingle community’

features

Summary management Complete an assessment and proposal for future management of the backslope,

including road routes.

Carrying out zonation planning exercise to identify key visitor access and conservation

issues on the back slope by identifying predicted increased visitor pressure, (paths, roads

& parking) and areas of high nature conservation.

Reduce trampling south of Monument Car Park by use of current fencing.

Maintain and promote current foot crossing – upgrade as appropriate

Ensure abandoned areas of road/tarmac are re-instated to shingle

Small scale cutting of dense scrub over 20 year period as per HLS prescription.

Top vegetation along possible road re-alignment route, as agreed with DCC, to stop

colonisation by dormice, in case road setback needed.

Summary survey/monitoring Monitor success by suitable annual quadrat measurements of cover and sward height on

ridge crest, presence or absence of key species, and areas of habitat following storm

events.

Map scrub areas management

Dormouse to be monitored for presence along the entire back slope, using nest boxes, to

measure population extent.

Monitor linnet population.

Monitor visitor use

2. To improve the status of 59.5 ha of SSSI open water and margins (Lower

Ley), especially for important aquatic flora, wildfowl populations, otter and

nationally important Corrigiola litoralis

Species targets/CMS prescriptions: Corrigiola litoralis - >> 50 visible plants in each year at Boat moorings, Hartshorn, and

South grounds

Otter present

Acceptable populations of non-native invasive species present, as defined by NNSS (GB

Non-Native Species Secretariat). (This will include some species where none will be tolerated,

others where a low population level will be acceptable.)

No Japanese knotweed present.

Maintain breeding bird index above 31 (as per JNCC Condition monitoring)

Macrophyte biomass >250g per trawl

Filamentous algae biomass: ‹ 20% of macrophyte summer biomass

Key stonewort sps dominant at >80% of sample points

10 macrophyte species recorded as occasional or frequent at one or more sample points

Chara connivens – present

Elodea <50% of august biomass

Habitat condition targets/CMS prescriptions: Nitrates - Mean summer level at Torcross below 1.5mg/l

Phosphates - Mean summer level at Torcross below 0.1mg/l

Ph - level May-Aug at Torcross always between 7 and 9.

Summary management: Ensure Torcross spillway clear between April-August.

Dig out v-notch weir annually in March.

Treat Japanese knotweed Jul/Aug with chemical spray.

Regularly review other invasive species situation in response to new guidance and

appearance of any new invasives.

Lobby NE to remove Himalayan balsam from catchments.

Ensure vegetation cut back around all 3 C. litoralis sites (most effort east from boat launching

area)

Maintain no public access areas along inner shore of Lower Ley (except nature trail)

Maintain Mink-trapping regime.

Summary survey/monitoring Continue monitoring water quality and levels weekly

Survey and monitor key Macrophyte factors each year (see Evaluation table for detail)

Annual survey of key breeding species for presence/absence (see Section 2a above)

Monitor C. litoralis annually by counting rosettes in July/August

Survey/monitor invasive plants, including balsam, knotweed, and watch carefully for

aquatic species.

Re-establish sustainable fish monitoring in line with previous protocols to contribute to

long term data and understanding.

3. To maintain and monitor the natural succession of 50.3 ha of SSSI reedbed

and fen habitat in the Higher Ley and Start valley

Species targets/CMS prescriptions: No fewer than 40 singing cetti’s warblers (mean over 5 years)

Presence of 4 scarce/rare lichen species

Habitat condition target/CMS prescriptions: Maintain range of NVC communities

Enhance quality of scrub fringe areas

Summary management Allow cattle to graze areas of Little Marsh Sept-March as stock become available.

Summary survey/monitoring As above, in 2.0, for breeding bird assemblage

Annual count of singing Cetti’s warblers

Liaise with Natural England to map and monitor rare lichen communities, ensuring full

coverage of site can be achieved.

Undertake sample NVC survey of fen habitats and monitor at 10 year intervals

Ensure regular count of swallow/martin roosts

Monitor other key species on sample basis - reed warbler, reed bunting.

4. To maintain 1.13 ha of fen meadow in good condition, primarily for

important plant communities, especially Dactylorhiza praetermissa

Species targets/CMS prescriptions At least 50 D. praetermissa spikes each year

Habitat targets/CMS prescriptions Reduce vegetation biomass in August.

Summary management Hay mowing and raking every year

Summary survey/monitoring Count orchid spikes annually

5. To improve 1.47 ha of dry fen for conservation and visitor experience.

Species targets/CMS prescriptions

To be set

Habitat targets/CMS prescriptions To be set

Summary management Assess feasibility of managing dry fen area to provide new wet habitat and enhance

visitor experience.

Pilot small scale habitat management, by pulling willows and damming channels.

Use Pilot results to investigate value of larger scale work for next Plan.

Summary survey/monitoring Carry out breeding bird survey in 2015 to inform plan.

Research other biological data

6. To manage 43 ha of semi-natural woodland according to ‘100 year’ timetable

Species targets/CMS prescriptions: Dormice present

Habitat condition/CMS prescriptions: Coppice 0.5ha of hazel on 14 year cycle – 0.07ha every other year.

Maintain oak core in ancient woodland area of Slapton wood

No invasive species in France Wood and surrounds after 50 years – treat 1.4 ha in this 10

year period.

Summary management Deliver HLS woodland management protocols in France and Slapton woods

Coppicing in Southgrounds woodland every other year.

Allow woodland expansion into parts of Loworthy fields.

Review value versus disturbance of pigeon shooting in the woodlands.

Summary survey/monitoring Monitor tree composition of core area in Slapton Wood.

Monitor tree management work as per HLS agreement.

6. To manage 2.14ha for breeding and wintering cirl bunting and other BOCC

passerines.

Species targets/CMS prescriptions: 2 pairs of cirl bunting

Winter mean peaks of >100 passerines (esp. reed bunting, linnet)

Habitat condition/CMS prescriptions: Wild bird seed crop established–cultivated annually at Loworthy fields

Rank grassland to field margins to encourage grasshopper populations - minimum 25

metre margins and actions in section 7 below.

Allow further Ulex colonisation, up to 0.5ha

Summary management

Seed (2.14 Ha; field no. 2792) annually with seed mix recommended by NE/RSPB Cirl

Bunting Project.

Cut crop and leave stubble each August.

Summary survey/monitoring

Monitor breeding cirl bunting

Monitor winter passerine use

7. To manage Loworthy fields for cirl bunting and invertebrate assemblages,

and if successful introduce large blue butterfly in the longer term.

Species targets/CMS prescriptions:

Ulex – shelterbelt - 0.75ha Soil phosphate index below 1

By 2020 at least 3 indicator species should be frequent and undesirable species cover less

than 5% of area.

Habitat condition/CMS prescriptions:

Flowers in sward as per HLS targets Vigorous gorse stands in Big/Little Hill

Summary management

Hedgelands - Regular grazing at density of 1 LU/ha/pa Sept- Apr –preferably cattle; No

grazing May-Aug

Big/Little hill - Grazing at density of 1 LU/ha/pa Sept- Apr –preferably cattle; Summer

grazing at low density of 0.1 LU/ha/pa Apr-Sept

Big/Little hill – Erect up to 4 exclosures of approx. 5,000sq metres and plant with scrub

species to support cirl bunting nesting.

Ensure grazing via stockman/farmer with annual grazing licence

Summary survey/monitoring

Monitor vegetation characteristics of field – sward nature and height

Monitor ant presence/population

Monitor breeding cirl bunting

Regular butterfly transect surveys

Check HLS indicator flora prescriptions

Monitor thyme exclosures for success of colonisation by thyme.

8. To inform our management of the site and contribute to national recording

schemes, surveys and research projects

Summary management: Allow minimal removal of willow carr to facilitate ringing activities by Slapton Bird

Observatory (SBO).

Complete new PhD research into value of fieldwork to conservation.

All survey and monitoring work to be carried out and results made available to ensure

that high priority habitats/species are properly evaluated.

Summary survey/monitoring Ensure annual report received from SBO ringing group each year on ringing activities

Ensure research reports/paper received from all people undertaking research at Slapton

Develop electronic library catalogue of Slapton Ley research papers.

Maintain list of most important research areas and seek external finance to support a

bursary, to help funding.

Prepare survey protocols for all FSC survey work completed on NNR – esp. Strapwort,

aquatic macrophytes, water chemicals, Southern Marsh Orchids, and deliver to schedule.

Visitors and Public Relations

9. To build and retain support from general public and visitors

Targets: All public trails maintained to excellent standard of presentation at all times, all year

round as assessed by suitable checks.

Excellent quality initial welcome, engagement and orientation in place at each visitor

facility, assessed through regular visitor surveys, from Year 1.

New interpretation and infrastructure plan for Slapton Bridge/Fishing Hut/nature trail

prepared in 2015 and in place for 2016.

Refresh and review mobile trailer on beach car park to engage over 1000 visitors each

year.

Successful programme of 100 events each year for over 2000 visitors, achieving minimum

of 4/5 satisfaction rating each year, as assessed by feedback forms. Work with local schools to develop >10 education visits led by reserve team,

investigating Slapton Line and/or to involve schools with the summer events

programme.

Summary management: Prepare and deliver calendar of infrastructure management, including all access routes,

to reflect peaks of vegetation growth and visitor use – including nature trail managed to

maintain clear ‘walking corridor’, 2.5 metres high and at least 1 metre wide, with no

encroaching vegetation.

Maintain all facilities, including paths, timber surfaces and displays, to high standard.

Ensure views maintained from viewing areas by trimming vegetation.

Develop suitable welcome, engagement and orientation at each visitor facility, including

education & interpretation facilities on Nature Trail to allow for a range of experiences.

Prepare new plan for Fishing Hut entrance as part of review in 2015.

Prepare new plan for beach trailer upgrading displays in 2015 and recruiting and

training 50% more volunteers.

Deliver 100 events to include beach events, premium events, badger/bat walks, visiting

groups, educational visits and canoe trip

Develop promotional plan for events, visitors, and local profile of NNR, including

newsletter and high quality web site & social media presence.

Promote FSC fold out guides at visitor hubs, events, celebrate start bay and local shops,

selling 400 by end of plan.

Produce suitable informative leaflets as required.

Ensure beach cleaned regularly in Spring and Autumn.

Beach Wardening scheme in place throughout each summer , including weekends

Sanctuary Areas to remain no-access

Continue to update signage as necessary to provide orientation information and raise

reserve profile.

Summary survey/monitoring Develop visitor monitoring protocols and carry out regular survey work, both qualitative

and quantitative during 2015 (see previous visitor survey methodology) and repeat in 2019.

Participant feedback surveys completed after each event.

10. To build and retain support of our key stakeholders

Targets: Reports to sub-committees and AGM produced by FSC and partners.

Annual report received from SBO – 2 meetings per annum

Maintain conservation integrity of NNR with neighbours and users

Lower nutrient input to Ley by working with NE and Environment Agency on Diffuse

Water Pollution plan.

Summary management: Work closely with Highways dept. re Torcross outfall.

Liaise with Stokenham Parish Council to maintain ‘duck feeding area’ by Torcross

outflow and footpath to Stokenham.

Regular review with SHDC over car park issues, via Land Management subcommittee

and ensure annual report and car parking data is received.

Report to Land Management Sub-Committee 2 times per year

Report to landowners and FSC executive at Slapton Annual meeting.

Liaise with SBO over ringing activities

Liaise as appropriate re study of shoreline management options and agree future strategy

with Slapton Line Partnership

Hold Celebrate Start Bay annual open day

Produce one NNR newsletter per year

Organise and manage annual Research Seminar; ensure good focus on topics that

illuminate reserve issues, and record proceedings to be made available via the web site.

Make NNR Mgt Plan freely available.

Undertake annual boundary check to ensure integrity of reserve,

Attend annual Parish Council meetings – Slapton and Stokenham.

Contribute to Parish/village/AONB websites and newsletters, inc. Slapton Lines

Support implementation of Diffuse Water Pollution Plan (DWPP)

Re-assess pigeon shooting permissions in woodland with view to halting practice.

11. To promote opportunities for environmental education and research

Targets: Ensure NNR used effectively by educational groups, as measured by FSC customer

survey, achieving at least 4/5 by 2019.

Support agreed external research projects, with research work transparent and available

in library.

Identify volunteer co-ordinator and standardise management of volunteer systems and

best practice in both NNR and Field Centre.

Volunteer group in place as needed to implement management plan and other FSC

support.

Summary management: Deliver annual access plan to maintain suitable access routes for student use

Regular liaison by reserve team with teaching staff of Field Centre by attending weekly

meeting and reporting on access and support issues.

Annual review with education team of infrastructure needs and suitability e.g. cleared

area by fairy bridge, Slapton Wood. Ensure safety and suitability of all stiles and gates.

Support access for research projects, as appropriate

Manage volunteers from BTCV, Devon Birds, BRNC, individual long term volunteers

Identify & recruit volunteers needed to implement management plan, including new

volunteer roles, e.g. volunteer co-ordinator, marketing/social media.

Work closely with other FSC teams to develop consistent quality volunteer scheme.

Promote NNR field sites, research and monitoring to potential researchers and highlight

topics relevant to NNR management.

Work with education team to prepare nature reserve ‘Fact Sheets’ to support education

on NNR, including management objectives and results, interpret and summarise

monitoring data, and research.

Summary monitoring: Keep detailed records of volunteers and their input.

Maintain register of external research on reserve.

Administration

12. To ensure a safe and well maintained work environment

Summary management: Implement FSC safety procedures, ensuring all relevant ones are undertaken, and

recorded.

Safety assessment timetable created for nature trail and other public areas with regular

checks and remedial work carried out within 1 week – to include regular risk assessment

for timber visitor infrastructure.

Tree safety inspections completed annually and updated after storms (OCoP IM11)

Safe use of machinery & record appropriately (OCoP IM11)

Complete FSC Contractor Packs for all new contractors and update annually.

Events & activities risk assessed (OCoP P01) & staff/visitor incidents recorded (OCoP IM

13)

Annually review lone working (OCoP IM20), COSHH (IM16), boats (OCoP P06) &

manual handling (IM19).

13. To manage the reserve administration systems efficiently and on a sound

legal basis whereby the site integrity is maintained and NNR protocols and

reporting needs are delivered on time and in a suitable form

Summary management: Prepare annual Gantt chart and integrate with annual FSC action plan to guide monthly

targets and tasks.

Maintain all required scientific and management records and produce annual report

Liaise with adjoining landowners and check boundaries annually

Manage contractors efficiently and safely.

Clarify staff responsibilities and allocate staff time to improve effectiveness, e.g. to reduce

overlap and to include effective management of volunteers.

Summary monitoring: Monitor delivery of tasks and use of resources.

14. To ensure that, each year, expenditure is no higher than income in managing the NNR

Targets:

Ensure agreed income received from key stakeholders so that Management plan is fully

funded

Capital schemes, especially new Interpretive Plan work, 75% funded by outside sources

Expenditure is no higher than income

Summary management: Prepare annual action plan and budget

List specific and agreed potential projects to attract external funding.

5. Projects

5.1 Slapton Ley NNR Compartments

(Map 13)

code Section Compartment area in ha

A shingle shore shingle shore 8.1

B shingle crest shingle crest 8.1

C shingle backslope shingle backslope 15.5

D1 Higher Ley outer shore 4.4

D2 Higher Ley inner shore 4.4

D3 Higher Ley floating islands 2.3

D4 Higher Ley gara delta 5.7

E1 Lower Ley outer shore 2.4

E2 Lower Ley South grounds shore 0.7

E3 Lower Ley ireland bay shore 8.6

E4 Lower Ley inner shore 1.0

E5 Lower Ley stokeley bay shore 1.0

E6 Lower Ley torcross west shore 0.6

E7 Lower Ley open water 66.6

F1 Higher Ley Marshes slapton wood marsh 1.3

F2 Higher Ley Marshes little marsh 0.6

G1 Lower Ley Marshes france valley marsh 1.0

G2 Lower Ley Marshes stokeley marsh 1.8

G3 Lower Ley Marshes South grounds marsh 2.6

G4 Lower Ley Marshes start valley marshes 2.6

H Middlegrounds cliff Middlegrounds cliff 2.9

I1 Lower Ley Cliff South grounds cliff 0.8

I2 Lower Ley Cliff hartshorn cliff 0.1

I3 Lower Ley Cliff inner shore cliff 2.7

I4 Lower Ley Cliff South grounds coppice 0.6

J1 Slapton Wood main wood 18.7

J2 Slapton Wood valley bottom 3.4

J3 Slapton Wood loworthy brake 3.1

J4 Slapton Wood square brake 2.0

J5 Slapton Wood Easter grounds brake 1.7

J6 Slapton Wood gara triangle 0.6

K France wood France wood 12.5

L Hartshorn Hartshorn 1.1

M Potts Orchard Potts Orchard 0.3

N1 Stokeley Fields ireland field 0.4

N2 Stokeley Fields hartshorn fields 1.2

N3 Stokeley Fields america road fields 5.1

O1 Southgrounds Meadow South grounds meadow 1.0

O2 Southgrounds Meadow South grounds slope 0.2

P1 Loworthy Fields big hill/little hill 6.5

P2 Loworthy Fields lower summer gaps 2.1

P3 Loworthy Fields hedgelands 3.2

209.3

5.2 Project register/Work Programme

Produced annually – available from Field Centre

6. Financial plan Produced annually – available from Field Centre

7. References 7.1.1 The Natural History of Slapton Ley Nature Reserve

A series of papers in the FSC's journal 'Field Studies'. Most are available as offprints.

Key words are provided in bold for quick reference.

1. Introduction Mercer I. D. (1966) Vol 2. 385-405 Introduction and Morphological

Description.

2. Algae Benson-Evans K., Fisk D., Pickup G. & Davies P. (1967) Vol 2. 493-

519 Preliminary Studies on the Freshwater Algae

3. Flowers Brookes B.S. & Burns A. (1969) Vol 3. 125-157 The Flowering Plants

and Ferns

4. Lichens Hawksworth D.L. (1972) Vol 3. 535-578 Lichens

5. Molluscs Chatfield J.E. (1972) Vol3. 579-588 Non-marine Mollusca

6. Parasites Canning, E. U., Cox, F.E.G., Croll, N.A. & Lyons, K.M. (1973)

Studies on the Parasites

7. Hydrology Troake, R.P., & Walling, D.E. (1973) Vol 3. 719-740 The Hydrology of

the Slapton Wood Stream

8. Fish Parasites Kennedy, C. R. (1975) Vol 4. 177-189 The Parasites of Fish, with

special reference to their use as a source of information about the aquatic community

9. Ley Formation Morey, C. R., (1976) Vol 4. 353-368 The Morphology and

History of the Lake Basins

10. Fungi Hawksworth, D. L. (1976) Vol 4. 391-439 Fungi

11. Slime-moulds Ing B.,(1976) Vol 4. 441-456 Myxomycetes

12. Birds Burton, G.R. & Mercer, I.D. (1978) Vol 4. 693-714 Birds

13. Water Balance van Vlymen, C.D. (1979) Vol 5. 69-84 The Water Balance of SLapton

Ley

14. Fishery Bregazzi P.R., Burrough R.J. & Kennedy C.R. (1982) Vol 5.4 581-

589 The History and Management of the Fishery

15. Hydrology Burt T.P., Butcher D.P., Coles, N. & Thomas. A.D. (1983) Vol 5.5

731-752 Hydrological Processes in the Slapton Wood Catchment

16. Soil Trudgill S.T. (1983) Vol.5.5 833-840 The Soils of Slapton Wood

17. Fungi Hawksworth D.L. (1986) Vol 6.3 365-382 Additions to and Changes

in the Fungi (including lichens)

18. Eutrophication Johnes P.J. & O'Sullivan P.E. (1989) Vol 7. 285-309 Nitrogen

and Phosphorus Losses form the Catchment - an Export Coeffecient Approach

19. Eutrophication Trudgill S.T., Heathwaite A.L. & Burt T.P. (1991) 731-742 A

Preliminary Study on the Control of Nitrate and Phosphate Pollution in Wetlands

20. Mosses Bates J.W., Perry A.R. & Proctor M.C.F. (1993) Vol 8. 279-

333 The Changing Broyphyte Flora

21. Palaeolimnology O'Sullivan P.E. (1994) Vol 8. 403-449 The Palaeolimnology of

the Uppermost Sediments of the Lower Ley, with Interpretations based on 210Pb Dating

and the Historical Record.

22. Fungi Hall G.S., Hawksworth D.L. and Livingstone S. (1994) Vol 8. 473-

479 Isolation of Microfungi from Soil and Water Samples

23. Moss mites Monson F.D. (1998) Vol 9. 325-336 Oribatid mites (Acari:

Cryptostigmata) from Slapton Wood and the vicinity of Slapton Ley.

24. Research Burt T.P. & Heathwaite A.L. Long-term study of the natural

environment at Slapton Ley

25. Hydrology Burt T.P. & Heathwaite A.L. The hydrology of the Slapton catchments.

26. Hydrology Chappell N.A. & Franks S.W. Property ditributions and flow

structure in the Slapton Wood catchment.

27. Hydrology Fisher J. & Beven K.J. Modelling of Stream Flow at Slapton Wood

using TOPMODEL within an uncertainty estimation framework

28. Limnology Johnes P.J. & Wilson H.M. The limnology of Slapton Ley

29. Eutrophication Burt T.P., Heathwaite A.L. & Johnes P.J. Stream water

quality and nutrient export in the Slapton catchments

30. Sediment Foster I.D.L., Owens P.N. & Walling D.E. Sediment yields and

sediment delivery in the catchments of Slapton Lower Ley, South Devon, UK.

31. Flowers Burns, Ailsa The vascular plants: an update

32. Animals Riley, C.J. Mammals and other animals

33. Fungi Dobson F.S. & Hawksworth D.L. The Slapton fungal (including

lichen) survey: inventorying and documenting the changes in the Mycobiota.

34. Fish Kennedy C.R. The fish of Slapton Ley

35. Birds Elphick, Dennis A review of 35 years of bird-ringing at Slapton Ley

(1961-1995) together with a brief historical review of ornithological observations.

36. NNR Trudgill, S.T. Chell K. & Riley, C.J. Education and conservation issues

in the Slapton Ley NNR.

7.1.2 Other papers and books with particular relevance to Slapton Ley

1. Bregazzi P.R. & Kennedy C.R. (1980) J. Fish Biol. 17 The Biology of Pike Esox lucious

in a southern eutrophic lake.

2. Burrough J.R., Bregazzi P.R. & Kennedy C.R. (1979) J. Fish. Biol. Inter-specific

Dominance amongst three Species of Coarse Fish in Slapton Ley.

3. Burt T.P & Arkell B.P (1987) Soil Use and Man 3.4 138-142 Temporal and spatial

patterns of nitrate loss from an agricultural catchment.

4. Burt T.P.(ed.) (1993) A Field Guide to The Geomorphology of the Slapton Region

(British Geomorphological Research Group/FSC Occasional Publication No 27)

5. Coker P.D. (1962) J. Ecol. 50.3.833-840 Biological Flora of the British Isles - Corrigiola

litoralis L.

6. Craig J.F. (1974) Freshwat. Biol. 4, 433-444 Population dynamics of perch Perca

fluviatilis in Slapton ley, Devon.

7. Ellicott P.W. (1982) Autumn Warbler Migration at Slapton 1961-1980. Devon Birds

Sept. 1982 (DBWPS)

8. Hails J.R. etal (1975) J. Geological Society 131 part 1 Submarine geology, sediment

distribution and Quaternary history of Start Bay, Devon.

9. Hails J.R (1975) Field Studies 4, 207-222 Some aspects of the Quaternary history of

Start Bay, Devon.

10. Hawksworth D.L. & Punithalingham E.(1975) Trans. Br. Mycol. Soc. 64.1 89-99

New and Interesting Microfungi from Slapton, South Devonshire: Deuteromycotina II

11. Heathwaite A.L., Burt T.P. & Trudgill S.T. (1990) Vegetation and Erosion The

Effect of Land Use on Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Suspended Sediment Delivery to

Streams in a Small Catchment in Southwest England.

12. Heathwaite A.L., Burt T.P. & Trudgill S.T. (1990) Land-use controls on sediment

production in a lowland catchment, South-west England in Soil Erosion on

Agricultural Land.

13. Institute of Hydrology (1993) The Slapton Ley NERC airborne campaign - the results

of the image analysis and their relevance to the hydrology of the catchment.

14. Kennedy C.R. Wyatt R.J & Starr K. (1994) The decline and natural recovery of an

unmanaged coarse fishery... in Rehabilitation of Freshwater Fisheries (Fishing News

Books) 34 366-375.

15. O'Sullivan, P.E. (1993) Modelling the effects of alternative nutrient control policies - the

example of Slapton Ley Hydrobiologia 251: 351-361

16. Owens P.N. (1990) Valley sedimentation at Slapton, South Devon, and its implications

for the estimation of lake sediment-based erosion rates in Soil Erosion on Agricultural

Land.

17. Ratsey S. (1975) The Climate at Slapton Ley Field Studies 4. 191-206

18. Spence E.F. (1928) The Pike Fisher (Black)

19. Stanes R.G.F. (1983) A Fortunate Place (FSC)

20. Troake R.P & Walling D.E (1974) Rep. Trans. Devon. Ass.Advmt Sci. 107, 77-90

Some observations on stream nitrate levels and fertiliser application at Slapton, South

Devon.

21. Trudgill S., Burt. T.P., Johnes P. & Heathwaite L. (1997) Freshwater

Contamination (Proceedings of Rabat Symposium S4) Improving lake water quality

in Slapton Ley National Nature Reserve, south Devon, UK-amelioration by wetlands or

drainage basin source management? .

22. Trudgill S.(1986) A naturalist's introduction to Slapton Ley nature reserve.

23. Trudgill S.T., Burt T.P., Heathwaite A.L. & Arkell B.P. (1991) Soil Use and man. 7.

4, 200-206 Soil nitrate sources and nitrate leaching losses, Slapton, South Devon.

24. Wyatt R.J & Kennedy C.R. (1988) J. Fish. Biol. 33, 45-57 The effects of a change in

the growth rate of roach, Rutilus rutilus, on the biology of the fish tapeworm Ligula

intestinalis.

25. Wyatt. R.J. & Kennedy C.R. (1989) J.Fish Biol. 35, 215-227 Host-constrained

epidemiology of the fish tapeworm ligula intestinalis.

7.1.3 Unpublished Works

These and a number of other works are available for reference as part of a Scientific

Paper Database, residing in the Resource Library at Slapton Ley Field Centre

1. Bark A.W. (1986) Development of a Management Plan for Eutrophication Reversal in

Slapton Ley

2. Belringer R.M. (1985) Checklist of the Birds of Slapton Ley Nature Reserve 1801-1985.

3. Bishop J. (1986) Changes in the Phytoplankton Population (Placement dissertation,

Slapton Ley Field Centre.

4. Bregazzi P. R. (1978) The biology and management of Perch (Perca fluviatilis L.) and

Pike (Esox lucius L.) in Slapton Ley, Devon PhD thesis, Univ.of Exeter

5. Cannell S. (1992) Slapton Higher Ley - its history, ecology and conservation report to

FSC

6. Cole L. (1984) Description and Map of the Plant Communities of Slapton Ley Nature

Reserve

7. Coles N. (1985) Nitrates Movement by Preferential flow in a weakly structured soil,

PhD thesis, Sheffield University

8. Dixon C.(ed.) (1997) South Devon Natural Area - A Nature Conservation Profile

(Consultation Draft) (English Nature)

9. Eccles T.M. & Bowstead S. (1987) A survey of the Coleoptera of some localities in

South Devon. (9pp)

10. Holden J. (1997) Nitrates or habitats? The effect of the habitat scheme and set-aside on

soil nitrate levels, Middlegrounds farm, Slapton. Fitzwilliam College.

11. Jarvis C.L. (1969) The biogeography of a shingle beach, Slapton Sands, South Devon

B.Sc. thesis, University of Bristol

12. Jenns N.(1994) Sedimentation in Slapton Ley: An indicator of evolving land use.

University of Oxford)

13. Jenns N. (1997) Sediment source ascription & quantification using mineral magnetics: a

palaeolimnological reconstruction of the sedimentation of Slapton higher Ley. University

of Oxford.

14. Johnes P.J. Bennion H. Curtis C. Moss B. Whitehead P. & Patrick S. (1998) Trial

Classification of Lake Water Quality in England and Wales Ensis Ltd. R&D Project

Record for Environment Agency

15. Hemsley J.H. & Roberts E.A. (1962) Reports on France Wood and Suggestions for

Management (Nature Conservancy).

16. Lamont F. (1985) A Study of the Invertebrate Fauna of Slapton Ley, Third Year

Project, King's College.

17. Marchant P. (1997) A visitor survey of the types of people who visit Slapton Ley nature

trail. CEL scheme.

18. McFarlane S. (1983) A Preliminary Study of the Badgers (Meles meles) of Slapton Ley

Nature reserve: Sett descriptions and Home Range Determinations.

19. Mercer I.D. (1968) Slapton Sands and the Motor Car

20. Mills G. (1996) The Distribution and Abundance of Corrigiola litoralis around Slapton

Ley with relation to water levels, climate and stock access areas. BSc thesis University

of the West of England

21. Morey, C.R (1983) The evolution of a barrier-lagoon system – a case study from Start

Bay Proc.Ussher Soc. 5, 454-449.

22. Nisbet A. (1998) A survey of the submerged macrophytes of Slapton Lower Ley.

prepared for the Field Studies Council.

23. Perkins R. (1996) An environmental impact assessment of a woodland buffer strip

project in the Slapton catchment, South Devon. Keble College, Oxford.

24. Smith J. (1990) A study of the invertebrate fauna of Slapton Ley. La Sainte Union

College of Higher Education.

25. Spalding A. (1998) Lepidoptera data pers. comm.

26. Spokes K. (1997) An investigation into the effects of trampling on shingle vegetation.

BSc thesis Plymouth University

27. Stower R. (1997) An investigation into the effects of scrub management on floral

diversity & soils of Slapton shingle ridge backslope. University of Plymouth.

28. Van Vlymen C.D. (1979) The water balance, physical-chemical environment, and

phytoplankton studies of Slapton Ley, Devon PhD thesis, University of Exeter.

29. Wilson H. (1991) The effects of eutrophication on the submerged macrophyte

community of Slapton Ley, South Devon. Polytechnic Southwest.

30. Wise M.H. (1978) The feeding Ecology of Otters and Mink in Devon. PhD thesis,

Exeter University

7.1.4 General Bibliography

1. Burt T.P. (1993) From Westminster to Windrush: Public policy in the drainage basin.

Geography 341,78 (4) 388 - 400

2. Burt T.P. (1994) Long-term study on the natural environment -perceptive science or

mindless monitoring? Progress in Physical Geography 18, 4 475-496.

3. Chanin P.R.F. & Linn I. (1980) The diet of the Feral Mink (Mustela vison) in south-

west Britain. J. Zool. (London) 192

4. Cordrey L.(ed.) (1996) The Biodiversity of the South-West - an audit of the South-West

biological resource South-West Biodiversity Partnership

5. Devon Biodiversity Partnership (1998) The Nature of Devon - A Biodiversity Action

Plan (available through Devon County Council)

6. Dineley D.L (1961) The Devonian system in South Devonshire Field Studies vol 1, no

3

7. English Nature (in prep. 1998) Geological Conservation Review

8. Environment Agency (1998) Local Environment Agency Plan Rivers Avon and Erme

Environment Agency (Devon Area)

9. Field M.H. (1994) Corrigiola litoralis L. in the British Middle Pleistocene New Phytol.

126. 393-395

10. Foster I.D.L. & Walling D.E. (1994) Using reservoir deposits to reconstruct changing

sediment yields and sources in the catchment of the Old Mill Reservoir, South Devon,

over the past 50 years. Hydrological Sciences 39, 4 347-368.

11. Ing B. (1992) A provisional Red Data list of British fungi. The Mycologist 6:124-128

12. Ivimey-Cook R.B. (1984) Atlas of the Devon Flora Devonshire Association

13. Johnes P.J & Burt T.P. (1991) Water quality trends in the Windrush catchment:

Nitrogen specification and sediment interactions Proceedings of the Vienna

Symposium IAHS Publ. no. 203

14. Joint Nature Conservation Committee (1998) Invertebrate Site Register (Database

Printout)

15. Lyme Bay & South Devon Coastline Group (in prep.1998) Lyme Bay & South

Devon Shoreline Management Plan Posford Duvivier for the Lyme Bay & South

Devon Coastline Group

16. Nature Conservancy Council (1983) A Handbook for the Preparation of Managment

Plans

17. Ratcliffe D.A.(ed.) (1977) A Nature Conservation Review Vols 1 & 2 Cambs. Univ.

Press

18. Sitters H.P.(ed.) (1988) Tetrad Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Devon DBWPS

19. South Devon AONB Management Plan 2014-19 published by the South Devon

AONB Partnership

20. Tansley A.G. (1953) The British Isles and Their Vegetation Cambs. Univ. Press

21. UK Steering Group (1995) Biodiversity: The UK Steering Group Report (Vol. 2 Action

Plans) HMSO

22. Wise M.H. (1980) The use of fish vertebrae in scats for estimating prey size in otters and

mink. J. Zool (London) 192,25-31

23. Wise M.H., Linn I., & Kennedy C.R. (1981) A Comparison of the Feeding Biology of

Mink (Mustela vison )and Otter (Lutra lutra) J.Zool.(London) 195, 181-213

7.1.5 Addendum

1. Gregory S.J., Jones R.E. & Mauries J-P. (1993) A new species of millipede (Myriapoda:

Diplopoda: Chordeumatida) from the British Isles J. Nat. Hist. 28. 47-52

2. Henwood B. (1998) Lepidoptera data pers. comm

3. Moss B., Madgwick J. & Phillips G. (1996) A guide to the restoration of nutrient-

enriched shallow lakes Broads Authority

4. Palmer M. (1992) A botanical classification of standing waters in Great Britain. (No. 19

Research & survey in nature conservation series) JNCC

8. Maps

For general reference

Available in Centre files

1 Location of the reserve

2. Statutory, planning & other designations

3. Land/rights held by WWCT/FSC

4. Land/rights let out by WWCT/FSC

5. Way leaves & easements

6. Planning permissions, statutory licences & statutory consents

7. Public access

8. Tracks and paths – maintenance priorities

9. Revenue grants schemes & area-based subsidies

10. Main fixed assets

11. Reserve recording areas

12. Habitats on the reserve

13. Compartments