Habitat Restoration and Management by Cutting Cutting and clearing by hand Cutting and clearing by the use of powered handtools and machinery

Example Use of Heavy Machinery Diggers and/or bulldozers in heathland restoration  Significant amount of work achieved in a short period;  Fast, effective results removing nutrients and controlling bracken;  Expensive;  Non-selective in some instances;  May ‘poach’ the site and damage sensitive areas.

Wood Pasture, Pollarding and Thinning  Trees in wood pasture were pollarded to gain a crop;  Re-pollarding is a specialist job, but (done well) will ensure the long life of important trees;  Tree thinning selects for healthy trees of value, and promotes strong growth;  Thinning temporarily opens the canopy, allowing light to the ground layer.

Habitat Restoration and Management by Conservation Grazing

Breed Selection in Conservation Grazing  Type of animal and breed determined by the type of restoration and site conditions;  Cattle chosen for effect on vegetation including trampling bracken and low scrub, breaking up of litter layer, and creation of pathways through dense vegetation.  Will ‘browse’ on scrub as well as graze.

Why Graze? Both cutting and grazing will:  Create open conditions;  Remove nutrients, which is important in heathland and grassland habitats, including woodland rides and glades. Grazing is most effective in:  Creating beneficial patchiness and structural variation;  Selectively removing dominant, competitive species;  Creating open ground for invertebrates, seed germination;  Causing a gradual net reduction in biomass over time. From Lowland Grassland and Heathland Habitats, Price (2003)

Vital Considerations for Grazing on Common Land  Welfare of the grazing animals, particularly on public sites;  The need for fencing, and what kind of fencing may be acceptable;  Any impediment to access.

Managing Ponds and Streams  Existing wetland habitats - Holden pond and stream that edges the common;  Wetlands are associated with invertebrates, amphibians, fish, birds and mammals, and provide hunting grounds for some reptiles;  Sensitive management will generally be enough to enhance wetland habitats;  The principals of rotational management also apply.

The Potential of Fishing Ponds for Wildlife  The presence of fish will lead to high nutrient levels;  The presence of native aquatic plants, bankside vegetation, and shallow margins will maintain some interest;  Predatory species of fish and bottom feeders, such as carp, tend to have the most negative effect on amphibians;  Holden Pond is a highly valued and well managed amenity resource for fishing.

Stream Management for Wildlife  Diverse range of conditions are important, including stony shallows, silt, fast and slow flowing water, and sun and dappled shade;  Retaining woody detritus is valuable for predatory invertebrates, such as dragonflies, who perch when hunting;  Rotational management of bankside vegetation may be sufficient. Consider pool creation as well;  Small seepages of water feeding the stream can also have considerable invertebrate interest

Species Reintroduction and Recolonisation Cow wheatGorseLing heather  Species are now close to extinction at Southborough Common, or have already gone including plants for which the site was notable in the past;  The loss of less mobile and specialist species of plant and invertebrate has, in turn, resulted in the loss of more mobile species e.g. bats, birds, butterflies;  If the correct habitat conditions are re-established, the use of seed from donor sites may aide recovery. Donor sites for the common could include: ‒ St. Peter’s Churchyard ‒ Cinderhill Woods, in Matfield

Site Visit to Southborough Common Followed by lunch. Afternoon Session begins 2pm.

Habitat Compartments of Southborough Common  Wood Pasture  Mature woodland (ASNW), formerly coppiced;  Acid grassland;  Relic heathland;  Secondary woodland;  Wetland habitats.

Management Planning: Aims, Objectives and Prescriptions  Aims: what we aspire to achieve;  Objectives: the methods by which we will achieve our aims. These should be SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, timely);  Prescriptions: the tasks that will make up the work program needed to achieve each objective. Example Aim: 1. To increase the structural diversity of Ambleside Wood. Objectives:1.1 Re-instate a 10-year coppice rotation in Denny Bottom; 1.2 Thin the Scots pine plantation at Furze Hill over 5 years; Prescriptions:1.1.1 Between September and March, coppice an area no smaller than 0.25ha Use brash bundled into faggots to construct a ‘dead hedge’ along the northern edge of the cant. Stack logs to cover no more than 10% of the coppiced area.

Draft Management Aims for Southborough Common 1)Restore the common’s formerly open habitats, enhancing middle and long-distance views; 2)Prevent loss or decline of existing valuable habitats; 3)Reduce the impact of traffic and parking; 4)Enhance leisure opportunities; 5)Control invasive, non-native species; 6)Develop opportunities for education and community engagement; 7)Ensure all legal obligations are met.

Setting the Management Aims and Objectives for Southborough Common (1 hour)

Future Role of the Local Community Practical Volunteering and Surveys Site Wardening – ‘Common’s Watch’ Events, Education, Special Projects Other ways to get involved?

A brief word on funding …  RDPE funding options: English Woodland Management Grant Higher Level Stewardship  Funding for heritage and community projects: Big Lottery – Awards for All (up to £10k) HLF – Your Heritage (up to £100k) Other schemes …

and finally … Thank you for taking part! Report on consultation will be presented to Southborough Town Council Thursday 5 April 2012