Intention 3.1: Establish monitoring at a landscape scale

We want to work with partners to help us to understand how and why the landscape is changing, whether changes are positive or not and how we should address the changes to conserve and enhance the Special Qualities of the Peak District National Park.

Update

The programme of landscape monitoring was defined to consist of; land cover including long term change, landscape quality, public perception, built development, areas of known change, climate change and landscape metrics. Progress with the seven areas of research has been partial but does include areas of positive progress. Including the repeat of a fixed point photography exercise linked to the Landscape Description Units. The full interpretation of this work should be available next year.

Historically landscape change has been monitored through the manual interpretation of aerial  photography. This mapped the land cover to a very high accuracy but was a resource intensive undertaking requiring almost 3 years to complete for the UK’s National Parks. The Peak District National Park together with Cranfield University have started to explore ways to address this problem through automatic classification of land-cover and land-cover change; through the use of automatic segmentation and machine learning for land cover classifications. Results from the initial trials showed a 70-75% accuracy at a detailed classification level. Although this is 10% lower than the manual stereoscopic interpretation, there is much potential for improvement with further refinement. Funds are currently being sought to extend this research into 2022/23.

Intention 3.2: Develop a White Peak partnership

The White Peak Partnership has been supporting the implementation of The Peak District Environmental Land Management Test. This has been completed and the final report approved by Defra.  Farmers and land managers across the White, Dark and South West Peaks strongly supported: local spatial prioritisation and public goods delivery based on National Character Areas (NCA); local decision-making and advice; Land Management Plans framed by their NCA, focusing on the key public goods that can be delivered; local, expert and trusted advice as an essential element of ELM particularly for a collaborative landscape scale approach.

Intention 3.3: Maintain existing landscape scale delivery

To maintain existing landscape scale delivery we will develop a clear long term vision, plan and have funding in place for the Dark Peak and South Pennines to 2050. We will develop a clear future plan and funding to develop and continue landscape scale delivery on the South West Peak.

Moors for the Future Partnership

Despite the restrictions of the pandemic, the Moors for the Future Partnership has had one of its most successful delivery years, investing over £5m in one season. This has involved a raft of science communications and conservation work, including over 20,000 blocks in eroding gullies between the Roaches and Ilkley Moor and the planting of over 12km2 of Sphagnum moss. The new initiative to set up a Great North Bog covering the 7,000 km of upland peat across the North of England is now formed. It includes six partnerships, one being the Moors for the Future Partnership, and will be instrumental in bidding for funding from the peatland capital grant scheme within the Nature for Climate Fund.

South West Peak Landscape Partnership

The final elements of the Heritage Lottery funded partnership are now nearing competition as this five year programme of work to link communities, landscape, wildlife and heritage draws to a close. Many of the project will continue beyond the funding due to the support of local volunteers and partner organisations.

Highlights include the relocation of over 5000 White-clawed Crayfish to safety in seven locations within the South West Peak. Now safe from the impact of the North American Signal Crayfish, which have decimated their numbers.  Restoration of a major field barn plus the consolidation of a historic limekiln.

Buxton Wild Weeks in May and July was extremely successful engaging over 1000 young people. This is now set to become an annual event delivered by volunteers. External partners have also committed to continue delivery of the following: Staffordshire Wildlife Trust will continue white-clawed crayfish conservation, estate and visitor management at the Roaches and wild play within Staffordshire. Cheshire Wildlife Trust are looking to take forward slowing the flow and grassland projects. The RSPB will continued focus on upland breeding waders, especially curlew and will continue to support the ‘wader warden’ volunteers in the South West Peak area.

Future Actions

Agreed targets for the percentage of blanket bog in the Dark Peak and South Pennines in improved ecological condition:

• 30% of Blanket Bog across the Southern Pennines to be in state 6 by 2050

• 90% of Dark Peak Blanket Bog moved out of state 2 by 2023 (bare peat to be revegetated)

• 25% of the Southern Pennine Blanket bogs to be moved out of state 2 by 2023

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Photo credit: Chris Gilbert