Appendix 5: Feature recommendations organised by Special Quality

# SQ1 - Beautiful views created by contrasting landscapes and dramatic geology

# CULTURAL LANDSCAPES

# Boundaries and patterns of enclosure

Key adaptation recommendations for boundaries and patterns of enclosure:

Improve current condition to increase resilience

The current condition of a feature is an important factor alongside its sensitivity and exposure, in determining its vulnerability to climate change. These recommendations are aimed at improving the condition of the feature at present, therefore making it better able to withstand future changes to climate.

Monitor boundary changes at a landscape scale, for example quantify the loss of walls and hedges. Ensure that management mitigates piecemeal changes to enclosure patterns that may seem insignificant on their own, but that can have cumulative and large impact upon landscape character over time.
Encourage the use of agricultural buffer strips to protect hedges from human behaviour changes (e.g. intensification of agriculture) which may occur because of climate change.
Ensure management practices allow for the maintenance of walls and historic field patterns. Explore opportunities in future environmental land management schemes.
Undertake research to understand the significance of different boundary types and patterns. Appreciate that boundaries may have different components, including natural features. Also appreciate the time-depth in enclosure, for example prehistoric boundary patterns may underly the dominant, later enclosure patterns, and be visible only as earthworks. This will help inform future adaptation planning.
Help land managers within the PDNP to enter into environmental stewardship type agreements or secure funding for capital works by providing assistance with advice and logistics - see Moors for the Future Partnership's Private Land Project as a possible model.
Consider the impact on key views when planning adaptations.

Improve current condition to increase resilience: Targeted conservation efforts for important sites and at risk areas

The current condition of a feature is an important factor alongside its sensitivity and exposure, in determining its vulnerability to climate change. These recommendations are conservation measures aimed at those sites that will have the biggest impact for this feature – either because they are particularly important for the feature or because they are most at risk from climate change.

Focus efforts on restoring and reconnecting fragmented hedges and walls in priority areas. It is important to avoid further loss and restore boundaries. This will improve their function as wildlife corridors and improve their overall resilience to change. Ensure targeted conservation efforts are informed by historic character and relative significance.

Improve current condition to increase resilience: Increase structural diversity to improve resilience at a landscape scale

The current condition of a feature is an important factor alongside its sensitivity and exposure, in determining its vulnerability to climate change. These recommendations focus on increasing the structural diversity of the area or habitat in which the feature is found. This can help to offset the effects of climate change on the feature, as well as to allow it to be in a better position to recover from future climate changes.

Diversify the landscape and increase the proportion of tree cover to reduce the impact of flooding from rivers and overland flow.
Restore and connect fragmented hedges with native species sourced from further south in the UK. Increase species diversity of hedges to buffer against single species losses.

# Estate lands and designed landscapes

Key adaptation recommendations for estate lands and designed landscapes:

Improve current condition to increase resilience

Carry out research and survey into designed landscapes, especially those at a smaller scale that might not previously have been recognised as significant. This will help inform future adaptation planning.
Increase the resilience of the surrounding landscape to help create a buffer for estate lands and designed landscapes. Form estate level plans for improved climate resilience, such as improving moorland condition to reduce flood risk.
Nurture partnerships with big estates and landowners.
When planning any future adaptations ensure existing archaeological complexity is taken into consideration.
Consider the cumulative impact on estate lands by visitor pressure and events.
If visitor numbers increase at easy to access locations, encourage visitors to use alternative transport such as bikes and public transport to maintain tranquillity of the area.

Improve current condition to increase resilience: Targeted conservation efforts for important sites and at risk areas

The current condition of a feature is an important factor alongside its sensitivity and exposure, in determining its vulnerability to climate change. These recommendations are conservation measures aimed at those sites that will have the biggest impact for this feature – either because they are particularly important for the feature or because they are most at risk from climate change.

Identify field boundaries that are at risk and work to restore or improve them.
Manage and replace veteran trees (scattered trees in historic parklands and in field boundaries are a key characteristic of the Derwent Valley).
Harvest and store rain water at drought sensitive sites (already in place at some properties).

Improve current condition to increase resilience: Increase structural diversity to improve resilience at a landscape scale

Increase woodland establishment and enhancement of habitats where appropriate, while maintaining the significance of key views and designed elements. This will strengthen existing landscape character, whilst in the future lower lying landscapes adjacent to the river could provide useful floodwater storage services.
Increase the diversity of planting in parklands to make them more resilient.

# Lowland pastoral landscapes

Key adaptation recommendations for lowland pastoral landscapes:

Improve current condition to increase resilience

Monitor the risk and spread of disease in both plants and animals.
Reduce visitor pressure by encouraging use of the area at times outside of the high season.
If visitor numbers increase at easy to access locations, encourage visitors to use alternative transport such as bikes and public transport to maintain tranquillity of the area.
Explore opportunities for storing high levels of winter rainfall for use during the summer; these should be sensitive to the landscape.
Encourage better connectivity in these landscapes. (CHECK IT FITS, NOT A SQ2 FEATURE)
Consider the impact on key views when planning adaptations.

Improve current condition to increase resilience: Targeted conservation efforts for important sites and at risk areas

The current condition of a feature is an important factor alongside its sensitivity and exposure, in determining its vulnerability to climate change. These recommendations are conservation measures aimed at those sites that will have the biggest impact for this feature – either because they are particularly important for the feature or because they are most at risk from climate change.

See the recommendations under 'boundaries, and walls/hedgerows'.
Encourage further uptake of environmental land management schemes by farmers within the PDNP.

Improve current condition to increase resilience: Increase structural diversity to improve resilience at a landscape scale

Enable more species rich hay cropping through meadow creation and restoration on a wide scale.
Enable the diversification of plant species in permanent pasture; this will increase adaptive capacity to future change.
Establish more trees and hedges in the landscape where appropriate to assist with surface water management, soil condition, and livestock summer shading. Help farmers to select the most appropriate and resilient species.
Work to change perceptions about the value of 'abandoned' pastureland. More scrub and tree development on improved pasture would create a more sheltered and resilient overall landscape with microclimates that are more diverse, and improve future soil condition.

# GEOLOGY, GEOMORPHOLOGY AND SOILS

# High open moorland and edges

Key adaptation recommendations for high open moorland and edges:

Improve current condition to increase resilience

Native trees and scrub should be encouraged around the plateau edges to increase resilience of upland habitats and protect blanket peat, but archaeological sensitivities need to be taken into account in the management of tree cover. More trees across the currently open upland landscape may assist with climate adaptation and mitigation, along with ecosystem service provision.
Pilot a 'rewilding' or 'wilding' trial scheme with no fixed conservation aims and monitor the impact on this feature.
Reduce fragmentation via restoring and improving corridors between moorland habitats to strengthen the ecological network.
Develop fire contingency plans, and ensure management of habitats reduces fire risk e.g. rewetting and increasing species or structural diversity. Influence visitor and behaviour management plans and practices to minimise ignition risk.
If visitor numbers increase at easy to access locations, encourage visitors to use alternative transport such as bikes and public transport to maintain tranquillity of the area.
Consider the impact on key views when planning adaptations.

Improve current condition to increase resilience: Increase structural diversity of the landscape to improve resilience to change

The current condition of a feature is an important factor alongside its sensitivity and exposure, in determining its vulnerability to climate change. These recommendations focus on increasing the structural diversity of the landscape in which the feature is found. By doing so the condition of the feature, and therefore its resilience to climate change impacts, should be enhanced.

Encourage flexible land management to facilitate the development of a more diverse habitat composition and structure.
Enable habitats to respond to climate change - do not view the landscape as fixed but allow room for change.

# Limestone dales

Key adaptation recommendations for limestone dales:

Improve current condition to increase resilience

Protect geological features and maintain their visibility by removing or managing vegetation.
Improve water use efficiency and rainwater harvesting, especially in remote locations which are dependent on springs and susceptible to drought.
Provide advice, information and support to farmers on increasing organic matter in soils and other measures to increase carbon storage and improve drought tolerance of farmland.
Maintain historic environment records to enable historic environment advice to be integrated with other land management advice.
Encourage sympathetic management, restoration and creation of riparian habitats, particularly grassland, woodland and wetland, to stabilise river banks and reduce erosion and diffuse pollution.
Install settlement ponds and silt traps to intercept run-off and sediment before it reaches watercourses.
If visitor numbers increase at easy to access locations, encourage visitors to use alternative transport such as bikes and public transport to maintain tranquillity of the area.
Undertake stream revetment schemes to slow flow, reducing rock face undercutting, stream bank erosion and minimise downstream flooding.
More research is required to better understand the hydrology and role of artificial drainage on low flow river systems.
Consider the impact on key views when planning adaptations.

Improve current condition to increase resilience: Targeted conservation efforts for important sites and at risk areas

The current condition of a feature is an important factor alongside its sensitivity and exposure, in determining its vulnerability to climate change. These recommendations are conservation measures aimed at those sites that will have the biggest impact for this feature – either because they are particularly important for the feature or because they are most at risk from climate change.

Monitor the spread of tree diseases, in particular ash dieback, and ensure appropriate mitigation measures. However, deadwood is a very valuable habitat and should be left standing unless it is a public safety hazard.
Manage visitor access to popular locations to minimise traffic, disturbance, footpath erosion and other negative environmental impacts.

Adaptations that could aid other features

These recommendations are changes that could be made to this feature, which will have a positive impact on the ability of other vulnerable features to withstand future climate change.

In areas where it does not have a negative impact on the landscape character, establish trees to provide shade for wildlife, livestock and people and to regulate the temperature of watercourses.

# River valleys

Key adaptation recommendations for river valleys

Improve current condition to increase resilience

Accept that landscape character and habitat types cannot remain static in PDNP river valleys, and that management changes will need to happen to enable resilience to climate change.
Improve the management of riverside grasslands, and create more wet meadows. They can be used to temporarily store floodwater and reduce the effects of large rainfall events.
Remove manmade impoundments where appropriate, especially those in small watercourses to help increase habitat quality, decrease downstream flooding and landscape aesthetics.
Consider the impact on key views when planning adaptations.

Improve current condition to increase resilience: Targeted conservation efforts for important sites and at risk areas

The current condition of a feature is an important factor alongside its sensitivity and exposure, in determining its vulnerability to climate change. These recommendations are conservation measures aimed at those sites that will have the biggest impact for this feature – either because they are particularly important for the feature or because they are most at risk from climate change.

Regular monitoring of key sensitive heritage features (such a listed bridges).
More research is required to better understand the hydrology and role of artificial drainage on low flow river systems.

Improve current condition to increase resilience: Increase structural diversity of the landscape to improve resilience to change

The current condition of a feature is an important factor alongside its sensitivity and exposure, in determining its vulnerability to climate change. These recommendations focus on increasing the structural diversity of the landscape in which the feature is found. By doing so the condition of the feature, and therefore its resilience to climate change impacts, should be enhanced.

Management of river valleys should allow space for natural processes to occur. Allow rivers to meander, and exclude livestock to allow space for riverside woodland and scrub to develop in appropriate locations. This should help to control nutrient input and may reduce water temperature increases.
Manage the whole catchment including the upper slopes to reduce run-off and increase lag-times. Create more clough woodland to reduce flood risk and erosion of valley sides.

Accept changes to feature

These recommendations are about adapting ways of thinking to be accepting of inevitable change. While some changes may be negative, this also presents a chance to seek out any positive opportunities that may be caused by climate change.

The potential for new reservoirs should be raised as an issue in the review of the Local Plan for the PDNP where this supports climate change adaptation, nature recovery and effective visitor management.

# Slopes and valleys with woodland

Key adaptation recommendations for slopes and valleys with woodland:

Improve current condition to increase resilience

Reduce grazing pressure where possible, for example reducing deer and sheep numbers to allow for more flowering and seed setting of ground flora, increasing the potential for populations to survive drought years.
Encourage and protect regeneration where appropriate. Natural regeneration including a scrub phase will benefit biodiversity and ecosystem services. Establish significantly more tree cover in the upland valleys of the Dark and South West Peak, where appropriate.
Consider blocking artificial drainage channels within woodland in areas predicted to become drier.
Undertake contingency planning for outbreaks of new tree diseases.
Develop fire contingency plans, and ensure management of habitats reduces fire risk e.g. rewetting and increasing species or structural diversity. Influence visitor and behaviour management plans and practices to minimise ignition risk. Include surveys for heritage significance to enable protection of the historic environment to be built into woodland management practices.
Consider the impact on key views when planning adaptations.

Improve current condition to increase resilience: Increase structural diversity of the landscape to improve resilience to change

Continue improving woodland condition through the careful management of plantations and more native plantings. Replace non-native conifer plantations with native broadleaved woodland.
Encourage a greater mix of native trees through active management.
Replace unused small plantation woodland with native broadleaf woodland.
Increase the age structure and structural heterogeneity of woodland, for example by reducing coupe size i.e. the area harvested in one operation and encouraging continuous cover forestry rather than large scale clear felling.
Take positive steps to increase the proportion and diversity of decaying wood throughout sites to ensure both, resilience of dependant species, and the replenishment of woodland soils' organic content.
Allow natural woodland processes and/or woodland management to promote a diversity of age structure within woodlands. This may include retaining some undisturbed old growth stands, encouraging natural regeneration, allowing pockets of wind throw trees and deadwood, and creating a 'graduated' woodland edge as opposed to a sharp boundary with neighbouring land uses.

Adaptations that could aid other features

These recommendations are changes that could be made to this feature, which will have a positive impact on the ability of other vulnerable features to withstand future climate change.

Link woodland patches together - to provide wildlife corridors.
Increase woodland cover and the shade/shelter for other species as temperatures rise.
When determining the optimal management of sites, consider the requirements of key species such as woodland birds to ensure minimum patch size is retained.

# HABITATS

# Blanket bog

Key adaptation recommendations for blanket bog:

Improve current condition to increase resilience

Increase effort to restore hydrology and raise the water table.
Increase effort to revegetate any remaining bare peat areas.
Increase Sphagnum re-introduction, including as diverse a mix of appropriate species as possible.
Research is needed to look into promoting the growth of bog edge woodland or scrub where appropriate, through tree establishment and natural regeneration, to reduce wind effects, provide shade and stabilise peat blanket edges.
Cease the use of burning for heather management on blanket bog sites – but consider alternative techniques such as cutting if there is a high fuel load (e.g. bog is or has become dry heath on peat) as an interim measure until the bog is wet enough.
Develop fire contingency plans, and ensure management of habitats reduces fire risk e.g. rewetting and increasing species or structural diversity.
More research into peat pipes is needed.
Consider the impact on key views when planning adaptations.

Improve current condition to increase resilience: Targeted conservation efforts for important sites and at risk areas

The current condition of a feature is an important factor alongside its sensitivity and exposure, in determining its vulnerability to climate change. These recommendations are conservation measures aimed at those sites that will have the biggest impact for this feature – either because they are particularly important for the feature or because they are most at risk from climate change.

Identify key areas to focus work on; especially those, which are likely to remain hydrologically suitable. Further study required.
Develop visitor management plans to influence public behaviour in areas of high wildfire risk.

# Heather moorland and mixed heath

Key adaptation recommendations for heather moorland and mixed heath:

Improve current condition to increase resilience

Continue program of moorland rewetting.
Identify sites within the uplands that can act as climate change refugia due to complex micro-topography, robust hydrology, and high species diversity, and manage these accordingly.
Minimise erosion through management of access, appropriate grazing levels, and reduction of burning.
Develop fire contingency plans, and ensure management of habitats reduces fire risk e.g. rewetting and increasing species or structural diversity.
Bracken may need to be controlled through grazing and other management.
Consider the impact on key views when planning adaptations.

Improve current condition to increase resilience: Increase structural diversity to improve resilience at a landscape scale

Increase the diversity of heather dominated areas - adapt to mixed heath.
Maintain and enhance structural diversity within heathland vegetation, including wet heath patches, diverse age classes of dwarf shrubs, and scattered trees and scrub.
Continue clough woodland creation/restoration to increase scrub and woodland cover within upland mosaic which will help improve habitat heterogeneity and provide refugia for sensitive plants and invertebrates.

Improve current condition to increase resilience: Targeted conservation efforts for important sites and at risk areas

The current condition of a feature is an important factor alongside its sensitivity and exposure, in determining its vulnerability to climate change. These recommendations are conservation measures aimed at those sites that will have the biggest impact for this feature – either because they are particularly important for the feature or because they are most at risk from climate change.

Develop visitor management plans to reduce fire risk on areas of high wildfire risk.
Cease the use of burning for heather management on vulnerable sites – but consider alternative techniques such as cutting.
Strengthen footpaths and manage increased visitor access to minimise disturbance in key areas.

Adapt land use for future conditions

These recommendations are adaptations to the way in which people use the land. Flexibility in land management - reacting to or pre-empting changes caused by the future climate - should afford this feature a better chance of persisting.

Adapt management intensity to changing characteristics of heather moorland – alter grazing pressure, types/breeds of livestock, and burning/cutting cycles to suit future climatic conditions.
Consider that designated natural and cultural site features of interest may change.

# Limestone grassland

Key adaptation recommendations for limestone grassland

Improve current condition to increase resilience

There is scope for expansion of limestone grasslands onto some parts of the plateaux where limestone is close to the surface or exists as outcrops. Where expansion is limited by underlying geology, grading into continuous neutral grassland, heathland or scrub should be encouraged.
Adapt management to avoid fertilizer inputs.
Reduce non-climate sources of harm.
Consider the impact on key views when planning adaptations.

Improve current condition to increase resilience: Targeted conservation efforts for important sites and at risk areas

The current condition of a feature is an important factor alongside its sensitivity and exposure, in determining its vulnerability to climate change. These recommendations are conservation measures aimed at those sites that will have the biggest impact for this feature – either because they are particularly important for the feature or because they are most at risk from climate change.

Grassland in greatest need of considering conservation options further is perhaps MG2 Jacob's-ladder grasslands.
Restore priority areas where scrub has encroached, but maintain some scrub in the landscape.
Work to identify the best refugia sites and ensure these are managed appropriately.

Improve current condition to increase resilience: Increase structural diversity to improve resilience at a landscape scale

Increase size and connectivity of existing patches, including connectivity with other habitat types in a mosaic.
Increase connectivity by restoring species rich grassland. This should also increase resistance to drought and increase carbon capture.
Increase wood pasture on the plateau. Increase trees in fields and along margins to help with summer drought and forage for stock.
Have an integrated management plan for each of the Dales in the PDNP for the different habitats within them.

Adapt land use for future conditions

Adapt grazing regimes to allow for more flexibility of timing and stocking density.

Accept changes to feature

Loss of some currently valued northern species but gain of more southern species may need to be accepted. Liaise with other protected landscapes (such as those further north) to share knowledge and management techniques.

# Meadows

Key adaptation recommendations for meadows:

Improve current condition to increase resilience

Many more restored meadows are needed in the PDNP if effective nature recovery networks are to be developed. These would increase carbon storage and capture, increase resilience to climate change and drought especially, provide transitional sites between existing habitats, plus better habitat for invertebrates and other animals. Species rich meadows are much better for a healthy stock animal as well – though less productive than heavily fertilised pastures, they provide a more diverse, healthy diet, better ways of managing health – many old ones were called hospital fields, and are essential for a low input low output system.
Opportunities to extend and enhance the management of existing unimproved grasslands should be sought, for example in "Riverside Meadows" where grasslands could enhance their role for ﬂood water storage, helping to reduce ﬂood impacts further downstream.
Encourage the creation and enhancement of wildflower meadow in non- agricultural settings e.g. recreational areas, churchyards, verges and residential gardens. A scheme to help with conversion or management may be required.
Non-climate sources of harm (for example conversion to silage or permanent pasture; application of high fertilizer levels, early cutting) should be minimised to ensure maximum possible resilience.
Identify and preserve refugia for species at their southern range limit - look at aspect and topography and ensure sites are sensitively managed.
Consider the impact on key views when planning adaptations.

Improve current condition to increase resilience: Increase structural diversity to improve resilience at a landscape scale

Species rich meadow should be one of the key habitats to be considered when other habitat types are no longer viable due to climate change. Rush-pastures which have become too dry could be converted.

Adapt land use for future conditions

Greater flexibility in site management will be needed - e.g. Timing of hay cut and grazing.

# Wet grassland and rush pasture

Key adaptation recommendations for wet grassland and rush pasture:

Improve current condition to increase resilience

Ensure appropriate levels of grazing are maintained.
Increase connectedness, size and condition of rush pasture through habitat creation and restoration of adjoining semi-improved grasslands.
Retain wetness by blocking artificial drainage.
Re-introduce Sphagnum to sites where purple-moor grass has invaded blanket bog.
Consider the impact on key views when planning adaptations.

Improve current condition to increase resilience: Targeted conservation efforts for important sites and at risk areas

The current condition of a feature is an important factor alongside its sensitivity and exposure, in determining its vulnerability to climate change. These recommendations are conservation measures aimed at those sites that will have the biggest impact for this feature – either because they are particularly important for the feature or because they are most at risk from climate change.

On sites of importance for breeding waders where it is not viable to maintain water levels across the whole site, consider minor channelling of the water resource to retain some wet flushes.

Improve current condition to increase resilience: Increase structural diversity to improve resilience at a landscape scale

Increase the variation in vegetation structure across site to maximize biodiversity. Rush management should be planned with the needs of different species in mind.
If it is not possible to maintain wetness of rush pasture accept that it will change and facilitate conversion to other priority habitats such as species rich meadow.

Adapt land use for future conditions

Flexibility in grazing is key – changing timings and providing alternative land for years where areas are flooded could be important to limit land abandonment on economically marginal land.
Altering livestock may have benefits for the pasture habitats. Native grazer analogues such as appropriate cattle breeds that are less selective than sheep are more likely to facilitate a diverse sward.

# Woodlands

Key adaptation recommendations for woodlands:

Improve current condition to increase resilience

Reduce grazing pressures where possible. Recognise the importance of an integrated deer management plan for the park.
Encourage more continuous cover forestry – to maintain higher levels of carbon storage and decrease soil losses.
Improve protection, management and recruitment of veteran trees.
Consider water management in woodlands predicted to experience drought.
Further study is required to explore appropriate opportunities for woodlands to be used in local wood fuel schemes.
If visitor numbers increase at easy to access locations, encourage visitors to use alternative transport such as bikes and public transport to maintain tranquillity of the area.
Consider the impact on key views when planning adaptations.

Improve current condition to increase resilience: Increase structural diversity to improve resilience at a landscape scale

Increase diversity of tree species; especially in single species woodlands. Accept change in composition of woodlands, such as accepting species not previously native to the PDNP.
Continue improving woodland condition – more native woodland creation, encourage regeneration to increase structural diversity, increase patch size (>2ha) to meet habitat requirements for birds and other species, increase decaying wood for replenishing soils.
Natural woodland regeneration by excluding stock should be seen as preferable to tree establishment, with the latter principally to increase diversity - importance of scrub is underestimated.
Convert small or unused conifer plantations to broadleaf/mixed woodlands.
Increase establishment of field and boundary trees, particularly across the White Peak, to increase habitat diversity and connectivity, replace trees lost to Ash Dieback, enhance the landscape and provide shade and better grazing for livestock in hotter summer conditions.

Adaptations that could aid other features

These recommendations are changes that could be made to this feature, which will have a positive impact on the ability of other vulnerable features to withstand future climate change.

Increase connectivity between woodlands to provide wildlife corridors.
Increase woodland cover – to keep waterways cool, provide shelter for other species as temperatures increase, increase carbon storage, and improve water quality.

# WATERCOURSES, PONDS AND RESERVOIRS

# Riverside meadows associated with meandering river channels

Key adaptation recommendations for riverside meadows associated with meandering river channels:

Improve current condition to increase resilience

Look to improve the quality and species diversity of these grasslands through sensitive and flexible grazing and by limiting inputs of fertilizers and pesticides.
Put protections in place to ensure hydroelectric generators are not installed in inappropriate locations where they would be detrimental to the function of the river system and the aesthetics of the landscape.
Ensure tree strips along riversides are protected as much as possible in order to minimise the effects of erosion due to higher flows.
Consider the impact on key views when planning adaptations.

Improve current condition to increase resilience: Targeted conservation efforts for important sites and at risk areas

The current condition of a feature is an important factor alongside its sensitivity and exposure, in determining its vulnerability to climate change. These recommendations are conservation measures aimed at those sites that will have the biggest impact for this feature – either because they are particularly important for the feature or because they are most at risk from climate change.

Investigate the flood storage capacity of riverside meadows. Identify areas that could benefit from becoming temporary flood storage areas during times of high flow.

Improve current condition to increase resilience: Increase structural diversity to improve resilience at a landscape scale

Allow natural river processes such as the formation of oxbow lakes to occur as much as possible and avoid channel modifications.

Accept changes to feature

The potential for new reservoirs should be raised as an issue in the review of the Local Plan for the PDNP where this supports climate change adaptation, nature recovery and effective visitor management.

# Vanishing rivers

Key adaptation recommendations for vanishing rivers:

Improve current condition to increase resilience

More research is required to better understand the hydrology of low flow river systems and their interaction with surface and underground workings associated with mining.
Consider restoration measures to reduce the impact of human activity, such as features in mining (soughs) diverting water to different catchments. Especially where impacts are known.
Restoration of natural processes across the catchment will improve watercourse health and therefore resilience to change.
Consider removal of impoundments and weirs to restore natural river flow and improve species dispersal.
Minimise agricultural inputs, especially fertilisers and pesticides. Give consideration to good management of waste to improve catchment quality, including effective slurry store management.
Restoration of healthy soils in river catchments will increase infiltration of water and reduce runoff, thereby reducing sedimentation. Tree establishment is a known method to improve infiltration and reduce pollutant spread from runoff.
Restoration of semi-natural vegetation on critical runoff pathways will slow the flow and reduce erosion.
Use of low nutrient livestock feeds will reduce contamination of the watercourse.
Manage invasive species, including botanical species and crayfish.
Consider the impact on key views when planning adaptations.

Adaptations that could aid other features

These recommendations are changes that could be made to this feature, which will have a positive impact on the ability of other vulnerable features to withstand future climate change.

Creation of riparian shade through tree and scrub establishment will be beneficial to freshwater habitats, and may offset some of the effects of temperature rises.

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