Appendix 5: Feature recommendations organised by Special Quality

# SQ4 - Landscapes that tell a story of thousands of years of people, farming and industry

# BUILT ENVIRONMENT

# Clapper and packhorse bridges

Key adaptation recommendations for clapper and packhorse bridges:

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.

Slow the flow of water into rivers by ensuring landscape scale natural flood management in the uplands through blanket bog restoration, diversification of heather moorland and significantly increased woodland and scrub regeneration.
Stabilise watercourse banks by encouraging tree and scrub growth adjacent to the channels where appropriate to reduce sedimentation and slow run-off entering.
Encourage the designation of more structures by increasing knowledge base of these features.
Engage with landowners and offer advice and funding streams for maintenance and repair of bridges.
Control invasive species such as Himalayan balsam which can lead to the destabilisation of watercourse banks.

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.

Conduct a survey to collect more detailed information about the current condition of these features and identify those individual structures which are most at risk.
Select a sample of bridges which can be routinely monitored to track any deterioration in condition over time.

# Farmsteads

Key adaptation recommendations for farmsteads:

Improve current condition to increase resilience

Use existing PDNPA farmsteads research to understand regional patterns and help inform decisions about change.
Adapt traditional farm buildings where appropriate so they may still be used beneficially..
See Peak District Farmsteads: Issues and Responses Report (2017), section 6.2 'Recommendations' for further information.

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.

Consider keeping buildings standing for the benefits of wildlife.

# Field barns and outfarms

Key adaptation recommendations for field barns and outfarms:

Improve current condition to increase resilience

In order to halt large-scale dereliction and decay, some change in use is inevitable and work to enable quality conversions to economically viable uses, while maintaining the character as far as possible, should be encouraged where appropriate.
Investigate alternative funding streams to support adaptation.

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.

Work to identify the most significant landscapes with field barns for enhanced maintenance through future environmental land management schemes.

# CULTURAL LANDSCAPES

# Abandoned places of industry

Key adaptation recommendations for abandoned places of industry:

Improve current condition to increase resilience

Ensure that the industrial heritage of the PDNP is properly embedded into all areas of PDNPA's activities (policy development, interpretation, visitor development etc.).
Ensure that any climate adaptations can be reversed to prevent long term impacts on features.
Nurture collaborative networks to build capacity for monitoring (e.g. P_eak District Mines Historical Society_, local interest groups).
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.

Increase knowledge about what assets exist to help determine which specific sites in the PDNP are most in need of protection.
Undertake regular monitoring (including at landscape scale) of selected sites to identify those sites likely to be most vulnerable in terms of archaeology and ecology.
Monitor outcomes of any change to sites. Select representative samples to monitor on sites where management actions are being implemented and sites where they are not.
Put forward key sites for scheduling.
Implement suitable natural flood management techniques in valley bottom sites, such as mills.

# Boundaries and patterns of enclosure

Key adaptation recommendations for boundaries and patterns of enclosure:

Improve current condition to increase resilience

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.

# Lead mining features

Key adaptation recommendations for lead mining features:

Improve current condition to increase resilience

Ensure surveyed features are included in Historic Environment Records and Selected Heritage Inventory for Natural England (SHINE) datasets.
Nurture collaborative networks to build capacity for monitoring (e.g. PDMHS, caving groups, other local interest groups).
More research is required to better understand the hydrology of low flow river systems and their interaction with surface and underground workings.
Liaise with other protected landscapes to share knowledge and management techniques.

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.

Use existing records (e.g. Lead Legacy High Priority lead mining sites and landscapes) to target resources.
Undertake regular monitoring, including at landscape scale, of selected sites to identify those sites likely to be most vulnerable in terms of archaeology and ecology.
Put forward key sites for scheduling.

# Managed moorland

Key adaptation recommendations for managed moorland:

Improve current condition to increase resilience

Target re-creation and restoration around existing managed moorland areas to reduce edge effects and increase core area, reducing the effects of fragmentation.
Adapt management intensity to the changing characteristics of the moorland.
Explore the benefits of 'wilding' in areas where current management is dependent on payment through environmental land management schemes .
Guide management strategies based on the carbon storage potential of peatlands.
Ensure that cultural heritage is fully embedded in moorland management plans and the cultural complexity of moorlands is understood (See Buried soils, archaeological remains and deposits and Palaeoenvironmental remains and sequences for associated recommendations).

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.

Improve visitor management in areas of high wildfire risk by developing visitor management plans.
Improve the knowledge of cultural heritage features to help target conservation efforts.

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

Diversify single species dominated areas into mixed heath and bog. Encourage a mosaic of habitat types.
Diversify land management techniques.

# Prehistoric ceremonial monuments

Key adaptation recommendations for prehistoric ceremonial monuments:

Improve current condition to increase resilience

Create an action plan for recording sites discovered as a result of land use changes and other factors.
Consider the landscape context of these structures and improve resilience of the surrounding landscape to better protect them.
Ensure that any climate adaptations can be reversed to prevent long term impacts on features.
Use sites themselves as valuable assets for example to sustainably generate money for their upkeep. Explore opportunities in future environmental land management schemes.

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.

Further exploration into evaluating site significance and evaluating which known assets require protection and management.
Implement monitoring of sites, especially where adaptations have been made and their surroundings - this may provide beneficial information for other sites. Carry out regular monitoring of scheduled sites.
Put forward non-scheduled sites of suitable quality for scheduling.

# Prehistoric and Romano-British settlements, field systems and cairnfields

Key adaptation recommendations for prehistoric and Romano-British settlements, field systems and cairnfields:

Improve current condition to increase resilience

Continue to stabilise peat and soils to prevent erosion.
Continue assessing site significance in order to increase knowledge of asset existence to determine which need protecting.
Facilitate data sharing information between organisations that helps us understand the extent of archaeological features. This will help inform future adaptation planning.
Use sites themselves as valuable assets for example to sustainably generate money for their upkeep. Explore opportunities in future environmental land management schemes.
Ensure that any climate adaptations can be reversed to prevent long term impacts on features.

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.

Carry out regular monitoring of scheduled sites.
Put forward non-scheduled sites of suitable quality for scheduling.
Consider locations of important prehistoric and Romano-British settlements, field systems and cairnfield sites when planning flood management, tree establishment, or piloting wilding trial schemes.
Monitor outcomes of any adaptations that are implemented.

# GEOLOGY, GEOMORPHOLOGY AND SOILS

# Buried soils, archaeological remains and deposits

Key adaptation recommendations for buried soils, archaeological remains and deposits:

Improve current condition to increase resilience

Habitat enhancement to stabilise the water table, which will create stable environmental conditions for preserving remains and deposits.
Integrate heritage protection into moorland restoration schemes.
Appropriate management of the overlying habitat to prevent/minimise indirect damage from e.g. erosion, wildfire, root disturbance due to scrub growth or increased burrowing animal activity.
Phase out burning on blanket bog. 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.

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 funding for strategic survey to locate and catalogue sites of archaeological interest and potential (deposit modelling) in order to identify where habitat enhancement or management needs to take place to protect buried archaeology.

# 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.

# Paleoenvironmental remains and sequences

Key adaptation recommendations for palaeoenvironmental remains and sequences:

Improve current condition to increase resilience

Habitat enhancement to stabilise the water table, which will create stable environmental conditions for preserving remains and deposits.
Integrate heritage protection into moorland restoration schemes.
Create research partnerships, for example with universities, to provide a better understanding of these deposits across the PDNP, to include scientific dating.
Phase out burning on blanket bog. 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.

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 funding for strategic survey to locate and catalogue site of archaeological interest and potential (deposit modelling).
Improve the knowledge of cultural heritage features to help target conservation efforts.

# 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.

# Show caves and caverns

Key adaptation recommendations for show caves and caverns:

Improve current condition to increase resilience

Ensure cave management plans consider need for increased ventilation, and continue to monitor levels of radon and other gasses such carbon dioxide into the future.
Ensure planning policies are flexible and open to sympathetic adaptations for caves that do not harm historic significance.

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 natural flood management techniques within the catchments feeding the caverns – for example allow some pasture to revert to scrub or woodland in suitable places.
Reduce farming inputs such as fertilizers, or paper pulp into system, to improve water quality and reduce toxin build-up in caves. Livestock levels should be lowered around streams and rivers as slurry is the main contributor to nutrients in rivers. Give consideration to good management of waste to improve catchment quality, including effective slurry store management. Low nutrient feed should be encouraged. Fertiliser and pesticide inputs should also be reduced to prevent spread into the watercourse.

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.

# HABITATS

# 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

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.

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

# WATERCOURSES, PONDS AND RESERVOIRS

# Dew ponds and other ponds

Key adaptation recommendations for dew ponds and other ponds:

Improve current condition to increase resilience

Maintain and enhance existing sites, where possible, consider re-lining failing ponds with materials that reflect their historic character.
Reduce non-climatic sources of harm such as non-native species and nutrient sources.
Minimise agricultural inputs, especially slurry, fertilisers and pesticides. Give consideration to good management of waste to improve catchment quality, including effective slurry store management.
Manage biosecurity to limit spread of invasive and non-native species.
Investigate external funding sources for a major pond project using citizen science.
Create semi-natural vegetation such as woodland along run-off pathways to reduce evaporation and maintain water quality.
Keep a strategy for dewpond restoration under review, due to their high vulnerability and extensive cost input required.
Liaise with other protected landscapes to share knowledge and management techniques.

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.

Restore key sites to link clusters and improve pond connectivity for species such as great crested newt.

# Reservoirs and water management features

Key adaptation recommendations for reservoirs and water management features:

Improve current condition to increase resilience

Water catchment management practices can be targeted at minimising flood risk and peak water flows. This may include increased woodland cover within the PDNP, restoration of blanket bog and sensitive farming practices, as well as drain blocking in headwater regions.
Ensure surveyed features are included in Historic Environment Records and Selected Heritage Inventory for Natural England (SHINE) datasets.
Nurture collaborative networks to build capacity for monitoring (e.g. volunteer groups).

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.

Research the most suitable adaptations for individual historic sites taking into account their situation and current use. This could include plans or physical barriers to reduce foot traffic, or physical reinforcement for the most valuable features. Care must be taken to avoid maladaptation.
Undertake regular monitoring (including at landscape scale) of selected sites to identify those likely to be most vulnerable in terms of archaeology and ecology and to document change and help inform interventions where possible.
Put forward key sites for scheduling.

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

Plantation woodlands in the uplands and those surrounding reservoirs should be managed to reduce erosion and slow run-off. Structural and species diversification with native broadleaved trees should be investigated. Encourage continuous cover forestry – to maintain higher levels of carbon storage and decrease soil losses.

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