Appendix 5: Feature recommendations organised by Special Quality

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# BUILT ENVIRONMENT

# Country houses

Key adaptation recommendations for country houses:

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.

Have emergency plans in place for limiting damage during major climate events.
Include country houses and their parklands in landscape scale flood risk management plans.
Increase the resilience of the surrounding landscape to help create a buffer for these country houses and parklands. Form estate level plans for improved climate resilience, such as improving moorland condition to reduce flood risk.
Consider collections and archives that could be at risk, and store those that are potentially vulnerable to damage from water, pests and overheating in places where these impacts will be smaller.
Remedial work completed after damage has occurred should be appropriate for the specific building. See the Historic England's 2010 (2015 edition) document 'Flooding and Historic Buildings' for examples.

Adapt infrastructure for future conditions

These recommendations are adaptations to physical infrastructure that should allow the features to better resist or recover from future climate change.

Install rain harvesting and storage facilities at sites which are sensitive to drought. This is already in place at some properties.
Keep abreast of new research into the performance of alternative materials for future climate adaptations.

# Paths, tracks, and trails

Key adaptation recommendations for paths, tracks and trails:

Improve current condition to increase resilience

Monitor condition of paths, tracks and trails and reassess vulnerability on an ongoing basis.
Invest time in developing further crowd-sourced funding for adaptation of paths, tracks and trails, fostering a sense of ownership among user 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.

Assess which specific stretches of path, track or trail are likely to be most vulnerable to climate change.
Maintain and upgrade those areas subject to heavy usage or those likely to be most vulnerable. Understand the heritage significance of trails to factor this into decision making.

# COMMUNITIES

# Local events

Key adaptation recommendations for local events:

Improve current condition to increase resilience

Provide advice and support to help event organisers of locally run, volunteer led and traditional events to adapt to climate change and implement more robust processes.
Assess the value of events and traditions to the PDNP economy and consider whether financial support and grants would be feasible to support the most vulnerable traditions.
Adapt to increased visitor numbers as a result of hotter, drier summers. Encourage public transport usage for larger events and encourage the provision of extra buses and trains, and low carbon transport, to reduce congestion and improve air quality.

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.

Create visitor management plans for peak times and honeypot areas. Identify areas that are vulnerable to crowding and influence behavioural changes to spread out visitor impact
Manage visitor numbers at high-risk sites and events.

# Open access land and public access

Key adaptation recommendations for open access land and public access:

Improve current condition to increase resilience

Monitor condition of paths, tracks and trails and reassess vulnerability on an ongoing basis.
Provide funding for resilience planning. Take a proactive approach to improve path structure in a smaller way rather than waiting for a damaging event before acting.
Invest in and encourage natural flood management across the PDNP including the restoration of upland habitats and the regeneration of large areas of woodland and scrub.
Invest time in developing further crowd-sourced funding for adaptation of paths, tracks and trails, fostering a sense of ownership among user groups.
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.

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.

Maintain and upgrade those areas subject to heavy usage or those likely to be most vulnerable.
Create visitor management plans for peak times and honeypot areas. Identify areas that are vulnerable to crowding and influence behavioural changes to spread out visitor impact
Continue to foster partnerships to help manage the impacts affecting open access land.

# Transport links into the PDNP

Key adaptation recommendations for transport links into the PDNP:

Improve current condition to increase resilience

Review and adapt vegetation management to keep routes open.
Incentivise reduced demand for services through behaviour change and the use of more efficient technologies.
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.
Support changes such as enlarging drainage capacity for roads, railways and other routes to enable them to cope with increases in rainfall, and the implementation of speed limitations during times of extreme temperature.

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.

Identify alternative and creative ways of delivering services, for example using green spaces to aid flood management.
Natural Flood Management in the uplands of the PDNP through habitat restoration and woodland establishment is a key adaptation to reduce the impacts of flooding on transport infrastructure.

# 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

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

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

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

# 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

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.

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

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.

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.

# 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

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.

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.

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