State of the Park Report

Internationally important and locally distinctive wildlife and habitats


Photo: Chris Gilbert.

As one of the UK’s most accessible national parks, the Peak District National Park allows millions of people to enjoy distinctive habitats and a wealth of wildlife.

From the atmospheric dark moors and bogs of Bleaklow to the leafy woodlands, sparkling rivers and dramatic limestone cliffs of Dovedale, the Peak District National Park’s wildlife and habitats are internationally important and valued by millions of people. They differ from the surrounding lowlands and densely populated towns and cities, being created by the interaction between centuries of land management and the area’s distinctive climate, steep slopes and dramatic topography.

The diverse mosaic of habitats support a rich range of wildlife; from Jacob’s ladder to lapwing, from dipper to mountain hare. Many are locally, nationally and even globally rare. Wildlife is an integral part of the Peak District experience for residents and visitors, young and old, the expert and the curious.

Lying at the southern tip of the Pennines, the Peak District National Park is at a crossroads, where the uplands of the north-west meet the lowlands of the south-east. With many species at the edge of their ranges, the mix of species is unique. The bilberry bumblebee, once widespread across the north and west of England, is still found on the bilberry moorlands of the Dark and South West Peak. The iconic ‘mountain blackbird’, or ring ouzel, is thriving in the Peak District, its most south-easterly breeding area. The rare leek-coloured hawkweed, previously thought to be globally extinct, has been rediscovered.

Visit the Dark Peak and explore iconic expanses of blanket bog, moorland and heathland, interspersed with flushes and springs. Fringed by upland oak woodlands and grasslands rich in colourful waxcap fungi, these uplands are bisected by the streams and rivers that feed the many local reservoirs. Stop to watch rare upland birds like golden plover through binoculars or lie back to see a sea of fluffy white cotton grass bobbing in the breeze against a bright blue sky.

A trip to the White Peak reveals precious and vulnerable ash woodlands, ponds and clear-flowing streams, limestone heath, lead mine remains and species-rich grasslands. Walk through the steep-sided valley of Lathkill Dale during spring and be surrounded by flower-rich grassland and the instantly recognisable song of the skylark. Picnic at Cheedale and be transfixed by the rhythmic bobbing of a dipper or hear the familiar plop of a water vole launching itself into the river.

Explore the South West Peak and find habitats similar to the Dark Peak, but in a much more intimate mosaic. Smaller blocks of moorland fringed with rush pastures, hedges, rivers and farmland. Listen out for the ‘go back, go back’ cry of a red grouse or the burbling song of a curlew. Look closely and spot an elusive camouflage-striped snipe emerging from the bog or a short-eared owl swooping over the moors.

The PDNP’s mosaic of habitats support a wide variety of important wildlife. In comparison to the surrounding countryside, the PDNP has a variety of intact habitats and associated species, partly owing to the dramatic topography, steep slopes, climate and generally poor growing conditions for intensive farming. The unique position in the landscape means it is at a crossroads of north and south, east and west, with many species at the edge of their ranges [4]. This makes the species composition found in the PDNP unique.

The global decline in nature is well documented, but a recent report by the UN highlights the now dangerous impacts of the deteriorating “health of ecosystems on which we and all other species depend”:

  • Over one million species globally are threatened with extinction [1]. The UK is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world [2], with 15% of species assessed at risk of extinction, including 30% of UK bird species [3].

Although there is no comprehensive biodiversity data set that covers the entire Peak District National Park (PDNP), the data that is available indicates that the PDNP has not been immune to these biodiversity losses:

  • Overall, the condition of biodiversity (i.e. habitats and species) is mixed, with both notable successes and losses. However, the overall trend is for a decrease in the number, quality and extent of habitats and species within the PDNP. Biodiversity losses in the PDNP

Several PDNP habitats have declined in extent historically:

  • such as limestone heath, species-rich meadows and wetland habitats like wet woodland. Blanket bogs, for which the Dark Peak in particular is famed, have seen a decline in condition linked to historical factors such as industrial pollution effects and drainage.
  • Many remaining high quality habitats are still under threat from decline in extent or condition, most significantly unimproved and semi-improved species-rich grasslands outside the designated sites system.

Several species are in decline in the PDNP:

  • including bilberry bumblebee, white clawed crayfish, water vole and twite, with some of these on the brink of extinction as breeding species in the PDNP. *Several species have become extinct in the PDNP since the 19th century, including red squirrel, pine marten, dormouse, four species of butterfly and 26 species of plant.

In comparison to the surrounding countryside, the PDNP still has a variety of high quality, intact habitats:

  • such as parkland and wood pasture, upland mixed ashwood, upland oakwood and dwarf shrub heath. Recent work by a variety of organisations and private individuals has begun to restore the historical damage to some habitats; most significantly, large areas of blanket bog have been re-wetted and re-vegetated.

The mix of habitats supports a wide variety of important wildlife:

  • with adder, great crested newt, red deer and several butterfly species doing well. Recently, several internationally important sites for waxcap fungi have been discovered and many mosses, liverworts and lichens are doing well or recovering following conservation works [4].

# Drivers for change

# Climate change

  • The impact of climate change in the UK has so far been mixed, having both beneficial and detrimental effects on species. However, “…we know that climate change is one of the greatest long-term threats to nature globally .”

  • Climate change is already altering biodiversity in the Peak District. To date, climate change impacts include increased temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, increased frequency of extreme events such as flooding, displacement of species and changes to the start and length of seasons. This is predicted to negatively affect many habitats within the Peak District and, consequently, many species.

  • Biodiversity was assessed as the special quality most vulnerable to climate change in the Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment 2020. Of the 31 aspects of biodiversity that were assessed, 23% were rated as ‘very high’ in terms of vulnerability to climate change and almost 70% were rated as ‘high’. No aspects of biodiversity were given a ‘low’ rating.

  • The PDNP is home to a range of species adapted to cooler upland or northerly conditions. Many are on the southern edge of their range in the UK and are unlikely to cope with projected climatic changes, including merlin, twite and the bilberry bumblebee. Modelling shows some may be lost from the PDNP entirely.

  • Human responses to climate change, particularly through changes to agricultural practices, could have profound effects on some PDNP species and habitats.

# Current condition of biodiversity

  • The poor current condition of much of the PDNP’s biodiversity increases its vulnerability to other challenges, such as climate change. In the case of habitats, poor current condition is often because only small fragments remain – as in the case of meadows and wet woodlands. Interconnection between habitats is also often poor, making them less resilient to change. Past and current human actions such as agricultural improvement of grassland, the switch from hay to silage, and the drainage of wet areas have also contributed to this high vulnerability. Quality of the remaining patches of habitat is also important. For instance, the extremely degraded condition of blanket bog in the PDNP makes it vulnerable despite there being large continuous areas present.

# Agricultural land management

  • Changing agricultural management has had the biggest single impact on UK nature in recent decades, as 72% of UK land is managed for agriculture. In the Peak District, this figure is around 86%. Agricultural intensification has been overwhelmingly negative for biodiversity, particularly through loss of mixed farming and change in sowing season, intensification of grazing, loss of semi-natural habitats such as hedges and ponds, increasing use of fertilisers and use of pesticides and herbicides.

  • In the PDNP, the largest negative effects from changes in land use are probably due to drainage and burning of moorland and the switch from hay to silage and rye grass pastures. Unsustainable or inappropriate land management affects all habitats in the Peak District. Many natural and semi-natural habitats have been lost or degraded and are now small and fragmented. This means they can no longer support sustainable populations of many species of wildlife.

# Invasive non-native species and diseases

  • New diseases and invasive species are arriving in the Peak District due to changing climatic conditions and human activities. There are around 2,000 established non-native species in Britain. Around 10 new species become established each year. Around 12% cause serious adverse impacts and are classed as ‘invasive’.

  • Extremely invasive, problematic species found in the PDNP include Himalayan balsam, Japanese knotweed, American signal crayfish and mink. Known diseases include ash dieback disease, sweet chestnut blight and crayfish plague. These may be further exacerbated by the negative effects of further climate change.

# Development

  • Despite being a national park, the Peak District is not immune from development pressure. Although the population is relatively small at around 38,000 residents, there is continual demand for additional housing, especially affordable housing to support local communities, large agricultural buildings, retail and other business premises.

  • Other development pressures include upgrades to road infrastructure to accommodate increasing road traffic, renewable energy infrastructure and expansion of extractive industries to meet growing national demand.

  • The majority of development takes up space that would otherwise have been available for wildlife and habitats and, although the National Park works on the principle of biodiversity net gain, this is not always possible, and is currently not enforceable through legislation.

# Recreation and tourism

  • Enabling visitors to enjoy the Peak District is an important aspect of achieving the purposes of a national park. However, large number of visitors, especially at high intensity ‘honeypot’ sites, can exacerbate many issues that have a negative impact on biodiversity, for example erosion along popular access routes, wildlife disturbance, litter and causing fires.

# Landscape restoration

  • A positive driver for change across the Peak District is landscape restoration. Landscape restoration can have a positive impact on habitats and species within the Peak District by restoring the landscape to repair damage caused by issues such as pollution and intensive agriculture. A vast amount of restoration work has and continues to be delivered on the Dark Peak moorlands through landscape-scale projects such as the Moors for the Future Partnership and other landscape-scale projects such as the South West Peak Landscape Partnership and the White Peak Partnership are also carrying out landscape restoration in other parts of the Peak District.

# Species reintroductions

  • There is increasing focus on species reintroductions across the UK, with many declining or even extinct species being reintroduced. Some reintroductions have taken place in the Peak District, such as sphagnum mosses, dormice and black grouse – although only the sphagnum mosses have been successful to date. Future reintroductions in and around the Peak District could be likely, such as plans by Derbyshire Wildlife Trust to reintroduce beavers in Derbyshire.

# Policy and government

  • The Landscapes Review, which reported to the UK government in 2019, reviewed UK protected landscapes (national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty) and set proposals for their improvement. Many of the proposals relate to biodiversity, including:

    • “National landscapes should have a renewed mission to recover and enhance nature, and be supported and held to account for delivery by a new National Landscapes Service”
    • “The state of nature and natural capital in our national landscapes should be regularly and robustly assessed, informing the priorities for action”
    • “Strengthened Management Plans should set clear priorities and actions for nature recovery including, but not limited to, wilder areas and the response to climate change (notably tree planting and peatland restoration). Their implementation must be backed up by stronger status in law”
    • “National landscapes should form the backbone of Nature Recovery Networks – joining things up within and beyond their boundaries”.

  • A formal response to the Landscapes Review is expected in the near future and the PDNPA is already working to implement some of the recommendations.

  • Both the Environment Bill and 25 Year Environment Plan will impact biodiversity in the Peak District. For instance, the Environment Bill will require all areas in England to establish Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRSs). The LNRSs will help bring a broad range of groups together – from farmers to businesses to local communities – to deliver priorities for nature recovery at a local and national level. The pilots will also help kick-start the creation of over a million acres of habitats for wildlife . And a flagship element of the 25 Year Environment Plan will be a new Nature Recovery Network, which will benefit people and wildlife by increasing, improving and joining-up wildlife-rich places across England .

  • 87% of the Peak District is farmed and agriculture has a big impact on its biodiversity. With the UK leaving the EU, a new Environmental Land Management Scheme is being developed that will subsidise farmers for specific actions. Trials are currently underway to determine what the scheme will consist of and one of the trials is taking place in the White Peak part of the Peak District.

# Data gaps that remain

"If we are to restore nature, and make it resilient… we must start by understanding what we have, and have a regular way of checking its health…” [1]

  • The Landscapes Review recognises the importance of having comprehensive, up-to-date datasets. However, there is a general lack of longitudinal, PDNP-wide, comparative data regarding the extent and condition of biodiversity in the PDNP. Without an accurate picture of how different habitats and species are faring, conserving and enhancing the PDNP’s biodiversity will prove difficult, so expanding biodiversity data and its usability is of vital importance.

  • The Peak District National Park Authority has a dataset of habitats in the PDNP and surrounding area, which covers just over half of the PDNP area. However, this does not take account of the more urban areas, villages and gardens. It is also compiled from various sources, so may not be fully comparative or up-to-date. Many organisations that own and/or manage land in the PDNP also have their own habitat datasets for the areas they manage. These are not currently brought together into one dataset.

The following are initial suggestions, alongside those identified in the individual sections above, for future research that could help to fill in gaps in our knowledge or update existing data:

What are the gaps in our research & data?

Across the whole PDNP

  • Carry out Phase 1/Phase 2 habitat survey across the whole PDNP
  • Develop a Local Wildlife Sites system for the PDNP that can support Nature Recovery Networks, Local Nature Recovery Strategies and other Government initiatives, and PDNP Management Plan targets for conservation and natural heritage.

Habitats

  • Assess the current connectivity of habitats across the PDNP and make recommendations on how to improve habitat connectivity
  • Update data on the extent and condition of habitats across the PDNP
  • Use results of the landscape monitoring Earth Observation project to assess how broad coverage of habitat types has changed since the 1990s
  • Continue to monitor changes to habitats e.g. plantation woodland being converted to broadleaved woodland, grassland being intensified etc
  • Work with partners to resurvey the extent and character of road verges, and encourage appropriate management, especially where this links up with the Buglife ‘b-lines’ initiative.

Species

  • Create a joined up approach to species monitoring with other organisations such as Wildlife Trusts, National Trust and RSPB
  • Check the robustness of existing data and develop new techniques to survey species that have probably been under-recorded, such as snipe (already underway for this species as part of the South West Peak Landscape Initiative ‘Working for Waders’ project)
  • Analysis of the effectiveness of planning mitigation measures
  • Use the Traditional Buildings Pilot project to assess effectiveness of wildlife mitigation measures and habitat associations.

  1. Defra, “Landscapes Review,” 2019 ↩︎