Grassland and scarce species damaged

Agricultural improvement has seriously damaged a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Devon, containing rare herb-rich grassland and scarce species such as the marsh fritillary butterfly and wavy St John's-wort.

Southmoor Farm SSSI is a nationally important example of culm grassland, a particular type of grassland confined to the South-West of England and a priority habitat in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. On 15 September serious damage to the site was reported to English Nature. Several fields had been levelled and re-seeded, others had been fertilized and had drainage ditches cut, or deepened. English Nature is currently investigating the nature and extent of the damage. Initial estimates suggest that 80% of the site has been seriously damaged by these operations including ploughing and reseeding.

On notification of the SSSI, English Nature had entered into discussions with the owners to agree suitable management for the site. After seven years of negotiation agreement could not be reached and English Nature staff were refused further access to the site. "English Nature usually enjoys close and productive working relationships with SSSI owners. However cases like this highlight the inadequacies of the current Wildlife & Countryside Act", said English Nature's Chairman, Baroness Young of Old Scone. "English Nature desperately needs additional powers to prevent this sort of thing happening elsewhere. We will continue to press Government to make changes and we hope they will be announced in the forthcoming Queen's speech this November."

Changes to the current legislation that English Nature would like to see include:
+ powers for English Nature to refuse consent for damaging activities on SSSIs without the obligation to offer a compensatory management agreement
+ additional powers to enter land to ensure that SSSIs can be regularly monitored and their condition assessed;
+ where we are unable to negotiate a positive management agreement, powers to require owners to carry out specified management works, supported by positive payments and the necessary practical advice from English Nature;
+ penalties for damaging an SSSI should include the power to recover the costs or restoring damaged sites. Fines for damaging SSSIs should be increased to an exceptional summary maximum of £20,000

Culm grassland is a specialised habitat consisting of purple moor grass and rush pasture largely restricted to the areas of carboniferous slates and shales of the Culm Measures in Devon & Cornwall. The habitat is a priority for nature conservation because it is highly vulnerable to agricultural modification and reclamation. Only 8% of the habitat present in Devon and Cornwall in 1900 exists today, and 48% of it was lost between 1984 and 1991. The total estimated area in England is now only 5,300 hectares.

Culm grasslands comprise various species-rich types of fen meadow and rush pasture, attractive to birds like barn owl, curlew and snipe. Plants associated with the culm include wavy St John's-wort, whorled caraway, meadow thistle and butterfly orchids. Culm grassland is nationally rare and identified in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan as a Priority Habitat. It is also listed as a habitat type within Annex 1 of the EC Habitats Directive (Council Directive 92/43/EEC). The marsh fritillary butterfly (Eurodryas aurinia) is closely associated with culm grassland and is listed in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan as a priority species. It is also listed in the EC Habitats Directive, and is to be included in the forthcoming European Red Data Book.

This protected species, which is threatened throughout Europe, has declined in range by over 60% in Britain and Ireland over the last 20 years. It is only found on damp, marshy culm grassland in SW Britain and chalk grassland in other parts of the UK. Its food plant is devil's-bit scabious, which occurs on both of these habitat types.

There are over 4,000 Sites of Special Scientific Interest in England. English Nature enjoys positive working relationships with over 32,000 owners and occupiers of SSSIs. The condition of SSSIs is assessed by English Nature. Every SSSI is visited at least once every six years provided we can obtain access permission. The condition is assessed against the features of interest for which the site is considered to be nationally important. In 1998, 28% of units were in unfavourable condition, and either declining further, or showing no improvement. 56% of the site units were in a favourable condition, and a further 16% were in unfavourable condition, but showing signs of recovering as a result of positive management action. The proportion of units in unfavourable condition which are showing no sign of improvement continues to be a source of great concern.