Important Butterfly Site Destroyed

[Neil Jones]

This is a Press Release from English Nature which is a government
conservation body.

_________________________________________________________
English Nature NEWS RELEASE   NEWS RELEASE   NEWS RELEASE

EN/99/39
 5 October 1999

Rare grassland destroyed

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 POUNDS 20,000;

 Editor's notes over...Notes for Editors

1. 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 to 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).

2. 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.

3. 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.                                                                
                                              



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-- 
Neil Jones- Neil at nwjones.demon.co.uk http://www.nwjones.demon.co.uk/
"At some point I had to stand up and be counted. Who speaks for the
butterflies?" Andrew Lees - The quotation on his memorial at Crymlyn Bog
National Nature Reserve