Mike Innerdale - National Trust
The April speaker was Mike Innerdale, Property Manager for the National Trust High Peak and Longshaw Estates. Mike has been working in conservation for some 15 years with a number of organisations including Severn Trent (as Forestry Manager) and RSPB (North of England Reserves Manager). National Trust's High Peak estate covers some 32,000 acres, roughly from Hayfield to Derwent Edge, and Bleaklow to Winnats Pass.
The Alport valley is one of the wildest areas left in the Peak District, as there is no vehicular access into it, and it is uninhabited except for the tiny Alport Hamlet, which is the only part of the area in private ownership. Many of the valley slopes are dominated by conifer plantations with some broadleaf trees. The farmland, including the small fields of in-bye land, together with occasional barns, has been run unintensively for the last 80 years by the National Trust's tenant farmer, Mike Cotterill. An important feature of the valley is the "wood pasture" - a mixture of woodland and grassland which has developed through a long history of grazing under open grown trees, and generally regarded as an important historical, archaeological and scientific feature of a landscape. The other feature is the river, still allowed to follow its natural course, meandering through its flat river bed.
Most of the upper slopes and northern end of the valley lie within the Dark Peak SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest), and the South Pennine Moors SPA (Special Protection Area) for birds. It is also a cSAC (candidate for Special Area of Conservation). These have been designated by English Nature to protect the area's natural interest, not just the biodiversity but also its geological and geomorphological features. The valley also lies within the North Peak Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) and has received payments from Defra for 13 years.
The Alport Project was set up as a partnership of interested bodies to tackle the problem of replacing the conifer plantations with native species, and hence to return the landscape to a more natural habitat. The conifers were, of course, planted by the Forestry Commission (FC), which was formed in 1919 when the UK was desperately short of timber. The first phase of planting in the Alport valley was between 1932 and 1940, and then resumed between 1970 and 1982 when planting was carried out on the east side of the valley. The species that were planted were mainly Sitka Spruce, with smaller stands of Scots Pine, Larch, and Lodgepole Pine. There has been very little subsequent intervention or management of the plantations, because of difficulty of access, so the wood was hardly thinned at all, and biodiversity was poor.
In the early 1990s FC drew up proposals for large-scale timber extraction, and subsequent restocking with a mixture of broadleaf and conifer. Because of the damage which would be caused to the fragile local environment, the proposals met with widespread public opposition, led by the local branch of the Council for the Protection of Rural England (which is now known as "Friends of the Peak District"). The plans were withdrawn, and subsequent attempts to find more acceptable ways to extract the timber all failed. This left the FC with a plantation of low market value, and high extraction costs; it was apparent that the timber was unlikely to ever have any commercial value.
The outcome of this was a partnership, initially between FC and NT, to find a satisfactory solution. They produced a Draft Strategy Plan at the end of 2000, which envisaged the removal of the conifers within 100 years, and they put this plan out for public consultation. They received 197 replies, of which: 99% agreed with the long term objectives; 87% wanted to see all conifers removed within 50 years; 92% agreed that large scale (and hence disruptive) events should be avoided.
The area was formally leased to the National Trust in 2002, and they held a seminar in 2002 on the theme "Wild by Design", at which they set up the Alport Advisory Group, and formulated a detailed Management Plan. The broad aims were to maintain and preserve a mosaic of habitats in "favourable" condition. It was agreed that the special qualities of the area must be preserved, so there would be no car parks or large scale public events, and just low key informal public access. Information sheets would be available at Fairholmes on request, and these would explain any work in progress, and any plans that were afoot, but would not actively promote the valley as a destination. Information would also be put on websites, and the display panel at Alport Bridge would provide basic information about the project. All publicity would mention the quiet nature of the valley, and the lack of car parking and vehicular access. Once a year they have an Open Day for the press.
The Alport Advisory Group comprises representatives from NT and FC, together with: the Peak District National Park Authority, farming and shooting interests, Derwent and Hope Woodlands Parish Council, British Mountaineering Council, Ramblers Association, Friends of the Peak District, and English Nature. Funding comes from FC, NT, the Lottery Fund, Landfill fund, collecting boxes at NT centres, and private donations. A very important source of support is the time given freely by volunteers. |
Something has to be done with the conifers. It is not practicable to take them out of the valley without creating the level of disturbance that was objected to in the first place, so the timber has to be "recycled" on site. This is done using a variety of techniques. In some areas volunteers with chain-saws cut down the trees, but this is done on a very small scale. The resulting brash is chipped or burned, and the timber left to rot. Some trees are ring-barked so they die off naturally, and rot down in situ, providing an important habitat as they go. Some wood is cut into planks and used to stabilise the fragile soil structure by blocking water courses. Wood is also donated to other local small-scale construction projects.
The idea is that the conifer plantations would gradually be converted to a dynamic (i.e. naturally changing) mosaic of habitats comprising upland birch-oak woodland of varying density, interspersed with open acid grassland, upland heath, open streams and wet flashes. The woodland would be regenerated mostly by natural seeding, but also with some deliberate seeding and planting. Any area left to itself for a long time will gradually be colonised by species such as birch, rowan, holly, alder, willow, hawthorn, bilberry, etc. and, as the decades pass, other species can move in, finishing with climax woodland with oak, etc. To allow this process to take place, vulnerable areas are fenced off to protect them from grazing. The enclosed farmland will be managed for nature conservation and agriculture.
An important part of the Alport Project is surveying and monitoring to gauge the success or otherwise of the habitat and landscape changes. NT already have a Survey Team to manage surveys, but they rely on local volunteers for the footwork. Thus they have been surveying fungus species for three years at Alport and Longshaw, both of which are nationally important sites for fungi species. They are coming to the end of a three-year insect survey, and they also discovered national rarities in the deadwood in the valley. They are also starting the fourth year of a bird survey, which SBSG members have been heavily involved with. Again, they were surprised by the variety of species that they found. Repeat surveys will be carried out to monitor changes.
An important project has been the Peregrine protection at Alport Castles, carried out in conjunction with the South Peak Raptor Study Group who do the monitoring and ringing. A little garden shed was erected by way of a makeshift hide, and its Visitors' Book showed it to be much appreciated. In addition to people who went up specifically for the Peregrines, it is clear that many passing walkers also enjoyed the experience of seeing the birds — and on cold windy days (not unknown up there) were glad of the shelter! There has been a little bit of difficulty with planning permission required from Peak District National Park, and the Visitors' Book has provided valuable backup for the application. It is hoped in time to work with the Woodland Trust to make a new purpose-built hide, more in keeping with the landscape.
Other projects include work with Derbyshire Wildlife Trust on monitoring populations of Water Vole, which surprised everyone by showing a flourishing population right at the top of the catchment where it was thought to be too inhospitable for them. A major project last year was the protection of two Hen Harrier nests, both of which successfully reared five chicks despite the unexplained disappearance of the male birds. Volunteers were crucial to the success of this, and some 1500 hours of volunteers' time were donated.
The Project uses fixed point and aerial photography to show how the landscape is changing over time. They have reduced grazing, controlled bracken, and are already seeing the appearance of rowans, alder etc. Oak is expected in about 100 years time ... Although cars are kept away from the valley, walkers are encouraged, and the Project is improving access by repairing stiles and gates. Existing footpaths will be kept clear, but it is not intended to create any new ones. Stiles will be constructed where new fencing crosses existing paths. One of their biggest tasks is the restoration of dry stone walling, which is very labour-intensive, and is only undertaken on walls which are required for boundaries.
Mike was thanked for his most interesting talk, backed up with some wonderful photographs. It was a rare pleasure to hear of a project where different organisations are co-operating to take such positive action from such unpromising beginnings - especially as the very long-term nature of the project means that many individual participants will not personally enjoy the full benefits themselves.
Wendy Thomson |
