how to build a living landscape

How to build aLiving Landscape

Making our towns and countryside work for wildlife

2 Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust

www.hertswildlifetrust.org.uk 3

This guide explains how to build a Living Landscape.What does that mean?

Look beyond the jewels that are our nature reservesand other protected areas – havens where diversehabitats support our precious native wildlife.Outside these refuges, both the towns and thecountryside can be barren, inhospitable places for wild animals and plants.

Unless we join up the dots.

By creating spaces for wildlife to live in amongst the web of houses, businesses, roads, railway lines and fields, we can do more than just preserve species in tiny pockets of our landscape.

In fact, we must do this and we need to act now.Nature reserves on their own will not be enough to protect our wildlife for the future. Habitatscontinue to be lost, and many UK species are in long term decline.

Our vision is an environment rich in wildlife foreveryone. We can only achieve this by building a Living Landscape, with the help of other landowners,land managers and partners across our counties. This vision accepts the landscape as it is, as we haveshaped it. It’s not practical to think that we can turnthe clock back to a time before roads were laid down,rivers were canalised, houses were built, farmingintensified. But there is a huge amount that we cando with the landscape we live in now, to improve andsecure the future for our local wildlife. It will be goodfor wildlife, and it will be good for people too; ournatural environment is essential to us.

Different places can contribute to a Living Landscape in different ways. In our towns, wildlife-friendlygardening and Sustainable Urban Drainage Systemswill make a difference. On farmed land, wildflower-richfield margins and hedgerows can help. We can makeour highways work for nature by restoring wildflower-rich road verges. And golf courses can contribute withcareful grass-mowing regimes and heathlandrestoration. Together, all of these contributions andmore will allow people and wildlife to live side by side.

Here’s our vision for how, together, we can build an environment rich in wildlife for everyone – where we live.

Dr Tom DayHead of Living LandscapesHerts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust

Contents4 How to build

a Living Landscape... in towns and cities

8 How to build a Living Landscape... on farmland

12 How to build a Living Landscape... across our transport network

16 How to build a Living Landscape... on golf courses

20 What to do next

How to build a Living Landscape


Towns andcities

Sustainable UrbanDrainage Systems (SUDS)

Native street trees

Wildflower-rich margins

Greenroofs

Nestboxes

Hedgerows with mature trees

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ies Urban green spaces and recreation grounds are often managedintensively, with grass cut short very regularly. However, a rich localenvironment requires a diversity of green spaces for people to enjoy.More natural green spaces, as well as wildlife-rich margins andcorridors, can help build a Living Landscape. Everyone can also make their contribution through wildlife-friendly gardening.

Wildflowermeadows

Birdfeeders

Log piles

Ponds withshallow sides


Wildlife-friendly gardensYou can provide shelter for wildlife withareas of longer grass, ponds, native trees,nest boxes and bug homes. Sowing native,nectar-rich wildflowers will encourage avariety of insects, in turn attracting birds,frogs, toads and small mammals. Feedingthe birds will help to sustain them throughthe winter and spring.

Public green spacesParks and other green spaces can be greatfor wildlife if they incorporate wildflower-rich areas. Local authorities should try tomake margins at least three metres widewith larger areas at least 20-30 metres

wide in places. Hedges provide food andshelter, and should ideally be up to twometres high, one or two metres thick andwith mature trees incorporated every tenmetres. A single mature English oak treecan support 600 different species!Ponds with a diameter greater than

10 metres are ideal – they can be anyshape; shallow sloping sides will helpwildlife to get in and out. Nectar-rich plants on allotments will

attract useful insects to the plot. Schemesthat bring nature back into urban areas,such as creating a wildflower-rich meadowin a shared green space, or digging a pond,can bring residents together.

Towns and cities

ChurchyardsValuable, relatively un-disturbedhabitats. Mature trees arebeneficial. Encouraging longer,

wildflower-rich grass in areas of the

churchyard willentice morewildlife tomove in!

Green roofsA green roof will insulate thebuilding, absorb rainwater,prolong the life of the roofitself and also provide a habitat for wildlife,attracting birds, bees,butterflies and otherpollinating insects.

Street treesTrees contribute to a healthier environment byproducing oxygen and locking away carbonduring their normal life cycle. They can act as a buffer to reduce noise pollution and in theirimmediate vicinity can help to reduce airbornepollution by attracting particles on their leaves. Amixture of native trees is preferable. These shouldbe suitable to the soil type and of local provenance.

Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems(SUDS)A sustainable system of drainage that can mitigate the adverse effectsof urban stormwater runoff on theenvironment. Ideally these systemsshould be as naturalised as possible,with thick vegetative margins.From October 2012 any new

construction work in Hertfordshirewith drainage requirements will need the drainage system approvedby the local SUDSApprovalBody.


Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust’sWild Stevenage project hasinspired local people to explore the

town’s natural assets and encouragedthem to help care for these importantwildlife havens. The town has many smallpockets of natural habitat which attract asurprisingly wide variety of wildlife. Walkfor just a couple of minutes from busyBroadhall Way, opposite StevenageFootball Club, and you will soon findyourself amongst the ancient trees ofMonks and Whomerley Woods, carpetedwith swathes of bluebells in the spring.

Anyone for crickets?Ann Favell, the Trust’s People and WildlifeOfficer in Stevenage, says: “Local peoplehave been pond dipping to check howhealthy the woodland ponds are. This isvital information that helps the Trust toimprove habitats for wildlife. New pondscreated in the woods in the spring weresoon teeming with tadpoles. In nearbyShackledell Grassland, Stevenage residentshave been busy surveying bush crickets andgrasshoppers – numerous different specieslive here, including the great green bushcricket. Stevenage is thought to be the onlyplace in Hertfordshire where this specieshas been recorded.”

Swift actionCloser to home the town’s wildlife lovershave been inviting swifts to stay for thesummer, in specially constructed nest boxesfitted to their houses. A scheme run inconjunction with Stevenage Homes sawtenants get a nest box for free, as part ofroutine roofing work carried out by Breyer,who agreed to cover the costs. Swifts aredeclining in numbers because there is a lackof suitable nesting sites, so it’s hoped thatsome birds will make Stevenage their home,after their long migration from South Africa.

Locals get stuck inConservation work parties have helped to revitalise ponds and protect wildlife in Fairlands Valley Park, where newhedgerows have been planted to createshelter for grassland species. Locals haverolled up their sleeves, donned their welliesand got stuck in. Volunteer Laura Waugh,26, said: “I will definitely volunteer again. I live in Stevenage and I am looking to getmore experience in conserving wildlife. I hope that the project will improve wildlife habitats in the town, getting thecommunity and children involved in caringfor nature.” In all, local people have rackedup over 200 hours in volunteered time inorder to protect the town’s wildlife.

Working togetherWorking in partnership with StevenageBorough Council has allowed the WildlifeTrust to work on council-owned land andwith grants from So Stevenage andHeritage Lottery Fund, carry out importanthabitat restoration work. The project hasbreathed new life into community pondsacross the town. Wide glades and newfootpaths have been added to thewoodlands, encouraging in more light,which in turn will allow plants to grow onthe woodland floor that attract insects,birds and mammals. Grasslands have beenopened up to encourage wildlife to spreadout into wider territories, ensuring theirpopulations can survive into the future. Ann continued: “This is just the beginning.The project has sparked an interest in localpeople to find out more about the naturalworld around them and what they can do to help protect it. As this interest andcommitment grows, so too does theprospect of a healthy future forStevenage’s wonderful wildlife.”

A Living Landscape in action:TOWNS AND CITIES

Stevenage residents embraced a project run by theWildlife Trust and Stevenage Borough Council that has encouraged nature to thrive in the heart of the town

Local children helped plant a newhedge in Fairlands Valley Park

Carpets of bluebells inancient woodland minutesfrom Stevenage town centre

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Farmland

Wildflower-richfield margins

Habitat creation in field corners/ on poor soils

Hedgerowswith trees

Woodlandmanagement

Ponds


Farming is such an important land use in Hertfordshire; farmers are thestewards of the majority of our local ecosystems. There are lots of opportunitiesto restore nature, and agri-environment funding schemes are available to help.When building a Living Landscape across farmland, the key is to chooseappropriate measures for different locations and to ensure they join up, tomaximise habitat connectivity across both individual and neighbouring farms.

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Buffer strips along rivers

Ditches

Riversidefencing and

cattle ‘drinkers’

Reduced chemical use

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Farmland

Buffer strips along riversBuffer zones of longer vegetation between farmedland and rivers prevent erosion of the river banksby livestock, and pollution of the river water fromlivestock urine and faeces. A buffer zone also helpsto prevent herbicides, pesticides and fertilisersfrom draining off fields into the river. Otters, watervoles and other aquatic and bankside wildlife will

benefit. Buffer strips can be provided either by fencing,or by leaving three metres unploughed next to the river

bank. Where cattle need to access the river, concrete ‘drinkers’can be installed to prevent soil erosion.

Ditches and pondsThese areimportantwetland habitatswhere water voles

and birds such as reedbuntings may breed.

Bats will feed along and over them. The better the water quality, the morewildlife there will be.

WoodlandWooded areas provide shelter for animalssuch as deer and daytime roosting places for bats which may feed widelythrough the local area by night, using the network of hedgerows to navigatethrough the landscape.

Awkward cornersAreas left to go wild and return to nature because they are impossible to get towith machinery provide great refuges for wildlife. Finches will feast on the seedsfrom burdock and thistles during winter. Small mammals will hide there, catchingthe attention of kestrels hovering above.

Reduce chemical useReducing chemical use to optimum levels can be cost-efficient, whilst alsobenefitting wildlife and watercourses.Chemical use can be optimised throughsoil analyses, soil nutrient managementplanning and targeted application rates.

Wildflower-rich field marginsNative wildflowers and grasses along field margins will support a diversity ofcrop-pollinating insects and allow wholeecosystems to thrive. Six to ten metre-wide strips are ideal. It’s important to link margins up between fields, to makehabitat corridors. The margins are bestplanted with a native wildflower seed mix, appropriate to the area and soil types.

HedgerowsHedgerows, particularly in association with other habitats, can make greatwildlife corridors and contribute to anarea’s distinctive landscape character.Thicker, taller hedges with regular trees

provide the most benefits. Where hedgeshave gaps, a mixture of tree planting andtraditional hedge-laying can restore them.As well as providing shelter, hedgerows actlike a larder for all sorts of wildlife: nectarin the spring supports butterflies andother insects, while berries help smallmammals and birds such as redwings and fieldfares through the winter months.

Habitat creation on poor soilsReverting arable land back to species-rich grassland can be a way of achieving grant income for fields with poor cropproductivity. The most valuable grasslandsare made up of species native to the areaand take into account the local soil anddrainage characteristics.

Farm buildingsAt the heart of the farm, well keptbarns and stores will ensure thatfarming operations will not have a detrimental effect on thelandscape. Slurry from cattle barnsand the liquor from silage clampswill all be collected and processedproperly. Drainage will be wellmaintained to ensure thatnothing harmful enters ditches or watercourses.


A Living Landscape in action:FARMLAND

Nicholas Buxton farms the Easneye Estate, which liesalongside the Trust’s Amwell Nature Reserve. The estatehas an impressive track record for wildlife conservation

Nicholas Buxton standing in one of the many bufferstrips that help wildlife on

the Easneye Estate

Field margins areimportant for farmlandbirds like yellowhammers

The Easneye Estate has just recentlywon the Cambs and Herts FWAG(Farming and Wildlife Advisory

Group) Farm Conservation competition,and it’s not hard to see why. From restoringhedgerows and managing woodlands toimproving the state of the River Ash,Nicholas is working with the Wildlife Trustand a whole host of other conservationcharities and partners to try and achievethe best results, both for the farm and for wildlife.

Links across the landscapeThe estate is a mixed landscape, with areasof steeper ground that were once dairypastures, arable land with hedgerows andspinneys, blocks of ancient woodland andthe River Ash running through. The key,Nicholas explains, is to try to link areastogether – connecting bits of woodlandwith hedgerows, hedgerows with fieldmargins and field margins with grassmargins that run down towards the river.

River restorationPreviously sluggish and damaged bydredging in the 1970s, work has been doneto the River Ash to improve the flow withthe help of nifty in-channel deflectors andchannel narrowing. The non-native signalcrayfish has so far not invaded the upperreaches of the river, and native populationsof trout and grayling are growing. Sightingsof cormorants have increased, indicating

there is plenty for them to feed on. Over5,750 metres of grass buffer strips now run alongside the river, which, as well asproviding habitat for bankside wildlife suchas water voles, will prevent arable run offand flooding. It’s likely that the work alongthe river to control mink has resulted in thereturn of the water vole to Widford dairypastures nearby.

Hedges, trees and marginsHedgerows and trees are very importantfor wildlife. So far at Easneye over fivekilometres of hedgerow coppicing andgap-filling has been achieved, with morethan one kilometre of new hedgerowplanted through Entry/Higher LevelStewardship. These are grant schemesopen to all farmers to help withenvironmental management. In additionhundreds of hedgerow trees have beenplanted. Nicholas is confident about thework carried out so far: “The tree plantingand hedgerow work is already yieldingbenefits, but over the years ahead it should be a real improvement.” For farmland birds, Nicholas points

out the importance of providing fieldmargins, so that hedges don’t just leadstraight into the arable crop: “You want to have that brood cover, with plenty ofinsects, through the spring, which is a veryimportant time for chicks.” Grey partridgesand lapwings breed on the farm. Seedmixes are planted to provide for birds and

nectar/pollen mixes for insects, which areso important for pollinating crops.Hazel and hornbeam coppicing work

started last year, as part of an ongoingprogramme with the help of the EnglishWoodland Grant Scheme. Thinning allowslight to reach the woodland floor,encouraging wildflowers to emerge andassociated wildlife to thrive. The woodthat’s removed is sold on as firewood, or used to fuel a woodchip boiler on theestate, making it not only a good solutionfor wildlife but for the farm’s economy too.The drought has made tree and hedgerow

planting difficult over the last two years, butNicholas is hopeful that the 360 oak treesjust planted in hedgerows will take well –and looks forward to them flourishing in thefuture: “In twenty years I hope to be able tolook back on this year as a good thing.”

Sensitive, sensible managementAs Nicholas says, estates like Easneye need to be managed. After a number oflean years in farming, there is now theopportunity to put them back in goodheart. Active management is as importanthere on the farm as it is on the WildlifeTrust’s nature reserves. Man has beenshaping the landscape for thousands ofyears; there’s no reason why we shouldn’tcontinue to do this but in a sensitive way,not only for our own benefit but for theprotection of our natural environment and its wildlife too.

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Linesidehabitats

Greencycleways


Wildflower-richroad verges

Transport netw

Greenbridges

Nativestreettrees

Hedgerowswith trees


worksOur transport corridors are rarely managed with wildlife in mind, despitethe fact that they are linear features with the potential to act as corridorsfor wildlife as well as vehicles. Cumulatively there is an enormous area ofland within these networks that cannot be put to any other use. This is agreat opportunity for building a Living Landscape without affecting otherland uses. Transport corridors can also be significant barriers to wildlifetrying to move through the landscape. Opportunities for bridging thebarriers need to be sought.

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Transport networks

Wildlife crossingsRoads can create significant barriers towildlife through habitat destructionand fragmentation. Sub-dividing thehabitat can even result in extinctionof fragile local populationsaltogether. Wildlife crossings allowanimals to cross roads, railways and other man-made barriers safely. A crossing could be an underpass,overpass (or ecoduct), green bridge,

amphibian/small mammal tunnel orviaduct. Several European countries

(notably France, the Netherlands, Switzerlandand Germany) integrate environmental factors

in the earliest phases of road design and makeextensive use of wildlife crossings and other ecological

mitigation infrastructure. As well as preventing fragmentation of habitats, wildlife crossings can reduce injury or death from wildlife-motorist collisions.

Lineside habitatsHabitats alongside railway linescan provide for birds, insects, smallmammals and plants. Speciescommonly linked to linesidehabitats include reptiles, kestrels,orange-tip butterflies, greatspotted woodpeckers and bats. Ifmanaged well these habitats canhelp to increase biodiversity; notonly can wildlife use the linearnature of the railway line tonavigate from one place toanother but the embankments canoffer a huge cumulative amount ofhabitats in their own right. Derelict railway lines like the

Nickey Line in Harpenden thathave been transformed intorecreational routes, providesignificant areas of grassland and scrub and also provideecological links between other

habitats through thelandscape.

Green cyclewaysGood principles of sustainabledevelopment aim for the creation of cycle routes to enable people to getbetween places more sustainably andhealthily. This can help to restore networksfor wildlife; habitat creation alongsidestrategically chosen routes can linkpatches of habitat up and provide apleasant and relaxing environment to cycle through.

Roadside habitatsGrassland verges can support a diverserange of species if managed in the rightway. Depending on the flowers present,verges are best either cut once in latesummer or once in spring and once in earlyautumn. This will ensure that tall plants do not cause an unnecessary visualobstruction for vehicles, whilst allowingrare species to thrive and set seed. It isreally important to collect and remove thecuttings because this reduces soil nutrients,

allowing rare wildflowers to survive. Verges not only provide habitat

in their own right but act as corridorsfor wildlife to move through. Similarly,hedgerows along roads provide coverfor all sorts of animals moving throughthe landscape and are an importantsource of food and shelter. Street treesprovide niches for nature on their own and together can form a linear habitatwhich is valuable for feeding bats.


Grass has been encouraged to grow long on some roadsideverges by Stevenage Borough Council and Herts andMiddlesex Wildlife Trust for the past two years, as part of a trial to help the town’s wildlife to thrive. Longer grassallows native wildflowers to bloom and set seeds. Insects such as butterflies and bees are helped, which in turn benefits birds that feed on them.The line of vision for drivers is unaffected, as the grass is cut

short immediately next to the road to a width of two metres,but grass further away from the edge grows long. Stevenagehas some very wide road verges which make ideal places forestablishing these ‘mini-meadows’. The verges also act as corridors, enabling wildlife to move around the town more easily. Some areas are cut at the end of the summer,once the flowers have set seed. Other road verges are left long throughout the year, as grasshoppers and crickets lay their eggs in the grass which hatch the following spring.Cllr John Gardner, Deputy Leader of Stevenage Borough

Council responsible for the Environment said: “The creation of these urban meadows alongside a number of our majorroads, through a more managed approach to grass cutting, is already showing evidence of increased variety in both

insects and wildflowers. It’s true to say the butterflies, bees and crickets are returning to our green town to enhanceour enjoyment of the natural world.” Surveys in 2012 showthat two of the verges are already of Local Wildlife Site quality.

A Living Landscape in action:TRANSPORT NETWORKS

The road verges of north Hertfordshiremake up some of the remainingpatches of chalk grassland in the

county and many have been designated as Local Wildlife Sites for the wildflowersthat thrive there. They are important notjust for species like knapweed, bird’s-foottrefoil, wild thyme and field scabious butalso for their potential to provide linksbetween fragmented grassland sites. The A505 corridor contains an almostcontinuous strip of chalk grasslandrunning east to west.

Roadside treasures reappearThe Countryside Management Service(CMS) is part of Hertfordshire CountyCouncil’s Environment Department and apartner in the Wildlife Sites Partnership.The partnership recently worked to restorea roadside verge in Radwell, north ofBaldock, together with HertfordshireHighways and a Bedfordshire-based group

called TEASEL (The Astwick and StotfoldEnvironmental Link). TEASEL memberswere worried that the road verge, which isa Local Wildlife Site, was being overcomeby bramble and thorn. Tony Bradford fromCMS says: “The first option for managinggrassland sites is the use of appropriategrazing animals. However, busy roads canno longer be grazed for safety reasons, somanagement must therefore be directedat achieving ecologically sensitive mowingregimes. Scrub encroachment, pesticidespray drift and the localised increases inrabbit population threaten the sensitivehabitat balance too.” A simple site surveywas carried out to assess the biodiversity status and work out what action to take. Volunteers worked to remove theencroaching scrub. Hertfordshire Highwayssupported the work and will help with the continued management of the site by cutting the grassland annually. As aresult of the work, a survey revealed the

re-emergence of at least 200 pyramidalorchids and around 50 bee orchids. It’shoped with continued positive conservationmanagement that the fantastic displaywill now return year after year.

The Wildlife Sites Partnership is led by Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust

Orchids flourished in fantastic numbers on a roadsideverge in north Hertfordshire after restoration work wascarried out through the Wildlife Sites Partnership

‘Mini meadows’ provide refuge for wildlife in Stevenage

Wildflowershave returned toroadside verges

Fifty bee orchids and 200 pyramidalorchids emerged after a road vergewas restored near Baldock TO

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Heathlandrestoration

Hedgerows withmature trees

Golf courses


Reducedchemical use

Longer areasof rough

Woodlandmanagement

Dead wood

Wildflower-rich areas

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Ponds and lakeswith natural edges

In Hertfordshire, there are more than 70 golf courses. By their very nature theyare relatively large areas of countryside, much of which is made up of rougher,less intensively-managed land. Managed sympathetically, these areas have hugepotential to contribute to a Living Landscape. This doesn’t need to impact on theexisting land use – it actually enhances it. Wildlife and natural surroundings canmake golf more enjoyable.


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Golf coursesReduce chemical useReducing chemical use to the bareminimum can be cost-effective, whilst alsobenefitting wildlife. Chemical use can be optimised through soil analyses, soilnutrient management planning andtargeted application rates.

The ‘rough’Remnants of ancient grassland remain onsome golf courses. By mowing in sympathywith the flowering periods of native plant species, wildflower meadows can be created where the ground has been untouched by fertilisers. In other cases, where re-generationis less likely to happen quickly,native wildflower seed mixes can be sown. Wildflower-richgrasslands create an abundance of food and cover for insects, smallmammals and birds. Summer-flowering meadows can be created bymowing in June and again in late September.Zoning these longer areas known as the

rough will benefit wildlife. Fortnightlymowing of the shorter rough willencourage low growing species like bird’s-foot trefoil. Long rough can receive much

less attention, allowing tallerplants to grow and set seed,and providing food and coverover winter for insects, smallmammals and reptiles like grass snakes.

HeathlandThis is a scarce habitat in Hertfordshire but one which can survive on golf courses,

particularly within areas of longerrough grass where

trampling is less likely.Gorse, broom andheather of varyingages and sizeswill benefitwildlife themost. Small,young plantsprovide basking

spots for lizardswhile larger shrubs

provide nest sites for birds. Cutting heather with the

blades fairly high will imitate the beneficialeffects of a grazing herd. Tree removal willhelp light to reach the seedling plants andencourage growth.

Woodland and single treesAgain variety is the key. In the pastwoodlands were coppiced to providetimber for all sorts of uses; the rotationalcutting of woodland ‘blocks’ meant that all stages of development would bepresent, from bare ground through toclosed canopy. This diversity of structurewithin a woodland supports the widestvariety of wildlife. Glades or clearings as aresult of coppicing encourage light into thewoodland floor, allowing wildflowers togrow which in turn support butterflies and other wildlife. Pollarding (reducing the size of the

crown to prevent a single tree frombecoming ‘top heavy’) of single trees willencourage more light onto previouslyshaded grass and result in healthier turf.

Where new planting isrequired, native tree

species are best –and native shrubscan provideimportant food forinsects, birdsand mammalsin the form ofberries andflowers.

Ponds and lakesLeaving a natural edge around at least part of a pondor lake will provide cover for aquatic wildlife whilststill allowing golfers to find lost golf balls around theclose cut edge. Trees and shrubs add cover for wildlife,although overhanging trees should be cut back on thesouth side of ponds and lakes to allow enough light in.

Habitat varietyThose golf courses with lots of differenttypes of habitat will attract the mostwildlife. Bats will benefit from open grassyareas and expanses of water for feeding,and roost in the trunks of old trees. Grasssnakes are particularly suited to golfcourses – plenty of water and longgrass to hunt in, the sunny bank of a bunker to bask on and compostheaps to lay their eggs in all make a perfect home!

HedgerowsWhere hedges have gaps, a mixtureof tree planting and traditionalhedge-laying can restore them. As well as providing shelter,hedgerows act like a larder for all sorts of wildlife: nectar in thespring supports butterflies andother insects, while berries helpsmall mammals and birds such asredwings and fieldfares through the winter months.

Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust


Maintaining a rewarding golfcourse whilst satisfying theneeds of wildlife is a challenge,

but it’s something that General ManagerTerry Crump embraces at HarpendenCommon Golf Club. The course forms asignificant part of Harpenden Common,over 210 acres of woods, heathland,meadows and ponds designated as a Local Wildlife Site, so carefulmanagement to protect the wildlife here is important and much welcomed by local people.

The rough and the smoothIt’s necessary to intensively manage parts of the course with regular mowingregimes, but there is room for wildlife inamongst the tees, greens and fairways too, particularly with the longer grass, or‘rough’. Terry says: “We have seen thebenefits of working with Harpenden Town Council through a conservationmanagement plan by letting the roughgrow long, and only cutting it once a year.”Cutting the rough just once a year in Julyor August means wildflowers have time toset seed and longer grass provides coverfor birds, small mammals and insects: “This creates a tougher golf course, for aperiod. It’s obviously cheaper too as we’reonly cutting it once. Sometimes you getcomplaints as the rough gets too long, butover the years people have got used to it.We always play our club championshipsprior to the long rough being cut, so it’s as tough as possible!”

Bringing heather backHarpenden Common is important for itspatches of rare heathland and meadow andon the golf course work is being carried outto restore and increase heather and gorse. A careful mowing regime will encouragethe heather to spread. Two trial plots where heather has been re-established aregrowing well; the plots are rabbit-fenced for a period to prevent the nibbling of newshoots but the fencing will eventually beremoved once the plants are established. To encourage the heather, shading scruband trees are trimmed back regularly.

Native speciesA number of conifers which act as a barrierbetween two holes on the course willgradually be replaced with a broadleavedspecies like hornbeam, which will be muchmore in keeping with the local habitat. In an area of the course called the Jockey Field,Terry has plans to re-create a wildflowermeadow on land that was formerly used for arable farming. Native wildflowersincluding harebells and thyme grow in anarea called the ‘dell’ – an unexpected craterin the ground rumoured to have been dugby Harpenden Town Council to stop enemyplanes landing in the Second World War!The grass here is cut in the same way as theother meadow grass in areas of rough: oncea year in late summer to allow the wild-flowers to bloom and seed.

PondsCareful management of the golf course’spond ensures that wildlife can thrive. Nextto the green, grass at the pond’s edge isclose cut, but the remaining vegetation is left to grow taller – this pond-sidehabitat provides excellent shelter foraquatic wildlife and the water is alive with tadpoles in the spring. “The wildlifeyou see here during the summer is

fantastic” Terry confirms. Woodland closeto the pond provides overwintering places for the frogs which breed in the pondwhilst areas of adjacent rough providefeeding for dragonflies. It’s the mosaic of different habitats, providing for thedifferent parts of life cycles that means so many species live here.

The bigger pictureSympathetic management of the golfcourse for wildlife is an important part of the Conservation Management Plan forthe whole of Harpenden Common. Creatinghabitat on the golf course that links to andcomplements habitats on the rest of thecommon means more room for wildlife todisperse and adapt. Councillor Bert Pawle,Chair of Harpenden Town Council’sEnvironment Committee, says: “We endorseand appreciate all the ongoing good workcarried out on the common by HarpendenCommon Golf Club, which is living proof ofhow a good working partnership can deliverbenefits for us all. We look forward to theinvolvement of Herts and MiddlesexWildlife Trust in rolling out this next revisionof the Conservation Management Plan.”Getting the balance right is vital –

and clearly achievable. Terry thinks clubmembers are persuaded too: “I’m sure, withthe publicity that you see nationally aboutthe need for biodiversity on golf courses,that the members realise it’s important.”You could argue a golf course managed thisway provides challenges which help todevelop some of the top talent too. Terryconfirms: “We’ve got the best scratch sidein Hertfordshire here, a fantasticachievement for a small club like us.”

Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust isworking in partnership with HarpendenTown Council on the ConservationManagement Plan for Harpenden Common.

A golf course in Harpenden encourageswildlife through carefulmanagement

A Living Landscape in action:GOLF COURSES

Terry Crump inspects the plots of heather re-introduced at Harpenden Common Golf Club

The pond and nearby woodlandcover at the golf club providesperfect habitat for amphibians

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Everyone• Improve your garden for wildlife and spread the message to yourneighbours

• Volunteer to help look after yourlocal green space

• Join the Wildlife Trust – together we can achieve our vision of anenvironment rich in wildlife foreveryone in Hertfordshire andMiddlesex

What to donext

Make your gardenwildlife-friendlyContact your local Wildlife TrustFor a free leaflet on gardening for wildlife call Herts andMiddlesex Wildlife Trust on 01727 858901. For more resourcesvisit www.wildlifetrusts.org andclick on How You Can Help.

Visit Wild About GardensA website run jointly by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and The Wildlife Trusts.Advice on things to do this monthand ideas for ways you can makeyour garden wildlife-friendly in just two hours or a weekend.www.wildaboutgardens.org

Join in with The Big Wildlife GardenAn initiative launched by Defra,RHS and The Wildlife Trusts. Greatfor schools – register your wildlifegarden and earn points to worktowards a bronze, silver, gold or green medal.www.bigwildlifegarden.org.uk

The Wildlife Sites Partnership This county-based system isacknowledged and promotednationally by Defra to protect sitesof importance for wildlife. Thepartnership in Hertfordshireincludes Herts and MiddlesexWildlife Trust, Herts BiologicalRecords Centre, Natural England,the Countryside ManagementService, Chilterns AONB and theEnvironment Agency, and is led andcoordinated by the Wildlife Trust.If you own or manage a Wildlife

Site and would like advice, contactCarol Lodge, Wildlife SitesProgramme Manager01727 858901ext 235 [email protected]

Campaign for the FarmedEnvironmentGet advice and guidance on how to retain and increase theenvironmental benefits of yourfarmland. This doesn’t involveregulation and there is a financialincentive through Entry LevelStewardship. Elizabeth Ranelagh,Farm Conservation Adviser 07713 333203 [email protected]

Advice forlandowners andland managers

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Landowners and land managers• Take a look at the land usesillustrated in this guide – see whichmost closely resembles your landand implement what you can

• Champion a Living Landscape to your neighbours and encouragethem to continue the habitatnetwork out beyond your own land holding. Habitat networks will be most effective where they join up across boundaries

• Contact the Wildlife Trust for adviceon what funding you could get

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Local authorities• Build strategic Green Infrastructure,habitat networks and LivingLandscape areas into local plans

• Ensure local policies reflect theprinciple of providing an appropriatenet gain for biodiversity for newdevelopments

• Ensure that Green Infrastructure and Living Landscape principles are built into Infrastructure Delivery Plans and that anyDeveloper Contribution/Community Infrastructure Levy schemes provide for these

• Local authorities own and manage land, including public open spaces andland associated with other authorityfunctions, such as highways. As landmanagers for public benefit, localauthorities can make a greatcontribution to a Living Landscapethrough sensitive management of this land, entirely consistent withdelivering their other statutoryfunctions

Everyone can help to build a Living Landscape ext

The Natural Environment and Rural Communities (NERC) Act 2006 introduced a dutyon local authorities in England and Wales to conserve biodiversity. The Wildlife Trustreport 'Local Authority Services and Biodiversity' provides a simple introduction tothe duty, highlighting the benefits of and opportunities for protecting andenhancing the natural environment. Download the guide at www.wildlifetrusts.org/ publicationsThe Local Nature Partnership has been recognised and endorsed by government to look strategically at the challenges and opportunities involved in improvingHertfordshire’s natural environment and how it contributes to the economy andquality of life of local people. To get involved contact Catherine Wyatt, Herts BAP Officer, East Herts District Council [email protected]

Guidance for local authorities

Home-madegrasshoppers.Join us and

inspire the nextgeneration

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DevelopersMost medium to large-scaledevelopments can contributesignificantly to a Living Landscape, if planned well. The Wildlife Trust ishappy to give feedback and advicefrom the very earliest stages of aplanned development to helpoptimise opportunities.

• Integrate Living Landscape andGreen Infrastructure objectives intosite master planning from the outset in order to achieve the greatestbenefit/cost ratio

• Ensure ecological surveyrequirements are factored intoproject planning and early phasing toavoid unnecessary delays and costs

• Steps to follow:Step 1: Identify existing habitatsthrough ecological surveys and thelocal Biological Records CentreStep 2: Identify the potentialopportunities for habitat creation and connectivity between existinghabitat patches

Step 3:Build into themasterplanafunctioningnaturalhabitatnetworkaskey infrastructure.Lookfor synergieswithotherGreenInfrastructure featuressuchaspaths,cyclewaysandpublicopenspacesStep 4: Create a long-termmanagement plan for theenhancement and maintenance of the existing and proposed new habitats

‘Planning for a healthyenvironment: good practice for green infrastructure andbiodiversity’, has been publishedby The Wildlife Trusts and theTown and Country PlanningAssociation (TCPA). More than 150 organisations and individualswere consulted, with at least 60 making active and constructivecontributions. Visitwww.wildlifetrusts.org/planningto access an online version.

Planning guidance

Join your local Wildlife TrustThe Wildlife Trusts are the onlyorganisations protecting the full rangeof UK species and habitats at a locallevel. We can only achieve this withthe support of our members – withoutthem, we wouldn’t exist. Join us todayand do something to protect thenatural environment where you live.Call us on 01727 858901 or visitwww.hertswildlifetrust.org.uk

“The last time the UK’s wildlifefaced a challenge on this scale

was at the end of the last ice age. We need to find ways to help ourwildlife become more resilient to

the trials it faces in the 21st century.We must now work on a landscape

scale if we are to give wildlife achance and allow future generations

to enjoy nature as we have.” Sir David Attenborough TE

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Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust

Join us today

Herts and Middlesex Wildlife TrustGrebe House

St Michael’s StreetSt Albans AL3 4SN

01727 [email protected]

www.hertswildlifetrust.org.uk

Charity No: 239863Registered in England: 816710

Your local Wildlife Trust

Herts and Middlesex WildlifeTrust is a local charity supportedby people who care aboutprotecting wildlife, including over 21,000 members.

With volunteers, we manage a network of more than 40 nature reserves, covering nearly 2,000 acres.

Beyond this our vision is of aLiving Landscape, where we work with others to improve ourtowns and countryside for wildlife.

Help us to protect the naturalenvironment where you live.

Protecting Wildlife for the Future

how to build a living landscape

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