FOI request (FOI217042)

The Natura 2000 Management Plan

Requested Thu 29 June 2017
Responded  Thu 29 June 2017

This is a request under the Environmental Information Regulations.

Sheep are currently being grazed on Hastings Country Park HLS Areas GP01 (Barn Pond Field) and EG06 (Ecclesbourne Meadow).

The Hastings Country Park Biodiversity Review 2013 stated that the favoured location for skylarks (Alauda arvensis) to nest is still within the Ecclesbourne Meadow/GP01 area.

Skylarks are ground-nesting birds and will breed from April to early August. Spring temperatures trigger the start of the breeding season, so they will be currently breeding on the Ecclesbourne Meadow/GP01 area.

The Natura 2000 Management Plan for the Skylark identified it as a bird species that has an Unfavourable Conservation Status within Europe and that the major pattern in Skylark population trends across Europe is that of severely declining or depleted population. The Skylark is on the UK Red List.

1 - Please provide a copy of the plan, decision and reasoning that determined that the grazing of sheep was to take place on the GP01 Grazing Block A area during the Skylark breeding season.

2 - Please provide a copy of the plan, decision and reasoning to permit sheep to graze outside of the HLS farm area on EG06 Ecclesbourne Meadow, an area that is required to be free of trampling.

3 -Please provide a copy of the decision and reasoning not to fence off GP01 from EG06.

Response

Q1 - The sheep grazing GP01 were removed on the 7th of March. No sheep have been grazing this field since this date.

Q2 - All EG06 is under HLS management, grazing is a required as part of the management to restore the species rich grassland, this is a condition of the HLS agreement.

Q3 - EG06 and GP01 are separately fenced