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From Norfolk RCC

WELCOME TO THE SENSE OF PLACE TOOLKIT A Site Map Glossary Index STEP 1: GET ORGANISED Step 1a: Form a Steering Group Step 1b: Tell people what you\'re up to Step 1c:Explore the options for recording, communicating and sharing Step 1d: Bringing it all together STEP 2: GET TO KNOW YOUR PLACE Step 2a: What\'s on your patch and why is it important Step 2b: Working with the wider community Step 2c: Drawing it together STEP 3: IDENTIFY ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES Step 3a: Investigate issues, threats and existing efforts to protect and enhance Step 3b: Identify your opportunities Step 3c: Refine your options STEP 4: GET PEOPLE ACTIVE

• Ancient Woodland: Ancient woodland is land that has had a continuous woodland cover since at least 1600 AD and may be ancient semi-natural woodland (ASNW), which retains a native tree and shrub cover that has not been planted, although it may have been managed by coppicing or felling and allowed to regenerate naturally, or plantation on ancient woodland sites (PAWS) where the original tree cover has been felled and replaced by planting, often with conifers, and usually over the last century.

• Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: (Abbreviation AONB)

A designation made by the Countryside Commission under Section 87 of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 defining areas of particular natural beauty which are in need of special protection and enhancement. Biodiversity: The variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems. In Norfolk see Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

• Biodiversity Action Planning (BAP): Central Government's overall conservation strategy in relation to habitats and species comes under the general heading of 'Biodiversity Action Planning' (BAP). You can find out more about Biodiversity Action Planning at http://www.ukbap.org.uk/ which tells you all about how it works at a National Level. At a more local level, there is a website dedicated to Norfolk's Biodiversity Action Planning which can be found at http://www.norfolkbiodiversity.org/. You will find that both of these sites have information on different habitats and species of importance, what threatens them, what the challenges are and what people are trying to do to manage things to preserve and enhance biodiversity.

• Catchment Sensitive Farming Delivery Initiative 2006-2008: Priority Catchments: River catchment areas identified as priorities for the Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) scheme and ranked by a risk-based method. Catchments have been produced as a joint English Nature/ Environment Agency agreed set. Catchment boundaries and names are intended as indicative rather than definitive.

• Coast Protection Authority: Under the terms of the Coast Protection Act of 1949, each maritime district council has powers to protect the coastline from erosion and encroachment by the sea.

• Coastal Erosion Risk Areas: Areas of coastal land likely to suffer erosion within the next sixty years.

• Coastal Sand Dune: Coastal sand dune habitat for England defined by the UK Biodiversity Action Plan.

• Coastal Vegetated Shingle: Coastal Vegetated Shingle habitat under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan.

• Community Forests: England has 12 community forests which have been developed through the England Community Forest Programme. This programme is a partnership between the Forestry Commission, the Countryside Agency and a host of local and national organisations.

• Conservation Area: An area of special architectural or historic interest the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance. The authority to designate a Conservation Area is given under Section 69 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, as amended.

• Countryside Stewardship Agreements: The Countryside Stewardship scheme is a grant scheme which aims to make conservation part of farming and land management practice and offers payments for changes in management which improve the natural beauty and diversity of the countryside. The scheme operates throughout England. Countryside Stewardship agreements run for ten years.

• County Wildlife Sites (CWS): These are areas considered to be of value for wildlife in a county context. There are nearly 1300 CWS in Norfolk, most of which are privately owned and have no public access. The CWS system in Norfolk is managed by a partnership of Norfolk Wildlife Trust (NWT), Norfolk County Council and Natural England, with the lead role taken by NWT. While CWS do not receive statutory protection, they are given some protection through the planning system. For Norfolk see http://www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk/protecting%20wildlife/CountyWildlifeSites.html.

• English Heritage: English Heritage is the agency responsible in England for, inter alia, advising central and local government on the historic environment (including Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Scheduled Ancient Monuments).

• English Nature: English Nature was the agency responsible in England for advising central and local government on nature conservation, and for monitoring, research and promotion of wildlife and natural features - it has now merged with the Countryside Agency to become Natural England.

• Environment Agency: The Environment Agency was created on 1 April, 1996 as a result of the Environment Act 1995. Its creation merged the responsibilities and expertise of the National Rivers Authority.

• Environmental Stewardship Agreements: Environmental Stewardship is an agri-environment scheme which provides funding to farmers and other land managers in England who deliver effective environmental management on their land. Environmental stewardship has three elements: Entry Level Stewardship (ELS), Organic Entry Level Stewardship (OELS) & Higher Level Stewardship (HLS).

• Environmentally Sensitive Area Agreements: Land under agreement in the Environmentally Sensitive Areas. Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESAs) are one of a range of agri-environment schemes operating under the England Rural Development Programme (ERDP). Incentives are offered to farmers to adopt agricultural practices which will safeguard and enhance parts of the country of particularly high landscape, wildlife or historic value.

• Forestry Commission Woodland: Woodland owned by or leased to the Forestry Commission

• Grassland Inventory: Sites comprised of 'Lowland Grassland' from Natural England's Inventory. The Inventory was produced with the aim of making lowland grassland data available for conservation management schemes in the wider countryside.

• Heritage Coasts: North Norfolk Heritage Coast - defined by the Countryside Commission in April 1975; this is a non-statutory designation. The primary purpose of heritage coast definition is to focus attention on the management needs of our finest undeveloped coasts.

• Historic Parks and Gardens: Those purposefully landscaped parks and gardens, often associated with large country houses, which have survived from previous times and are regarded as worthy of protection for their important landscape and historic interest.

• Important Bird Areas: The most important sites for birds are known as Important Bird Areas (IBAs). The IBA Programme of BirdLife International is a worldwide initiative aimed at identifying and protecting a network of sites, critical for the conservation of the world's birds. IBAs are particularly important for species that congregate in large numbers, such as wintering and passage waterbirds and breeding seabirds. Many sites have also been identified for species of global, and European/EU conservation concern.

• Joint Character Areas: Joint Character Areas provide a context to local planning, action and development. Nationally there are 159 areas that are unique in terms of a combination of physiographic, land use, historical and cultural attributes. Those of relevance to Northern Norfolk are areas:
  • 46. The Fens
  • 76. North West Norfolk
  • 77. North Norfolk Coast
  • 78. Central North Norfolk
  • 79. North East Norfolk and Flegg
  • 80. The Broads
  • 84. Mid Norfolk

Information on others can be obtained from [here]

• Land Management Initiatives: The Land Management Initiative programme aims to test and demonstrate how England's land management and farming systems can respond to the changing demands on agriculture in ways that will maintain a healthy, attractive environment and contribute to thriving rural economies and communities. The aims of each project are defined locally, in partnership with the farming community and other interest groups, and guided by the objectives of the national programme.

• Landscape Typology: Landscape Character Types describe the landscape according to three definitive attributes and are used as a base unit in indicators of Change in Countryside Character and within County or local Landscape Character Assessments. Three letter code of definitive attributes for Landscape Character Type - 1st letter = Physiographic Code, 2nd letter = Landcover Code, 3rd letter = Cultural Code. To find out what the code for your area is click here to open the code descriptors.

• Listed Building: A building designated by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, as amended, as having special architectural or historic interest. LNR Abbreviation, see Local Nature Reserves.

• Local Nature Reserves: Areas of land that are of special nature conservation interest locally. LNRs are declared and managed by local authorities under Section 23 of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949.

• Lowland Grazing Marsh: Now defined as the Coastal & Floodplain Grazing Marsh under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan.

• Marine Nature Reserves: A Marine Nature Reserve is an area covered by tidal waters that protects representative areas and those which contain especially interesting marine fauna and flora or other features. They may also be important for education and research. Maritime cliff and slope habitat defined by the UK Biodiversity Action Plan.

• National Inventory of Woodland and Trees: Woodland Map showing woodland by broad interpreted forest types.

• National Nature Reserves: Areas of high nature conservation value which are managed in order to preserve animals, plants and geological and physiographical features of special interest, and to provide opportunities for their research and study. NNRs are declared by the country conservation agencies under Section 16 of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949.

• National Trails: National Trails are long distance routes for walking, cycling and horse riding through the finest landscapes in England and Wales. This dataset contains both proposed and established National Trails.

• [Natural Areas|Natural Areas:] Natural Areas are biogeographic zones that reflect the geological foundation, the natural systems and processes and the wildlife in different parts of England. There are 120 Natural Areas across the country, many of which are coincident with Character Areas - Click here for a map of relevant character areas for the North of Norfolk and further detail.

• Norfolk Coast Project: The Norfolk Coast Project is jointly funded by Norfolk County Council, North Norfolk District Council, King's Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council and the Countryside Commission. Its aims are to reconcile the needs of the local communities and tourism with those of conservation in the AONB.

• Norfolk Wildlife Trust: The Norfolk Wildlife Trust manages nature reserves in Norfolk and campaigns on issues relating to local wildlife.

• Protected Wreck Sites: The Protection of Wrecks Act (1973) allows the Government to designate an important wreck site to prevent uncontrolled disturbance and heritage agencies to develop research, education and access initiatives to raise awareness of, and involvement in, designated wreck sites. English Heritage advises the Government on designations, manages the licensing scheme that enables access to English sites, and facilitates the Government's Advisory Committee on Historic Wreck Sites.

• Ramsar Sites: An area of wetland designated by the Secretary of State under the 'Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat' for the purpose of its conservation.

• Registered Battlefields: The English Heritage Register of Historic Battlefields identifies forty-three important English battlefields. Its purpose is to offer them protection and to promote a better understanding of their significance. These maps are intended to be the starting point for battlefield conservation and interpretation by identifying the most visually sensitive areas.

• Registered Common Land: This dataset contains parcels of land designated as Registered Common Land under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000

• Registered Parks and Gardens: Historic Parks and Gardens - those purposefully landscaped parks and gardens, often associated with large country houses, which have survived from previous times and are regarded as worthy of protection for their important landscape and historic interest.

• RSPB Reserves: Nature reserves are increasingly important havens for wildlife in often hostile landscapes. Many of the UK's rarest birds now breed only on nature reserves, and for many others they provide vital winter bases or stop-overs on long migration flights. The RSPB manages over 170 nature reserves for the benefit of wildlife.

• Saline Lagoons: Known occurrence of Saline (mixed salt and freshwater) lagoon UK Biodiversity Action Plan habitat.

• Scheduled Monuments: Scheduled Ancient Monument - A nationally important archaeological site or monument, scheduled by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979, as amended, which enjoys special protection.

• Site of Special Scientific Interest: An area notified by English Nature under Section 28 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 as being of national or international importance by reason of its flora, fauna or geological or physiographical features.

• Special Area of Conservation (SAC): An area to be designated by the Secretary of State under the 'EC Council Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora: The Habitats Directive' following agreement with the EC Commission. Designation of a SAC will contribute to the conservation of biodiversity by requiring the Government to conserve natural habitats and wild fauna and flora of Community importance.

• Special Protection Area (SPA): An area designated by the Secretary of State under the 'EC Council Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds: The Birds Directive'. Designation of a SPA provides for the protection, management and control of nominated species of naturally occurring wild birds and their eggs, nests and habitats. SSSI Abbreviation, see Site of Special Scientific Interest.

• Tree Preservation Order: Local authorities are authorised under Section 198 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, as amended, to make orders for the preservation of trees in the interests of amenity.

• Wash and North Norfolk European Marine Site. In recognition of its important wildlife the Wash and North Norfolk coast has been designated a European marine site under the UK Habitats Regulations.

This designation helps protect the biodiversity that makes this area so special by placing new and stronger responsibilities on public authorities and agencies to work closely together to safeguard the nature conservation interest of this outstanding site, in balance with the needs of its many users.

• Woodland Grant Schemes: The Woodland Grant scheme provides incentives for people to create & manage woodlands in England. It is part of the England Rural Development Programme (ERDP) grant delivery mechanism.

• Woodland Trust Sites: The Woodland Trust is the UK's leading conservation charity dedicated to the protection of our native woodland heritage. Over 1100 sites are now under this protection and ownership extends to 18000 hectares.

• World Heritage Sites: World Heritage Sites are defined in World Heritage Convention as ' places of 'outstanding universal value from the point of view of art, history, science or natural beauty'. A Heritage World Convention was drawn up and adopted by UNESCO in 1972, to identify cultural and natural properties throughout the world whose protection would be of concern to the international community.

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