MILLHAMS MEAD
LOCAL NATURE RESERVE
MANAGEMENT PLAN
May 2007
ii
PRELIMINARIES
BOURNEMOUTH DISTRICT WIDE LOCAL PLAN
An objective of the Local Plan as stated in chapter 3 is:
“To protect and enhance statutory designated wildlife and geological sites and sites of local interest.”
Nature conservation and biodiversity issues are discussed in paragraphs 3.23 to 3.44 and policies set out accordingly.
The Local Plan will be superseded by the Local Development Framework in 2007.
BOURNEMOUTH COMMUNITY PLAN
One of the five Community Plan priorities is “Sustaining our Environment”.
A key objective of this priority is to:
“Protect, maintain and improve the quality of both our natural and built-up areas and increase awareness of the environment”.
BOURNEMOUTH CULTURAL STRATEGY
A key aim of the Cultural Strategy is to:
“Conserve, enhance and promote access to Bournemouth’s environment and heritage”.
BOURNEMOUTH LEISURE STRATEGY
Bournemouth Leisure Strategy Policy Statement J in respect of Parks, Gardens, Countryside and Open Space states:
“Bournemouth has a valuable open space resource which does and can provide a variety of beneficial recreational activities and experiences for visitors and residents. It is recognised that there is a need to improve upon, and where underused develop these resources, and to educate the public in their use in order to achieve a sustainable environment for the benefit of people and wildlife to ensure that parks, gardens, countryside and open space play a vital role in promoting the health and well-being of residents and visitors in offering a stimulating environment for people to take part in a variety of passive and active activities both in a formal and informal setting.”
Objectives
J. 3 To ensure effective measures are put in place to protect the environment and its biodiversity through implementing local Agenda 21 action plans, developing the right mix of formal and natural habitats and undertaking a consistent, coherent educational policy that reaches out to all sections of the community.
J. 4 To ensure effective measures are put in place to protect, maintain and sustain the quality of Bournemouth’s parks and countryside.
J. 5 To establish an environmental monitoring programme that measures levels of biodiversity for wildlife within Bournemouth.
J. 7 To develop new partnerships at a regional, national and local level, and in particular encourage the development of voluntary groups and countryside volunteering.
J. 11 To improve access arrangements to parks, gardens, countryside and open space by people with disabilities and consult with users and potential users to identify priorities.
GREEN SPACE STRATEGY
Section 9 of the Green Space Strategy sets out a range of objectives related to countryside and nature conservation.
NATURE CONSERVATION STRATEGY
There are 3 key aims identified by the Nature Conservation Strategy:
1. To protect and enhance the wildlife resource of Bournemouth, thereby contributing to local and national biodiversity action plan (BAP) targets.
2. To promote greater awareness and understanding of the local environment and nature conservation issues and to encourage community involvement.
3. To improve and encourage responsible access to sites with nature conservation interest.
SUMMARY
This is the third revision of the management plan first approved in October 1990. The principle area covered by the plan is Millhams Mead Local Nature Reserve, but it also includes 3 other adjacent blocks of land as shown on Map 2.
The Management Plan is divided into three stages:
STAGE 1 gives an overall factual description of the site, providing a general background on which to base a management policy.
STAGE 2 endeavours to evaluate the site from an ecological as well as a cultural aspect. Management objectives are then discussed from both aspects.
STAGE 3 describes the actual management requirements of the site and how these will be put into practice.
The management plan will have a life span of 10 years but it will be reviewed and updated after 5 years.
PREFACE
Since the last management plan revision in 2000, a considerable amount of work has been carried out on Millhams Mead. This work has benefited both the wildlife and the people using the site.
Some of the main achievements during the period 2000 to 2006:
1) Local Nature Reserve designation in 2003.
2) Installation of wheelchair accessible kissing gates at major access points.
3) Provision of 2 on-site information boards.
4) Provision of permissive riding route.
5) Construction of steps at Garsdale Close access point.
6) Sycamore removal from plantations.
7) Small-scale coppicing in Cudnell Woods.
8) Stream-side willow coppicing.
9) Hazel planting in Cudnell Woods.
10) Reduction in unlawful use of motorbikes.
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CONTENTS
PAGE
STAGE 1 – DESCRIPTION 2
1.1 General Information 2
1.1.1 Location and Summary Description 2
1.1.2 Land Tenure 2
1.1.3 Map Coverage 2
1.1.4 Photographic Coverage 2
1.2 Environmental Information 3
1.2.1 Biological 3
1.2.1.1 Habitat Types 3
1.2.1.2 Flora 4
1.2.1.3 Fauna 4
1.2.2 Cultural 4
1.2.2.1 Previous Land Use 4
1.2.2.2 Present Land Use 4
1.3 Present Management 4
STAGE 2 - EVALUATION AND OBJECTIVES 5
2.1 Evaluation of Features 5
2.1.1 Ecological Evaluation 5
2.1.2 Cultural Evaluation 7
2.1.3 Conflicts between Conservation 7
and Recreation Interests
2.2 Objectives of Management 7
2.2.1 Ecological 7
2.2.2 Recreational 8
2.2.3 Educational 8
2.3 Management Considerations 9
STAGE 3 – PRESCRIPTION 10
3.1 Working Compartments
3.1.1 Mature Woodland (Cudnell Woods & Spindle Wood) 10
3.1.2 Ringwood Road Plantation 11
3.1.3 Stream-side and Plantation 12
3.1.4 Old Tip Grassland 13
3.1.5 The Paddock 14
3.1.6 Millhams Road Plantation 14
3.1.7 Amenity Area 15
3.1.8 St. Andrews Church Grassland 15
3.1.9 Riverside Meadows 16
3.2 General Items 16
Appendices 17
Maps
STAGE 1 - DESCRIPTION
1.1 General information
1.1.1 Location and summary description (see Map 1).
Site name : Millhams Mead Local Nature Reserve
District : Bournemouth
County : Dorset
Local Planning Authority : Bournemouth Borough Council
National Grid Reference : SZ 063 969
Area : 24.8ha (LNR area = 18.4ha)
Millhams Mead LNR is situated approximately half a mile north of Kinson. It is bounded to the north by Ringwood Road and to the east by Millhams Road. Millhams Stream more or less forms the southern and western boundary although a narrow strip of woodland to its south is included (see Photo 2).
For the purpose of the management plan, 3 other small areas of grassland are included as shown on Map 2 and Photo 1.
Negotiations are ongoing to secure a management agreement for a small parcel of land (0.5ha) opposite St Andrew’s Church car park (see Map 2). This is currently in private ownership
The whole area is included as Green Belt in the Local Plan. All of the lower-lying land is in the River Stour floodplain.
1.1.2 Land Tenure
The whole of the area bounded by Millhams Stream, Ringwood Road and the River Stour was acquired in 1960 for the purposes of tipping and Public Open Space. The block of land to the south- west of Millhams Road was appropriated from refuse disposal to amenities on 27th March 1974. There was an arbitration award in August 1979, the result of which was a narrow strip of land around the perimeter of what was then the DCC tipland to the east of Millhams Road reverting to the ownership of BBC.
The rest of the land to the east of the road reverted to the ownership of BBC with the advent of Unitary Authority status in 1997. This area is currently under the jurisdiction of Technical Services but it is envisaged that a land transfer to Leisure Services can be completed. The LNR designation would then be extended to cover the whole area.
1.1.3 Map Coverage
O. S. Sheet 1: 50000 - 195 Second Series 1987
O. S. Sheet 1: 1250 - 0696 NW, 0696 NE, 0697 SW, 0697 SE, 0697 NE
1.1.4 Photographic Coverage
Bournemouth Borough Council owns the copyright of aerial photography of the whole Borough undertaken in 1998. Further aerial photographs were produced in 2000, 2003 and 2005 the copyright of which is owned by Ordnance Survey.
1.2 Environmental information
1.2.1 Biological
1.2.1.1 Habitat Types (see Map 3)
Although much of the area has recently been tipped over, a number of distinct habitat types can be identified: -
Mature woodland occurs as a narrow strip along the southern boundary of the site. The western part of the woodland is known as Cudnell Woods and the eastern part as Spindle Wood. Within Cudnell Woods there are a number of very mature pedunculate oak Quercus robur. Several other tree species are found including field maple Acer campestre, ash Fraxinus excelsior, hazel Corylus avellana and holly Ilex aquifolium.
Plantations. In 1978, as part of an amenity tree planting project covering the north Bournemouth area, certain areas of the old tipland were planted with a variety of tree species including sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus, Scots pine Pinus sylvestris, silver birch Betula pendula, oak, ash and hawthorn Crataegus monogyna.
A variety of factors have contributed to a poor survival rate with the dominant species being sycamore (which was planted as a nurse crop to be removed when the final crop species reached suitable size).
Further management of these areas is required and is discussed later in this management plan.
Scrub. Some large blocks of scrub have developed over areas of the old tipland. The scrub is mainly bramble Rubus fruticosus agg. with gorse Ulex europaeus, hawthorn Crataegus monogyna and dog rose Rosa canina.
Grassland. The principal areas of grassland occur over the old tipland and beside the River Stour in the northeast corner of the site. Part of the grassland area is grazed but the majority is largely unmanaged.
To the east of the stream immediately north of St. Andrews Church there is a block of grassland, the majority of which is cut twice annually. The rest is mown on a regular basis to give a short amenity sward. To the west of the church another small area is maintained as amenity grassland.
Open Water. Millhams Stream is a shallow, slow-flowing watercourse running around the southern and eastern perimeter of the old tipland and into the River Stour at the extreme northeast of the site.
A prime management objective will be to carry out a National Vegetation Classification survey of the whole site.
1.2.1.2 Flora
Although the tipping had a severe detrimental effect on the ecological quality of the site there is still a remarkably diverse vegetation structure present with approximately 200 species of flowering plant recorded to date. Most of these species are common and widespread, but there are some that have a more localised distribution such as corky-fruited water dropwort Oenanthe pimpinelloides in the grassland and goldilocks buttercup Ranunculus auricomus in the mature woodland.
1.2.1.3 Fauna
Records exist for a number of animal groups, both invertebrate and vertebrate. There are, for example, 24 species of butterfly and 14 species of dragonfly/damselfly recorded. Almost 50 species of bird have been recorded as breeding including nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos, with another 15 or so being recorded as winter visitors or passage migrants. 3 reptile species are found and the River Stour and Millhams Stream support a number of fish species.
1.2.2 Cultural
1.2.2.1 Previous land use
The majority of the site was previously an area of water meadows subject to regular flooding during the winter months. The land was divided into a distinct field system, most of which was grassland that was grazed or cropped for hay. A small amount of the land was under cultivation.
Tipping began on the land in the early 1960s and continued until the mid 1970s.
1.2.2.2 Present land use
The site as a whole is of importance to local residents for passive recreational activities such as walking, horse riding, bird watching and photography. The mature woodland in particular provides a great deal of scope for adventure play. An area of grassland is regularly mown giving provision for informal ball games and other compatible activities.
The area is popular with anglers, both along the Millhams Stream and the main river. Providing a rod licence is obtained, fishing in this area is free.
A section of the Stour Valley Way passes through Millhams Mead as does a section of the local Gulliver’s Trail.
There is a permissive horse-riding route across the site. These routes are shown on Map 4.
1.3 Present management
Public access is facilitated by regular mowing of grass footpaths and maintenance of a bonded path running alongside the stream. A number of access features have been incorporated for the benefit of less mobile site users.
The amenity area to the west of the church is mown regularly to maintain a short sward.
Most of the grassland is unmanaged except for occasional unofficial grazing by horses and ponies.
Management of the plantation areas was initiated in winter 1991/92 and has continued on a piecemeal basis. The aim is to replace the non-native trees with a mix of locally-native tree and shrub species.
Management of the stream is carried out in conjunction with the Environment Agency. A weedrake is carried out as necessary. The stream-side willows are periodically coppiced.
STAGE 2 - EVALUATION AND OBJECTIVES
2.1 Evaluation of features
2.1.1 Ecological Evaluation
Mature Woodland
The mature woodland has a high ecological value that is recognised in its designation as a Site of Nature Conservation Interest (SNCI) by the Dorset Wildlife Trust (see Map 5). This value has been enhanced by the initiation of a coppicing programme that has benefited plants such as bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta, moschatel Adoxa moschatellina and wood anemone Anemone nemorosa. Several fern species occur such as broad buckler Dryopsis australis, hard fern Blechnum spicant and common polypody Polypodium vulgare. Fungi abound and include species such as beefsteak fungus Fistulina hepatica, sulphur tuft fungus Hypholoma fasciculare and shaggy parasol Lepiota rhacodes.
The ancient oaks in particular provide habitat for an enormous number of invertebrates.
A number of bird species breed in the woodland including many of our familiar songbirds such as blackbird Turdus merula, song thrush T. philomelos, robin Erithacus rubecula and chaffinch Fringilla coelebs as well as several migrant warblers including chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita and blackcap Sylvia atricapilla.
Mammals are much in evidence but to date no formal recording has been undertaken.
Grassland
Those grassland areas that are not mown on a regular basis have a sward that is largely dominated by coarse grasses such as couch Elymus repens, cocksfoot Dactylis glomerata and perennial ryegrass Lolium perenne to the detriment of finer grass and wildflower species. Examples of wildflower species found within the sward include tufted vetch Vicia cracca, wild carrot Daucus carota, black knapweed Centaurea nigra and cuckooflower Cardamine pratensis.