Defra

Introduction

The Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESA) scheme has now closed to new applicants. Defra introduced a new Environmental Stewardship Scheme on 3 March 2005 which supersedes (with enhancements) the ESA and Countryside Stewardship Schemes. These pages are in the process of being updated to reflect the latest information relating to this ESA.

The North Peak is an extensive area of high grit stone Moorland within the Southern Pennines covering nearly 55, 000 hectares. Altitudes range from 170m in Edale to 636 m on the summit of Kinder Scout, with large areas of plateau moorland above 450m. The high open moors fall within the heavily used Peak District National Park and are of general recreational interest, as well as being used for grouse shooting in conjunction with upland farmland.

Description

The farming is based mainly on extensive livestock production systems, the predominant enterprise being hill sheep. Typical farms have only small areas of inbye used for lambing and some mixed livestock. The whole area has Less Favoured Area status, recognising the farming difficulties that result from the topography and climate. The landscape value of the area lies in the remote and extensive nature of the moorland and the contrasting enclosed patterns of the inbye land, which is limited to the valleys around the moorland fringe. Ecological interest is focused on the moorland, The historic interest of the area is extensive including evidence of prehistoric and more recent occupation. These include Mesolithic settlements, medieval tracks and field patterns, peat cutting, traditional stone farm buildings and old quarrying and mineral extraction sites.

Significant Habitats and Species

Moorland forms the central area of the North Peak ESA and accounts for almost 80% of the total area of the ESA, on which there are several Sites of Special Scientific Interest including the Dark Peak SSSI. The ESA contains a range of upland habitats, including blanket mires, heaths and acid grasslands, with the moorland habitat containing vegetation communities that are of high value for upland breeding birds and the area is designated as a Special Protection Area under the EC Birds Directive. Areas of relatively unimproved grassland are also of importance.

ESA Management Options

The management options for the different landscape types that can be entered into ESA agreements for North Peak are given in the ERDP documents section of this site, under Annex X of the England Rural Development Programme.There are three main management options:

• To maintain and enhance landscape quality of enclosed land through the management of characteristic landscape elements such as field boundaries and traditional buildings and to maintain and enhance the nature conservation interest of permanent grassland by encouraging traditional management and recreation of wet areas.
• To maintain and enhance the landscape and nature conservation interest of moorland.
• To maintain and enhance the nature conservation and landscape interest of small-scale native woodland.

Contacts