The Lake District
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Introduction
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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 ESA extends over 245,390 hectares and covers the central, western and southern parts of Cumbria. Most of the land lies within the Lake District National Park Authority boundary and includes the Cumbrian mountains, sixteen major lakes and numerous tarns and smaller lakes. The Lake District is noted for the range and diversity of plant communities and species, resulting from a variation in altitude, complex geology, an oceanic climate and the latitude of the region.
Description
The spectacular scenery is created by the
contrasts between the wild open fells and rugged mountain peaks, its
remote valleys, lakes and rivers and rolling farmland and wooded,
sheltered valleys. Man-made features, such as drystone walls, hedgerows
and farm buildings, are particularly important elements of the landscape.
The area is considered to be of national archaeological importance
with a wealth of interesting features such as, cairns, hill forts,
earthworks and ancient field systems. Agriculture is based on a long
tradition of hill sheep farming with some suckler herds, store cattle
and dairying on the lowland fringes. Most of the land has Less Favoured
Area status and only a very few areas are used for arable cropping.
Significant Habitats and Species
The Lake District landscape is internationally renowned and its importance is indicated by its designation as a National Park (NP) and its County Landscape Status (in areas outside of the NP). The montane fells are extensive and contain a rich mosaic of heath, mire and grassland communities. They include the montane vegetation of the high-level heaths and screes which contain rare refuge plant species previously extensive only at the end of the last glaciation. Extensive woodlands, valley and basin mires and wetlands around lake margins are also notable features. Along with the fell pastures, they comprise a valuable assemblage of less-intensive, agriculturally managed habitats.
ESA Management Options
The management options for the different landscape types that can be entered into ESA agreements for the Lake District are given in the ERDP documents section of this site, under Annex X of the England Rural Development Programme. This is a whole farm scheme in which all land is entered two main management options that land can be entered into:
Option one provides for the extensive management of grassland, with restrictions on cultivation, stocking rates and fertiliser and pesticide applications. The management prescriptions also require the agreement holders to maintain ditches and other landscape features, such as wing gates. Wet grassland requires the maintenance of high water levels in ditches through winter and early spring.
Option two provides for measures which aim to maintain and enhance the nature conservation interest of a range of valuable and characteristic habitats and species important for local biodiversity including the quality and extent of upland heather-based plant communities and the nature conservation and landscape interest of small-scale woodland.
Contacts
Mervyn Edwards Tel: 01768 860711Ian Edgar Tel: 01768 860709
Paul Lancaster Tel: 01768 860710
Teresa Morris Tel: 01768 860731
Jim Robinson Tel: 01768 860741
Fax: 01768 860710
Agricola House
Cowper Road
Gilwilly Trading Estate
Penrith
Cumbria
CA11 9BN
Page last modified: 26 April, 2006
Page published:
10 December, 2002