Champion species – Management Plan

There are many of conservation concern which are known to utilise the range of habitats found within the North Pennines National Landscape. There are also a few species which lived here in the past and might do so in future, either through human intervention or because of a changing landscape and climate.

A small sub-set of this group of species has been selected to represent some of the most visible indicators of success in recovering nature – North Pennines Champion Species (Table 2) - and they have been chosen using the criteria below:

1. They are listed as species of concern in the UK ( Table 1).
2. Their success in this landscape will be an indication of wider nature recovery, including achieving priority outcomes
3. They are species which are relatively easily to recognise and might be used to encourage public participation in the work of nature recovery

Table 1 Species of conservation concern - key to species designations
S41	Natural Environment and Rural Communities (NERC) Act 2006 – Section 41: Habitats and species of principle importance in England
HD	Habitats Directive
IUCN	International Union for the Conservation of Nature: Global, European and Great Britain (GB) status lists for species of concern: CR – critical; EN - endangered; VU - vulnerable, LC-least concern, NT – not threatened
UK BoCC RED	Birds of Conservation Concern RED list
Local BAPS	Formerly part of one or more of the county Biodiversity Action Plan priority species lists

Species	Of conservation concern? (see key)	Key ecological requirements which if met, would indicate wider nature recovery
Oak woodland bird assemblage
Pied flycatcher	UK BoCC Amber; IUCN Global & Eur LC; Local BAPs	Woodlands require good and varied structure. Invasive non-native species, and high densities of deer, can be an issue. Long distance migrant – cause of decline not fully understood. Insectivorous – availability of prey and correct timing to avoid potential for mis match prey emergence and arrival time. Competition for nesting sites with resident species (Tree pipit only - can respond to clear-fell habitats but this is transitional mosaic species)
Redstart	UK BoCC Amber
Spotted flycatcher	S41; UK BoCC Red; Local BAPs
Tree pipit	S41; UK BoCC Red; Local BAPs
Wood warbler	S41; UK BoCC Red
In-bye wading birds assemblage
Curlew	S41; UK BoCC RED; IUCN Global NT; IUCN Eur VU; IUCN GB EN; Local BAPs	Invertebrate biomass - from intact hydrology, drought resilient sites and absence of pesticides Sufficient open ground - well-managed rush pasture Benefits from reductions in predators nearby
Lapwing	S41;UK BoCC RED; IUCN Global NT, IUCN Eur VU; Local BAPs
Redshank	UK BoCC Amber; Local BAPs
Snipe	UK BoCC Amber; Local BAPs
Oystercatcher	UK BoCC Amber; IUCN Global NT, IUCN Eur VU
Bird
Black grouse	S41; UK BoCC RED; IUCN Global LC; IUCN Eur LC; Local BAPs	Requires a mosaic of habitats – moorland, bog, trees and scrub, varied vegetation structure. Benefits from a reduction in grazing (and a switch to cattle grazing). Chicks are fed invertebrates – restored hydrology on peatlands important. Woodlands and scrub provide important food sources for adults and cover in more severe winters.
Cuckoo	S41; UK BoCC RED; IUCN Global & Eur LC; Local BAPs	Availability of host species - particularly meadow pipit - in turn requiring invertebrate biomass and habitat mosaics of grassland and heather. Presence of woodland edge or scrub as part of a mosaic with grassland and heather. Abundance of prey, including hairy caterpillars and grasshoppers (both are highly vulnerable to mowing, high density livestock grazing and silage practices) [50].
Dipper	UK BoCC Amber; IUCN Global & Eur LC	Water quality supporting high numbers of invertebrates such as stonefly and caddis fly larvae Rocky in-channel and bank features Small falls for nesting sites that may be lost by channel modification/higher flows through canalization.
Dunlin	UK BoCC RED; Local BAPs	High quality restored blanket bog
Hen harrier	BD Annex 1; S41; UK BoCC RED; IUCN Global LC; IUCN Eur NT; Local BAPs	Absence of illegal persecution Presence of sufficient suitable nesting habitat (stands of long, older heather)
Peregrine falcon	BD Annex 1; Local BAPs	Absence of persecution
White-tailed eagle	BD Annex 1; UK BoCC AMBER; IUCN Global LC; IUCN Eur LC	Robust ecosystems over a large area Absence of persecution Societal support for nature recovery.
Ring ouzel	S41; UK BoCC Red; Local BAPs	Mosaic of open and woody habitats including: diverse dwarf scrub sward and native woodland; shorter areas of grassy sward for feeding Native trees providing berries for autumn condition- especially juniper Protection of key sites from tree planting – well planned schemes and maintenance Long distant migrant – cause of decline not fully understood
Mammal
Water vole	S41; IUCN GB Endangered; Local BAPs	Lower livestock access to stream margins and channel – producing well-structured marginal and emergent vegetation (with ecosystem benefits including less suspended sediment, lowered cryptosporidium risk, increased roughness for water interception.) Good water vole habitat is likely to have slower flows, meanders, pools and offline features with benefits for flood and drought resilience.
Beaver	IUCN Global & Eur LC; IUCN GB Endangered	Rather than indicate the success of nature recovery, this species is likely to drive nature recovery by creating habitat for many other species. Its success may also indicate societal change in favour of nature recovery.
Red squirrel	S41; IUCN Global LC; Local BAPs	A more connected wooded landscape Decline in grey squirrel population
Herptile
Adder	S41; IUCN Eur LC; Local BAPs	Undisturbed, structurally heterogenous habitat mosaics (including a variety of aspects from east through south to west, for basking at different times of day/year Dry ground with cavities for hibernacula sites Nearby wetter ground for summer feeding, and safe passage between Improved public perception
Common toad	S41; IUCN LC	Require ponds and temporary water in the breeding season and nearby woodlands and scrubby habitat where they hibernate in deep leaf litter, log piles and burrows. Connectivity and safe passage between breeding ponds and wider habitat
Fish
Atlantic salmon	HD Annex 2; HD Annex 5; S41; Local BAPs	Clear fish passage to spawning grounds and for returning to the sea. Well oxygenated, lower temperature (0-12 °C) gravel rivers and streams for egg laying in redds. [58,59] River temperatures of 6-20 °C and good quality food resources and refugia areas from predators for parr. [58,59]
Invertebrates
Bilberry bumble bee	On Natural England’s Species Recovery Programme (2012) because of modern evidence of serious decline	Diverse and healthy heathland habitat mosaics Retention of species-rich haymeadows and banks Has a strong affinity with areas rich in bilberry and also requires species-rich grassland habitats (for legumes such as clovers and birds foot trefoils) in the same vicinity
Moss carder bee	S41; IUCN Eur VU	Permanent, flower-rich habitats and connectivity of these habitats
Violet oil beetle	S41; IUCN GB LC	Flower-rich habitats and the presence of mining bee species (particularly of the genera Andrena, Haliatus, Colletes, Osmia and Lasioglossum).
Green hairstreak	Local BAPs	Access to food plants: common rock-rose and common bird's-foot-trefoil on calcareous grassland; gorse, broom on heathland; bilberry on moorland. Heathland and woodland edge and scrubby grassland habitat.
Large heath	S41; Local BAPs	Access to food plant: Hare’s-tail cotton grass in mixed swards not dominated by cotton grass tussocks. Hydrologically intact peatland systems with low-level grazing reflecting plant productivity. Allow population movement by restricting dense woodland (particularly conifer plantation) in dispersal routes.
Small pearl-bordered fritillary	S41; IUCN Eur LC; GB NT; Local BAPs	Fen/marsh habitats (marsh violet food plant) with some shelter from wind by scrub/trees. Also, flower rich woodland glades (common dog-violet food plant).
Arctic-Alpine assemblage
This is a large grouping, including over 170 species of plants which are of conservation concern, such as bird’s eye primrose, spring gentian and yellow marsh saxifrage.		The requirements of each species are subtly different and there is ongoing research work into the distribution and ecological requirements of many of the species in Upper Teesdale. Of general importance to the assemblage will be maintaining the appropriate density and mix of grazing animals, the reduction in atmospheric nitrogen deposition, and the limiting of warming due to climate change and finding.