Mark Fisher

1
RURAL VISION
A view of Bradford Districts rural landscape
and its public goods and services. Workshop at
the Rural Conference, 21 October 2004 LAND
WATER TREES
Mark Fisher mn.fisher_at_ukonline.co.uk
2
ACCESS LAND
Access land
Open country (mountain, moor, heath and down) and
registered common land
www. countrysideaccess.gov.uk
3
Agricultural Land Classification
Grade 3
Grade 4
No arable or horticulture
4
Farming - Less Favoured Areas
Disadvantaged
Severely Disadvantaged

• Dairy farming - only holding on in valley bottom
• Sheep and cattle precarious viability on
  hillsides moors

5
Average Annual Rainfall
710-756
756-824
824-921
921-1083
1083-1344
Rainfall highest into the Pennine upland
6
Reservoirs Watercourses
Reservoirs
7
Landscape Conservation Areas
Special areas of conservation
Twite Lapwing Curlew Owl Sparrow hawk Kestrel
8
Woodland Coverage
Woodland or plantation
lt 5 woodland cover in Bradford District Flooding
risk in all riparian habitats
9
Sphagnum moss Bog asphodel Sundew Heath
orchid Ragged Robin Cranberry Water mint Greater
birdsfoot trefoil
Baildon Access Area woodland wildflowers
BAILDON MOOR
BAILDON BANK
Broadstone wood
SHIPLEY GLEN
Midgeley wood
Water wood
Loadpit Beck
Trench wood
10
Baildon Moor - south
Moorland grass and sedge, with some heather and
bilberry
11
Baildon Moor southern area - re-wooding the
bracken areas
A
B
East side
B
C
A
D
C
D
West side
12
Baildon Moor re-wooding action -plan

• Identify archaeological sites
• Survey soil depths
• Devise planting plan birch, rowan, holly,
  hawthorn, willow, broom, gorse with some oak?
• Fence off areas or use individual tree guards?
  Check whether commons registration affects
  ability to fence-off

13
Workshop Feedback
ISSUES 1. The low tree cover in the District
(4) compared to the national average (10) 2.
The level of local information and promotion of
open access areas in the District, and guidance
on the public's use of the land 3. Because of the
nature of land use in the District, there needs
to be recognition that landowners as well as
farmers need support for environmental management
of their land. ACTIONS 1. Develop a view and
strategy for the public goods and services of the
rural landscape of the District, exploring new
woodland as a way in by considering the examples
of tree planting in riparian habitats for flood
mitigation and for the control of bracken on
Baildon Moor. 2. Explore the potential of
planning obligations as a means of raising funds
in the District for organisations such as Forest
of Bradford to carry out tree planting identified
in action plans arising from the strategy. 3.
Improve local information on open access by
presenting feature walks on the council's website
(i.e. the reservoir walks on the Yorkshire Water
website) and accompany it with general
information on open access and the Countryside
Code. Refresh and vary the Guided Walks program
of the Countryside Service.