Examples of how the Trust can and is making a contribution to the UK BAP process

Our land in the Thames and Solent region includes c.800 ha of lowland beech woodland.  Lowland beech and yew wood is a priority habitat under the UKBAP.

The Lowland Beech and Yew Woodland Habitat Action Plan includes targets to:

• Maintain the existing areas of ancient semi-natural lowland beech and yew woodland (estimated to be 15,000 to 25,000 ha) and the total current extent and distribution of the type.

• Initiate restoration to lowland beech and yew cover, at least 1,500 ha… by 2015.

Therefore, if all the 800 ha within the Thames and Solent is maintained, it would contribute 3-5% of the existing area for this habitat. If the same area were restored (hypothetically) it would contribute some 53% to the national restoration target and double the restoration target of 400 ha for the Chilterns Natural Area as determined by the England Native Woodland Partnership.

The Lowland Heathland Habitat Action Plan includes two key objectives to:

• Maintain, and improve by management, all existing lowland heathland (58,000 ha).

• Encourage the re-establishment by 2005 of a further 6,000 ha of heathland with the emphasis on the counties of Hampshire, Cornwall, Dorset, Surrey, Devon, Staffordshire, Suffolk and Norfolk in England and Pembrokeshire, Glamorgan and West Gwynedd in Wales, particularly where this links separate heathland areas. A progress report will be available in June 2006.

Since 1985 the Trust has re-created c.1,228 ha of lowland heath in England and Wales some 20% of the national re-establishment target.  10% of the 6,000 ha target has been achieved on Trust land in Cornwall alone. The Cornwall Biodiversity Action Plan aims to re-establish 1,050 ha of lowland heath in Cornwall, so the Trust is also making a substantial contribution to the local BAP target.

It is this kind of information the Trust is beginning to gather in order to report our progress towards BAP targets, locally and nationally. Both examples illustrate the great contribution we can make to the process.

For more information on the UKBAP or to view national plans, visit the UK Biodiversity Action Plan website.

BAP Species Profiles
Below are the priority BAP species for which the National Trust is lead partner. Click on these to find out the ecology and distribution of each of these species and the work the Trust and partner organisations are doing to help conserve them.

1. Wild Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis ssp. prostratus).
2. Lundy Cabbage (Coincya wrightii).
3. Sea-lavenders (Limonium spp.).
4. Netted Carpet Moth (Eustroma reticulata).
5. Twin-spot Longhorn Beetle (Oberea oculata).

Read a summary of results of national progress on the implementation of the UK BAP.