Issues
Overgrazing
Livestock farming has been the main influence on the wildlife habitats of the uplands of the United Kingdom for centuries, however production support incentives have contributed towards an intensification of land management and an increase in stock numbers. Increased grazing intensity is believed to have reduced the frequency of many of the characteristic herbaceous plants and removed them from heavily grazed sites. Specific examples include: orchids being absent from heavily grazed areas; reductions in rock-rose and bird's-eye primrose with heavy grazing; and the general paucity or absence of butterflies. Farm intensification
To increase available forage for higher numbers of stock and also to maintain larger modern cattle breeds, some accessible limestone pastures have been fertilised. Stock type
For a variety of reasons, both economic and cultural there has been a general decline in mixed livestock farming over the last forty years and a move towards specialised sheep farming. Sheep are highly selective grazers and search for and select the most palatable plant species. This has led to significant losses in both the species and structural diversity of the sward. Traditional upland breeds are more hardy, require a lower nutrient input and are generally better able to utilise poor quality herbage. As such they will more readily graze areas of rank less palatable grassland. In addition a general shift from sheep to cattle grazing has been shown to encourage shrub regeneration on pavement areas and also to encourage the re-development of scrub-tall herb transition zones which harbour many of the rarer plant species. Foot and mouth Disease
In May 2001 many of the farms with land within the project area were affected by foot and mouth disease. Following disinfection of farm infrastructures, restocking of the cSAC land will need to be tailored to help remove rank grass growth. Traditional cattle breeds will be exceptionally important in this respect. Rabbit grazing
Rabbits occur at very high population levels throughout the project area, in particular at Bastow Wood, Malham-Arncliffe and Ingleborough SSSI. Where high rabbit densities occur grassland areas are grazed to tightly cropped lawns and flowering performance of many species is greatly reduced. Grazing sensitive herbs may be totally eliminated from the sward. Where rabbits have access to woodlands, natural regeneration of tree and shrub species is often totally absent. Invasive species
Three invasive species are impacting on the nature conservation interest of the cSAC - Thistles (Cirsium arvense and C. vulgare) are abundant in some area, Bracken (Pteridium aquilinium) and Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea) only a localised. Pavement Damage
A complete survey of pavements revealed that of the 600 pavement areas in the United Kingdom only 3% are entirely undamaged (Ward and Evans 1976). This threat has now been addressed through protective legislation (Limestone Pavement Orders). Damage to limestone pavement is now restricted to localised small-scale removal of stone by recreational visitors eg for the building of cairns. This threat is not addressed by this project. Pollution
Eutrophication of the Malham Tarn waterbody caused by fertiliser run-off and domestic sewage residues has been tackled over recent years and significant problems have been overcome. This will not be directly addressed by this project but will be covered by the more widespread uptake of agri-environment schemes. Afforestation and modification of woodlands
Areas of Annex 1 woodland within the project area have been historically modified through underplanting with non-native conifers, beech and sycamore. Increased shading and effects of leaf fall/leaf litter build up have and continue to modify the ground flora and woodland soils. Recreation
Recreational pressures are causing limited damage to sensitive vegetation communities, in particular alkaline fen habitats.
