The Blackmore Vale Project was part of a national Habitat Restoration Project. The aim was to investigate ways of increasing the biodiversity of our wildlife, focusing on reversing habitat fragmentation, by using existing Environmental Land Management Schemes (ELMS) such as Countryside Stewardship. The benefits to wildlife were to be monitored over a ten year period. The Blackmore Vale Trial Area in north Dorset was established where practical habitat restoration would be encouraged in co-operation with farmers and other landowners. The area contains a wide variety of semi-natural habitats of high conservation value in addition to extensive areas of intensively managed farmland. Experienced gained from the Trial Area would allow conservation organisations to target the most effective means of reversing habitat deterioration and fragmentation using existing schemes, and to identify any constraints which must be overcome. This document presented English Nature’s vision, and sets out the information on which it was based. The vision was a hypothetical one only. No specific pieces of land were being targeted for restoration action. It was recognised that the aim of the Project, to investigate the extent to which Biodiversity Action Plan targets could be met using existing ELMS, could only be achieved through gaining the co-operation of all interested parties, particularly those who managed our farmland.
A printed copy of this old English Nature report is available from our Enquiry Service. Tel: 0845 600 3078 Email: enquiries@naturalengland.org.uk