Decision - Cityparks Downland Management - Call-In of 24 September Environment CMM Decision

(1)         That the Cabinet Member, having taken into account the recommendations of the Environment & Community Safety Overview & Scrutiny Committee and the additional information provided by the Director of Environment, confirms his decision of 24 September 2009 in relation to Cityparks Downland Management.

1.      Grazing is an improvement to the quality of the council’s chalk grassland management and will also cover considerably more chalk grassland than could ever be achieved by cutting.  There will be an improvement in the management of sites which have never been cut and cleared but will be grazed. These are usually the most ecologically important sites which have been most under threat from species loss. Similarly, there is an improvement in the management of sites where they were being cut and cleared but are now being grazed.

2.      As well as an improved method of managing chalk grassland, the increased costs of mowing and composting means the introduction of grazing is financially advantageous.

1.      Mowing is inferior to grazing:

§         it can cause severe disruption to grassland invertebrates and ground nesting birds;

§         it cannot be used on the steeper slopes (where much of the remaining chalk grassland is found);

§         it is uniform in its application and therefore prevents the establishment of swards of varying height, which are favoured by some chalk grassland species; and

§         it damages chalk grassland features such as ant hills and some archaeology.

The cost comparisons of continuing to mow our chalk grassland sites vary due to soil type and from year to year due to the weather. In total in 2007 it cost £16,000 to cut, clear and compost. In 2008 it is estimated this would have increased to between £28,000 and £48,000 - depending on the weather - due to increased fuel and composting costs (as a result sites were cut but not cleared or composted).