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Why have a management plan?
Most sites that are managed for nature conservation by conservation bodies will have a management plan. Although such a plan can be time consuming to put together, it is usually viewed as crucial to good management. Having a management plan serves a number of functions.
• The plan gathers together or identifies all information concerning the site, i.e. it describes the resource to be managed.
• The objectives for management are clearly set out, i.e. what is management aiming to achieve?
• The actual tasks to be carried out are set down to include frequency over a given time period (e.g. twice a year for 5 years in April and September).
• Any necessary survey, monitoring or research work is described. This addresses the question of what additional information needs to be recorded to tell us about the state of the site and the effects of management.
• The plan allows links to be made between local site management and wider policies, e.g. Biodiversity Action Plans.
• The plan allows continuity of management, e.g. when reserve managers change.
• The plan aids communication between interested organisations.
• The plan should result in the best use of resources and people.
The exact format of management plans varies between organisations but a fairly standard format would cover three sections.
• Description
• Evaluation and Objectives
• Prescriptions and Projects
Description
The site description section would need to cover the following:
• General Information: This would include a map of the site and information on its actual area, ownership and status (e.g. is it an SSSI?).
• Physical Information: Including information on climate, hydrology/drainage, geology and soils.
• Biological Information: Main vegetation and habitat types, flora and fauna (including a list of rare or notable species present).
• Cultural Information: History and past land uses, recreational use (including rights of way), undesirable activities (e.g. vandalism or fly tipping), previous conservation management.
Evaluation and Objectives
A site evaluation would then be carried out identifying significant habitat and species as well as the opportunities and constraints on management.
Overall objectives can then be set for the management of different habitats but also for visitors, recreational use, educational use, research and monitoring.
Prescriptions and Projects
More detail is then required under each objective to set out what will be required to meet the objective and what staff will actually be doing on the ground. Again, prescriptions are likely to be listed under the areas of specific habitat management, visitor management, estate management (e.g. maintenance of paths, roads and gates), research etc.
An important factor in management plans isHow is the work going to be funded? Is the funding sufficient for your objectives or do they need to be more realistic for the funding available? How long will the funding last?
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