Information and Advsiory Note Number 64, January 1997

Lead Co-ordination Networks

1. Introduction

1.1 This Note outlines the work of the Freshwater and Upland Lead Co-ordination

Networks (LCNs).

1.2 Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, the Nature Conservancy Council was dissolved, to be replaced by the three Country Agencies and JNCC. Section 133 of the Act sets out those nature conservation functions which, rather than being undertaken separately by the Country Agencies, are discharged through the JNCC. These are mainly GB-wide matters and are referred to as ‘special functions’. The special functions comprise:

• provision of advice for the Secretary of State or any other Minister on nature conservation policies affecting GB as a whole, or outside GB
• dissemination of knowledge to anyone about nature conservation for GB as a whole, or outside GB
• establishment of common standards for monitoring, research and information analysis of nature conservation across GB
• commissioning of research which is relevant to any of the above

1.3 In 1992, the JNCC considered the establishment of networks to enable the Country Agencies, rather than JNCC support staff, to undertake these special functions. In 1993 the Freshwater LCN was established and the Uplands LCN followed in 1994.

1.4 The Networks have a particularly important role in providing unified advice on GB matters when (i) issues require the Country Agencies to agree a complementary policy (e.g. species introductions); (ii) a common position needs to be determined; and (iii) a single integrated response is needed (e.g. proposals for Special Areas of Conservation).

2. Membership and running of the LCNs

2.1 One of the Country Agencies leads and chairs each of the LCNs. At present, the Freshwater and Upland LCNs are led from SNH, whilst the Woodland and Lowland Grassland LCNs are led from EN and CCW respectively. Staff from all the Country Agencies are then appointed as Network members who are jointly responsible for carrying out its work. The LCNs also have an ‘observer’ from the Environment and Heritage Service of the DoE, Northern Ireland.

2.2 The LCNs have been established initially for three years, and each has an appointed Network Officer to undertake project work, co-ordinate responses, collate data, produce material on behalf of the Network, provide information to Network members and administer the Network.

3. Work undertaken

3.1 The work programme for each LCN includes the following areas:

Designations

• providing advice on the selection of nationally and internationally important conservation sites

Conservation guidance

• identification and dissemination of good habitat and species management practices, relevant to GB as a whole

Data

• identification of survey needs to fill major gaps in current GB-wide information
• co-ordination of GB database development addressing common standards for data collection, compatibility and updating

Monitoring

• determination of appropriate methods and protocols for monitoring

Habitats Directive

• develop generic guidelines on site selection
• complete the manual of Annex I habitats and Annex II species
• give general advice on SACS and Annex I habitats

Biodiversity Action Plans

• support development of the UK Biodiversity Action Plans, by drafting key Habitat Action Plans

Millennium Bid - National Biodiversity Network

• support the development of the National Biodiversity Network by providing analysis of i) requirements for habitat information, ii) data currently available, iii) data-gathering options to meet the needs of UK-wide habitat conservation

Dissemination of knowledge

• dissemination of knowledge on GB nature conservation issues

Research

• commissioning or stimulation of research necessary to support special functions

4. The Freshwater LCN (FLCN)

4.1 The main area of work of the FLCN is provision of GB freshwater advice (mainly to JNCC). Recently, work has included: providing information on the area and distribution of Annex I freshwater habitats and Annex II freshwater species; recommendations on species for inclusion on Schedule 9, Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981; comments on the EC ‘Wise Use and Conservation of Wetlands’ communication; consideration of the VCO comments on potential freshwater SAC consultation list; production of Biodiversity Action Plan drafts and costed Action Plans for freshwater habitats.

4.2 Evaluating, selecting and monitoring areas for conservation is another area of work for the FLCN. Work recently undertaken includes: consideration of non-ornithological criteria for Ramsar site selection; consideration of river SSSI/SAC boundaries; assessment of the freshwater types in the NCR series; and work on SERCON (System for Evaluating Rivers for Conservation).

4.3 The FLCN maintains a rivers database and is currently discussing three further databases for standing waters, fish and freshwater literature. Three issues of ‘Freshwater news’ are produced annually, and an occasional newsletter is produced, for the International Association of Limnology (SIL).

5. The Uplands LCN (ULCN)

5.1 The ULCN provides advice on upland and peatland issues in a GB context. Recent work has included: provision of information on the area and distribution of Annex I upland and peatland habitats; drafting the explanatory notes for the Habitats Directive site list; analysis of VCO comments on potential SACs for uplands and peatlands; drafting Biodiversity Action Plans, habitat statements and costed habitat action plans; proposals for additional Annex I habitat types and issuing guidance on upland definitions.

5.2 Provision of advice on government consultations includes input to the European Inter-governmental Consultation on Sustainable Mountain Development (UNCED Agenda 21). The ULCN has led the European contribution to the assessment of the conservation importance of peatland, moorland and tundra habitats for birds.

5.3 Reporting on, and evaluating UK upland nature conservation features forms part of the ULCN work: e.g. developing the GB uplands site-vegetation database, Work is underway on developing guidance for habitat condition assessments and land management advice. The ULCN produces a newsletter twice a year.

6. References

Environmental Protection Act 1990. Chapter 43. HMSO, London.

7. Author

For further information also contact:

Dr Phil Boon (Chair, Freshwater LCN) and Dr Des Thompson (Chair, Uplands LCN)

Tel: 0131-447 4784