Module 4 survey of uplands in England and Wales

A programme of work to intensify field-sampling in the uplands of England and Wales and establish a baseline for future monitoring.

The uplands of England and Wales comprise extensive areas of semi-natural vegetation, often of international importance, and landscapes of outstanding natural beauty. In marginal upland areas there is a mix of improved agricultural land, fragments of ancient woodland and meadows, extensive semi-natural vegetation and forestry plantations. These characteristics of the uplands are cherished and recognised in special policy measures including designations for nature conservation (SSSIs, SPAs and candidate SACs), designations for landscape protection (National Parks and AONBs), and agri-environment measures such as ESAs and Countryside Stewardship.

• ensure that CS2000 provides reliable information about upland broad habitats and landscape features in England and Wales and to produce separate estimates of the stock of these features for England and Wales;
• provide information about the ecological characteristics of the uplands as a whole in order to provide a context for site, habitat or scheme specific monitoring exercises;
• provide information suitable to application to land use and environmental change modelling and forecasting studies, including the UK Climate Impacts Programme;
• establish a baseline for future detection of long term change in the character of the uplands of England and Wales.