West Weald Landscape Project Conference: Evidence base presentation: Henri Brocklebank

The evolving evidence base at the heart of landscape scale initiatives

Henri BrocklebankSussex Biodiversity Record Centre

2 ingredients….

The origins of conservation mapping

1: 50,000 OS Maps

10 years ago

This map is based upon or reproduced from Ordnance Surveymaterial with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf ofthe Controller of Her Majesty's Stationary Office © CrownCopyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crowncopyright and may lead to prosecution or other civil proceedings.West Sussex County Council 100018485 2007.East Sussex County Council 100019601 2007.

Where appropriate, The Sussex Biodiversity Record Centre would like to acknowledgethe following dataset providers: Natural England (RAMSAR, SAC, SPA, NNR, SSSI,ancient woodland, vegetated shingle and saline lagoon data), East Sussex CountyCouncil (LNR, SNCI, country park, heathland and notable verge data), West SussexCounty Council (LNR, SNCI, country park, notable verge, chalk grassland andheathland data), Brighton & Hove City Council (SNCI & LNR data), The EnvironmentAgency (grazing marsh, urban areas, and hydrological data), The Farming & RuralConservation Agency (ESA data), South Downs J oint Committee (chalk grasslanddata), The National Trust (NT properties data), Sussex Wildlife Trust (SWT reservesdata), Sussex Otters & Rivers Partnership (Black Poplar data), and Dr. Francis Rose(ghyll woodland data).

8 years ago

6 years ago

Contemporary conservation mapping:

3 ingredients….

1. Raw data

2. Derived data

3. Culture

Contemporary conservation mapping:

1. Raw data (Quality and accessibility).

When the Project started 18% of the Sussex part of the West Weald was covered by Ancient Woodland (according to the provisional ancient Woodland inventory). This compares to 8.7% for West Sussex.

Revised data (2009) shows that 19.2% of the Sussex part of the West Weald is covered by Ancient Woodland (compared to 10.5% for West Sussex).

What has happened to the raw data since the West Weald Baseline Report?

• Master map background is now standard, facilitating cross border working.

• Natural England has promoted habitat data standards which are now used throughout the UK.

• Detailed Geological data now more readily available from the British Geological Survey.

• Hydrological and Water Framework Directive data developing fast and more accessible.

• Species recording less adhoc and more structured. Increase from 80,000 to 181,000 records in five years.

• More accessible Historical data (tythe and OS)

Contemporary conservation mapping:

2. Derived data (availability and ease)

Basic principle of model building in GIS is to build a grid. 50 meters for current models.

Models are based on Model-builder which is part of Arc 10 software and is based on the principles depicted in

the second diagram.

What is the trend in derived data since the West Weald Baseline Report?

• More non-biodiversity raw datasets available to use

• Access to complex modelling tools through standard GIS Packages

• More processing power from computers

• Technologists and conservationists working together

Contemporary conservation mapping:

3. Culture (sharing best practice and open sourced systems).

Has the bio-informatic culture changed since the West Weald Baseline Report?

• More experience and best practice to be shared (across sectors)

• Mass of documentation available online

• Online systems facilitating data sharing

• Open source systems

• Developing Local Record Centre network and GIS facilities within organisations

Raw Data Derived data

Culture

Raw Data Derived data

Culture

Raw Data Derived data

Culture

Raw Data

Derived data

Culture

What does this mean for landscape scale initiatives?

• Data to help shape conservation aspirations

• Products to support funding bids and decision

• Landowner advice targetting mechanisms

• Clear messages

• Decisions based on evidence

• Increasingly cost effective