| Action Plan Reference | Action | Target Date | Lead Agency | Personnel | Fund Source | Progress at April 2001 | Year/s incorporated into operational plan |
| Grassland 1 | With owner’s and occupier’s consent, establish and maintain a register of all significant sites and survey them | 2000 ongoing | NESBReC | Advisers, AEF, BSBI, FWAG, LAs, NESBReC, SAC, SNH, SWT | SNH, LAs, SWT | SWT surveys in 2000 identified over 20 grassland sites. Appropriate sites will be put forward for designation as wildlife sites with subsequent notification to Local Authorities. Information on these sites will also be stored at NESBReC. | |
| Grassland 2 | Review the condition and management of all current grassland SSSIs | 2005 | SNH | SNH, Landowners | SNH | Carried out as part of programme of site condition monitoring. | |
| Recommend additional sites for legal protection, with consent of owners and occupiers | 2000 ongoing | SNH | AEF, BSBI, FWAG, LAs, SNH, SWT | N/A | |||
| Recommend at least 4 additional sites as SINS, Wildlife Sites or LNRs, with consent of owners and occupiers | 2000 ongoing | SWT | AEF, BSBI, FWAG, LAs, SNH, SWT | N/A | See note for 1 above. Wildlife sites surveyed and assessed by SWT will be incorporated into LA site systems. | ||
| Grassland 3 | Habitat management and creation through agri-environment schemes | Annual | SERAD | Advisers, FWAG, SAC, SERAD, SNH | SNH, SERAD | The RSS has management options for both management and creation of species rich grassland. Species rich grassland is identified as one of the LBAP priority habitats targeted by the scheme. | |
| Promote improvements to agri-environment schemes to support appropriate management and creation | As schemes are reviewed | FBG | FBG, FWAG, NFUS, SAC | N/A | The FBG provided comments on necessary changes to agri-environment scheme to SEARD HQ. Comments on RSS will also be returned as experience is gained from operation of the scheme. | ||
| Produce 1 promotional article per year –target the farming press | Annual | FBG | FBG, FWAG, SAC | N/A | |||
| Promote and establish habitat management and creation projects on non-agricultural sites e.g. forestry schemes, golf courses, riverbanks, school grounds, public open spaces and large gardens. | Annual | LBAP | FC, Fisheries Boards, FWAG, LA’s, SAC, SGCWG, SWT, | FC, SNH | The Grampian Forest project has promoted creation of species rich grassland as one option for areas of open ground. Unfortunately landowners were not keen to take up this option. | ||
| Ensure that a copy of this action plan is sent to all agricultural /forestry advisers | 2001 | LBAP | FBG, SERAD | SERAD | Action Plan will be circulated once published - expected publication date September 2001. | ||
| Grassland 4 | Establish and publicise a demonstration site of good practice for management of existing grassland | For 3 years | LA | FBG, FWAG, LAs, NFUS, NTS, SAC, SWT | SWT, SAC, NTS | The possibility of using the grassland at Haddo Country Park for demonstration is being explored. | |
| Review the condition and management of all known species-rich grasslands and support the development of agreed management plans. | 2006 | SWT | Advisers, FWAG, NFUS, SAC, SNH, SWT | SNH, LAs, SWT, SAC | Management at SSSI sites is already dealt with by SNH. SWTs North East Region Conservation Advisor will be following up all sites surveyed by SWT during 2000 and wherever land owners require developing suitable management plans for these sites. | ||
| Provide management advice at all species rich grasslands occuring within wildlife sites. | 2001 ongoing | SWT | SWT | SWT, LA, SNH | See note above | ||
| Grassland 5 | Establish a demonstration site on a roadside verge and a riverbank | For 3 years | LA/DSFB | AEF, BSBI, DSFB, LAs, SAC, SWT, Fishing groups | LAs, SNH | Aberdeenshire Council is looking into the possibility of establishing a species rich verge signposting and management scheme. | |
| Set up a joint LA-Landowner project to manage verge sites appropriately | Annual | LA | AEF, FBG, LAs, Landowners, NFUS, SAC | N/A | |||
| Grassland 6 | Offer an annual training day and site visit to landowners, managers and agricultural advisors planning to create new species-rich grasslands: link to newly accepted agri-environment scheme applicants. | Annual | SERAD | FWAG, NFUS, SAC, SERAD, SNH | SERAD, SNH | Emphasis in the RSS has been put on creation of new species rich grassland. SERAD have made a commitment to provide necessary training for effective implementation of management options. | |
| Produce and distribute a booklet or guidance notes on creation and maintenance of sites, use as guidance note/ starter pack for training day. | 2001 | SEARD | AEF, FBG, FWAG, SAC, SNH | SNH, SERAD, LAs | FWAG have produced suitable material for use by farmers taking up species rich grassland creation options. | ||
| Encourage the production of local provenance seed, for use on all newly created sites. | Annual | FBG | FWAG, SAC, Seed Industry, SERAD, SNH, Voluntary groups | N/A | |||
| Set up a trial site for production and harvest of local provenance seed. | 2002 onwards | FBG | FWAG, SAC, Seed Industry, Voluntary groups | SNH | |||
| Grassland 7 | Produce at least one piece of positive publicity per year | Annual | FBG | AEF, FBG, FWAG, SAC | N/A | ||
| Run 2 ranger-guided events or farm walks that highlight this habitat | Annual | FWAG/RS | FBG, FWAG, LAs, NTS | LAs, FWAG, NTS | |||
| Provide interpretation on suitable sites where public access is welcome | 2001 | LA | LAs, FWAG, NTS, SAC, SNH | SNH | |||
| Grassland 8 | Identify and promote future research topics in this field. Use LEARN network where appropriate. | Annual | SAC | FWAG, SAC, SNH, species rich grassland working group | SNH | ||
| Grassland 9 | Ensure all data collected for this plan is held at the North East Scotland Biological Records Centre. | 2001 ongoing | NESBReC | NESBReC | NESBReC | NESBReC holding data on species rich verge site, to be re-surveyed and updated summer 2001 | |
| Grassland 10 | Monitor and report targets achieved for management and creation of species rich grassland ever year and in detail every 5 years. | Annual | LBAP | LBAP Co-ordinator | N/A | ||
| Whenever necessary to take this plan forward, convene the working group set up to develop this plan | As indicated by monitoring | LBAP | Species rich grassland working group | N/A |