Upper Duddon Landscape Recovery

Montane scrub is found at the uppermost reaches of a woodland edge, between the point at which trees no longer grow upright and the point where trees no longer grow at all.

Made up a variety of vegetation, typically in the form of dwarfed trees and shrubs this habitat includes montane specialists such as juniper (Juniperus communis) and the IUCN red-listed woolly willow (S. lanata), as well as ones we are more used to seeing at lower elevations such as Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris).

Unfortunately, this woodland edge habitat has become one of the rarest and most threatened native woodland types in the UK with only fragmented remnants left, nearly all of which are now found in Scotland, despite its potential range being much more widespread within mountainous areas of England, Wales and Ireland.

River habitats support a diverse variety of species, which form part of the wider river ecosystem.

The riverbed is the in-channel habitat. Vegetation in the river can provide shelter, whilst gravels provide spawning sites for fish species such as Salmon (Salmo salar) and Trout (Salmo trutta). These species also benefit from pools, where they and other aquatic life can rest in slower water.

Banks of the river make up the riparian zone. Diverse vegetation and shadowing from trees above open sections of the watercourse can help keep watercourses cool whilst reducing nutrient and sediment run-off into a watercourse. This both improves water quality and helps mitigate against raising water temperature as a result of climate change. The banks themselves can also provide places for species such as water voles (Arvicola amphibius) to create burrows. 

Woods which are frequently or seasonally water-logged are known as "carr" or simply, wet woodlands. They form a unique and dynamic habitat that supports a wide range of species, some of which specialise in making these damp places their home such as the endangered black poplar.

Historic woodland clearances along with factors such as over-grazing and river control and management means only fragments of this rare habitat now exist. By encouraging already wet areas to become water-logged, and allowing natural regeneration of native water-loving species such as alder and willow we could bring these important places back to Cumbria.

Floodplains are areas of generally flat land, adjacent to a watercourse. In medium or high flows, water overspills from the main channel on to the floodplain.

Natural floodplains often have ephemeral ponds and paleo channels which provide habitat for a wide diversity of invertebrates. The floodplain itself is rich in nutrients, from sediment deposited on to the floodplain in high flows. As a result, floodplains can have abundant plant life, forming floodplain meadows.    

Britain is one of the worlds least wooded countries. Currently only 13% of the UK's land cover is woodland, and half of that is made up of non-native conifer plantation.

Native tree species have evolved as part of a natural, balanced ecosystem since the end of the last ice age. Broadleaf trees are deciduous, meaning they shed their leaves every autumn, which plays a vital role in soil formation and nutrient cycling. This also opens up the canopy allowing light to reach the ground flora. Woodlands are dynamic, they store carbon, provide oxygen and support a wide range of wildlife.

Upland woodland communities include those that have a canopy dominated by oak, usually Sessile oak, and birch woodland, both of which tend to occur on acid soils. They are one of the most biodiversity-rich habitats in the UK, with oak trees alone supporting over 2000 species of invertebrates, birds, mammals and fungi. Over 300 of which are only found on oak.

Peatland offers a multitude of benefits, it provides a net carbon sink and carbon storage, improved water quality and supports a diverse range of biodiversity.

The UK is one of the world's top ten countries for peatland area, it has nearly 3 million hectares of peatland. But sadly nearly 80% of this important habitat has suffered severe degradation from past land-management.

There are three types of peatland found in the UK. Blanket bog is where peat forms a mantle across extensive areas, most typically found in the uplands.13% of the world’s blanket bog is found in the UK making them of international importance.

Raised bogs are generally found as isolated patches of peat forming mounds above the surrounding ground level. Both blanket and raised bogs are fed only by rainwater making them nutrient-poor, and acidic, meaning they contain similar plant species, many of which are unique to bogs.

Fen is found in the flatter lowlands, and is fed by both rainwater and freshwater, which provides more nutrients to support a wider range of plants.

Adder (Vipera berus)

Easily recognised by a dark “zig zag” stripe along their backs, the adder is one of only 3 native species of snake in the UK, and our only venomous one. However, these shy and elusive characters are not aggressive and will quickly disappear into the undergrowth when danger approaches. Adder bites are rarely fatal, and the majority occur when the snake has been deliberately disturbed or antagonised.

Adder numbers have declined extensively during the 20 ^th  century, mostly due to habitat loss and degradation. They have restrictive habitat requirements, making them less resistant to environmental change and with limited dispersal abilities, snakes are heavily impacted by habitat fragmentation. These pressures, along with disturbance from people and dogs have led to local population extinctions.

What we're doing - Luckily, there are still adders in the Duddon valley and we want to keep them here. We are implementing a new monitoring program to find out how many adders are here, and how much suitable habitat we have in the project area.

Hazel Dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius)

One of the UK's most charming small mammals, the Hazel dormouse is also one of the hardest to see in the wild. Spending all of their life in the tree canopy, and mostly venturing out at night makes them very difficult to spot, and the fact that they also sleep for most the year doesn't help. Hazel dormice not only hibernate through winter, but in particularly cold weather they can enter a state of 'torpor', a deep sleep that allows them to conserve energy.

What we're doing - Although there have been no confirmed sightings of hazel dormice in the Duddon valley in recent years, the woodland that runs through the valley was once home to the most northerly population in the UK. Nest boxes and footprint tunnels are now being reinstated throughout the valley, to find out if any of these hardy northern mice are still around. This long-term monitoring will inform the future plans for the project, and as native woodland increases, so will hazel dormouse habitat.

Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris)

There are few species so close to the heart of any Cumbrian resident than the red squirrel. Immortalized by Beatrix Potter as the spirited Squirrel Nutkin, red squirrels have become synonymous with the Lake District.

But sadly these colourful characters are under threat due to habitat loss, intense competition and transmission of squirrel-pox by the larger, non-native grey squirrel.

What we're doing - Red squirrels have been seen on camera traps in the Duddon valley in recent months, and a number of word-of-mouth reports indicate there is a small resident population. Ongoing management in the valley will work towards supressing the grey squirrel numbers, and increasing woodland cover will provide habitat for future populations of red squirrels.

Tree pipit (Anthus trivialis)

Tree pipits have dramatically declined over the last 50 years, and are now on the Red List of UK birds. A long-distance migrant and summer visitor to the UK, these ground-nesting birds, prefer open, woodland glades and clearings. Often with tall trees to use as song posts, which they can be seen 'parachuting' down from.

What we're doing - The project aims to develop a rich habitat mosaic of open ground, heathland and a mix of young and mature trees to provide more food and cover for tree pipits,which could also benefit a range of other woodland birds such as the nightjar.

Globeflower (Trollius europaeus)

It is easy to see where globeflower gets it's name. The distinctive yellow, globe-shaped flower head is made up of 10 overlapping sepals, containing the petals within. Globeflower is typically self-fertilising, but as one of the largest members of the buttercup family, the bright yellow flowers are great at attracting pollinating insects too.

This striking wildflower likes to grow in moist pastures and gullies, often in the uplands, and within damp woods. It is native and occurs locally in Wales, North England, Scotland and North-west Ireland.

What we're doing - Although somewhat common and widespread in the UK, globeflower is distinctly absent from the Upper Duddon. The Restoring Hardknott Forest project has established a volunteer wildflower growing group, which has already planted 100's of wildflowers grown from locally sourced seed, including globeflower. The Upper Duddon Landscape Recovery plans to extend this throughout the upper Duddon project area.

Hairy wood ant (Formica lugubris)

So named for their microscopic hairy eyebrows, the Hairy wood ant is native to the north of Britain, giving them their alternative name of the 'Northern' wood ant.

These carbon-capturing species are crucial to the healthy function of a woodland ecosystem. When they aren't busily constructing their large nests on the forest floor, they are up in the tree canopy 'farming' aphids. In exchange for the honeydew they 'milk' from the aphids, they remove other pests which can threaten tree growth. The honeydew is also a source of carbohydrate and represents a significant input of carbon into forest soils. A close relative of the hairy wood ant has been shown to account for up to 39kg of carbon per hectare per year.

The nests they build (called 'solariums' because they generate and trap heat) are known to contribute to seed dispersal, soil and nutrient-cycling and can house a range of other species not found elsewhere. The ants also not only provide food for predators such as green woodpeckers, badgers and foxes, but the formic acid they spray as a defence mechanism, is used as a parasite repellent by birds like the Jay.

Hairy wood ants are currently considered 'near threatened' by the IUCN. With few natural predators the main threat is thought to be habitat loss and degradation.

What we're doing - Hairy wood ants are known to be in the Duddon area, with many large and established nests having been recorded in Hardknott Forest. To better understand the distribution of the wood ants, we will continue to map and monitor nests throughout the UDLR project area.