Dedham Vale AONB & Stour Valley Project
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The Project Team liase with landowners, communities and farmers to undertake work to conserve and enhance wildlife and landscape features in the Stour Valley.

Wildlife

This work seeks to increase the natural biodiversity (variety of life) of the area. Across the UK a process known as Biodiversity Action Planning (BAP) has been used to identify species and habitats in need of particular help. Within the Stour Valley the BAP’s compiled by Essex and Suffolk County Councils have identified a number of actions to benefit the habitats and species under threat.

We are in a key position to co-ordinate the action required as we have contact with community groups, individuals and landowners throughout the Stour Valley and are able to use our own Stour Valley Volunteers to carry out some of the work.

The habitats and species of particular priority within the Stour Valley include:

Key Habitats

Ancient woodland, acid grassland/lichen heath, ancient hedgerows, hay meadows, cereal field margins, wet woodlands, eutrophic open water (ponds and lakes), flood-plain grassland, grazing marsh and ancient hedgerows.

Key Species

Native black poplar, otter, water vole, dormouse, stag beetle, white clawed crayfish, skylark, barn owl and great crested newt.

If you would like to help improve conditions for wildlife within the Stour Valley or would like some advice about managing areas for wildlife, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Landscape

There are many different challenges to the landscape of the AONB and the Stour Valley. Some that have been highlighted are: changing agricultural practices, winter storage reservoirs, “horsiculture” (development associated with an increase in horse grazing), infrastructure developments (e.g. sewage works, telecom masts, overhead wires and roads), lack of screening around some buildings and inappropriate development.

Where landscapes have been degraded, through whatever process, we will work to co-ordinate appropriate restoration. In order to know what actions to take to enhance the landscape it is vital to understand all the elements that come together to make this area special. To guide our work the Project is undertaking a detailed Landscape Character Assessment (LCA) of the area. LCA is a national programme which involves mapping, classifying and describing variations in landscape character. It also involves making judgements about the character and quality of the landscape, and analysing forces for change. This will help us and others make informed decisions about how we should manage change in the future in order to retain the landscape quality of the valley.