Archived press release

Ministry to Investigate Whernside Sheep Damage

15 July 1998

The Agriculture Ministry has belatedly launched an investigation into the large-scale damage caused to one of the nation's most famous and important wildlife havens,Whernside Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). FOE has called the move 'too little, too late'.

Friends of the Earth revealed in June that damage caused by over-grazing was so severe that English Nature plans to remove SSSI status from much of the site - one of Yorkshire's famous 'Three Peaks'. It has since emerged that this will result in 5,000 acres - more than half of the 9,000 acre site - losing its legal protection. This is understood to be the largest area ever proposed for 'denotification' [1].

In a letter to Friends of the Earth, Agriculture Minister Jack Cunningham has announced the new MAFF investigation. He says it is an extension of an existing investigation into areas next to Whernside. Yet English Nature has formally reported agricultural damage at Whernside for many years [2] and the damage to Whernside has even been reported to MAFF by members of the public - information which MAFF simply ignored [3].

Matt Phillips, Wildlife Campaigner of Friends of the Earth said:

"MAFF has been dragged into doing something only because of public pressure.This new investigation is simply fiddling while Whernside is all chewed up. Where are the policies to make sure over-grazing doesn't happen in the first place? Where are the laws to ensure our best wildlife areas are properly protected? Where is the support for local farmers to manage these areas in the interest of nature conservation? The system has failed people, wildlife and Whernside and must be reformed anything less is too little, too late."

[1] Whernside SSSI is designated for its outstanding assemblage of plant species including parsley fern. It is particularly important for its limestone pavement habitat, but the part of the site under threat of denotification includes 'blanket bog' rich in cottongrass, heathers, bilberry and rushes and heather rich heath. Under the Hill and Livestock Compensatory Allowance more livestock allows a farmer to claim more agricultural payments as support is paid per head of sheep or cattle. These are known as 'headage' payments. When heathlands are over-grazed, the heather is destroyed to be replaced by grasslands.

Several Government agencies have failed to resolve the issue at Whernside, including MAFF (which is responsible for the Pennine Dales Environmentally Sensitive Area), English Nature (which designates SSSIs)and the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority (responsible for the National Park). The problem at Whernside is thought to have been caused by the stock of just five farmers.

Denotification is the process whereby English Nature removes the special scientific status from a notified SSSI.The result is that a site such as Whernside will lose its protection from other kinds of damage such as recreational pressure.

[2] The letter states: "The Government has a clear policy that farmers should not receive livestock subsidies where they cause serious environmental damage... We have legal powers which enable us to deal with overgrazing and we will look into every case that is brought to our attention."

Agricultural damage was formally reported by English Nature at Whernside SSSI every year between 1991-92 and 1993-94. It has further stated: "Much of the land around the summit of Whernside and to its northern side has been heavily grazed for some time."

[3] In response to a letter from a concerned local in April 1998, Maff simply sent back a 'tick box' letter which claimed Maff has no responsibility for over-grazing issues on SSSIs.

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust