Archived press release

Meacher puts lid on whernside plan

31 July 1998

Environment Minister Michael Meacher has stepped in to curb the plan to remove the protective status from one of the North's most famous and important wildlife areas that has been savaged by sheep, Whernside Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

The site has been so severely over-grazed that the Government's wildlife agency, English Nature, has proposed removing its SSSI status because it believes its special wildlife interest has been eroded [1]. Mr Meacher stated firmly in a letter to Friends of the Earth [2]that this plan “is not being considered”. He has given a clear lead to his wildlife agency stating he would prefer to see: “positive management regimes introduced and restoration of the special interest”.

However English Nature says it may yet strip the site of its protection if there is “no prospect of it being restored” [3]. It has expressed its frustration at the failure to resolve the over-grazing issue throughout the uplands which it says it first highlighted 15 years ago.In a letter to FOE English Nature states 'much more is needed' before problems can be eased on sites such as Whernside.

Matt Phillips of Friends of the Earth said:

“Mr Meacher's intervention sends a clear message that stripping sites of their protected status is not a solution to the problems they face. But English Nature does not have the right powers to solve the over-grazing problem at Whernside or anywhere else. You wouldn't set a sheepdog without any teeth to watch over your flock; but unless the Government introduces new wildlife laws urgently, that is exactly what it is proposing to do. Mr Meacher must take action to introduce new wildlife laws and ensure farmers are supported to manage our best wildlife areas in the interests of wildlife. Only then will the public be reassured that sites such as Whernside will be rich in wildlife for generations to come.”

Last week Friends of the Earth accused the Ministry of Agriculture of doing 'too little too late' to resolve the over-grazing at Whernside.

[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] Mr Meacher's letter states: “I can assure you that denotification of the site is not being considered by English Nature. Although parts of the site have deteriorated seriously due to overgrazing we would prefer to see positive management regimes introduced and restoration of the special interest”.

A letter from English Nature of 5 May 1998 stated: “Much of the land around the summit of Whernside and to its Northern side has been heavily grazed for some time and this land is proposed for denotification as a Site of Special Scientific Interest”.

[3] In a letter to Friends of the Earth dated 13 July 1998, English Nature says: “There is no formal proposal on the table to denotify any part of Whernside. If a proposal is put to Council I can assure you it will be given careful consideration. It would only be denotified if it has lost its special interest and there is no prospect of it being restored. In the uplands of England, damage to moorland habitat by heavy sheep grazing is sadly a widespread phenomenon, both inside nd outside SSSIs. We have been highlighting this problem for at least the last 15 years and we have achieved some positive modifications to agricultural policies. Much more is needed and we will keep up the pressure for change.”

If you're a journalist looking for press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.

Published by Friends of the Earth Trust