Coastal and floodplain grazing marsh - UK biodiversity target

The Habitat Action Plan for coastal and floodplain grazing marsh indicates the following principle targets:

• Maintain the existing habitat extent (300,000ha) and quality;
• Rehabilitate 10,000 ha of grazing marsh habitat which has become too dry, or is intensively managed, by the year 2000. This would comprise 5,000 ha already targeted in ESAs, with an additional 5,000 ha.
• Begin creating 2,500 ha of grazing marsh from arable land in targeted areas, in addition to that which will be achieved by existing ESA schemes, with the aim of completing as much as possible by the year 2000.

Grazing marsh is an important habitat for a range of birds, invertebrates and plant communities. There is considerable potential for the enhancement of this biological interest and a target of 5,000 ha is considered achievable provided this is carefully targeted at core areas and where reversing fragmentation is feasible. In some cases this may be in areas where there is potential to recreate this habitat from land currently under arable cultivation. The figure of 2,500 ha could produce significant benefits if targeted carefully.

Caveat: This target covers all types of low-lying grazing marsh and is not exclusively concerned with the coastal grazing marsh as defined for this Guide.

Comment: The national biodiversity targets are revised from time to time and updated by the JNCC at http://www.ukbap.org.uk/.