Uplands
The uplands are usually defined as the land above 300 metres. The majority of the English uplands are in the north and south-west of England, with a small amount in the counties along the Welsh border. They are important for biodiversity, as well as being valuable for agriculture, recreation, culture and natural resources. Agriculture has played a large part in shaping these valuable landscapes, and continues to provide many of the tools that are used to manage them.
They comprise a variety of habitats, principally moorland.
Eight UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UK BAP) Priority Habitats occur in the English uplands:
blanket bog
upland calcareous grassland
upland heathland
limestone pavement
mountain heaths and willow scrub
upland flushes, swamps and fens
inland rock outcrop and scree
Calaminarian grassland
Other plans exist for woodlands, wetlands and other habitats which occur in parts of the uplands.
The importance and fragility of the uplands
The English uplands are a treasured and important national asset:
The uplands contain the largest remaining tracts of unfragmented semi-natural habitats and landscapes in the country and are of international importance.
They are a huge resource for outdoor recreation, contributing to the nation's physical and mental health.
They provide opportunities for sustainable businesses e.g. farming, forestry, tourism, and grouse shooting on heather moorland; and provide opportunities for renewable energy generation. The inspirational quality of the natural environment also attracts less traditional, high-tech businesses.
They are important for water storage and supply for major centres of population and have the potential to contribute to downstream flood management and improvements to water quality;
They are England's most important, but also most vulnerable, carbon store – providing both an opportunity and risk for green house gas mitigation. Upland peat soils are crucially important in this respect.
A large proportion of our upland habitats and species are in a degraded condition for historic and current reasons (air pollution, inappropriate grazing, burning and drainage of moorland and blanket bog, raptor persecution, etc.). Upland habitats are intrinsically fragile and can take a long time to recover from damage.
