How are BAP’s selected?

Species

All species endemic to Lancashire (i.e. occur in the county and nowhere else in the world as far as is currently known)

Qualifying species:

Jennings' proboscis worm (Prostoma jenningsi).

Justification:

• P. jenningsi has only ever been recorded from a single pond near Chorley. Until other populations are discovered or established, this remains the sole site for this species in the world.

All species endemic to the UK where Lancashire contains a significant proportion of the world population.

Qualifying species:

Lancaster whitebeam (Sorbus lancastriensis)

Justification:

• This species of tree grows in the wild only on limestone soils in the Morecambe Bay area (Arnside / Silverdale). About 1000 trees are known in Cumbria and Lancashire.

All species or sub-species that are endemic to the British Isles where Lancashire supports significant UK populations.

Qualifying species and sub-species:

• Purple ramping-fumitory (Fumaria purpurea) - Justification: The purple-ramping fumitory is a species that is endemic to the British Isles. It is declining and its two remaining strongholds are in Cornwall and Lancashire.

• A sub-species of rock sea-lavender (Limonium britannicum celticum) - Justification: The UK coastline supports a number of endemic rock sea-lavender species and sub-species. The one chosen occurs only along sections of coastline in north west England and north Wales.

• A sub-species of the belted beauty moth (Lycia zonaria britannica) - Justification: The sub-species britannica of the belted beauty moth is endemic to the British Isles. It is included because there are records less than ten years old from one locality within the county.
• A sub-species of the northern brown argus butterfly (Aricia artaxerxes salmacis) - Justification: Two sub-species of northern brown argus are thought to be endemic to the UK. One of these (salmacis) occurs at sites around the coastal limestones of Morecambe Bay including at localities in Lancashire. Only five other localities for this sub-species are known in northern England

All UK BAP 'Priority Species' or species with a Species Statement in the UK BAP where available data indicates that Lancashire supports important populations

AND

Where the conservation of these species could not be addressed adequately within one of the Habitat Action plans being prepared in the first tranche for the county.

Qualifying species:

Justification:

• The national, regional and local status of each of these species is shown in each of the SAPs contained in this Plan. It was decided to emphasise national 'Priority Species' within the first tranche of the Lancashire BAP in order to ensure that the BAP adequately addresses its role in delivering national conservation targets.
• It should be noted that some species (most notably, the bittern [Botaurus stellaris]) were omitted from consideration because their needs were thought to be likely to be adequately taken care of by a Habitat Action Plan that was to be prepared (In the case of the bittern, the reedbed HAP).
• In some cases the 'importance' of Lancashire's population was judged according to its position within the UK range of the species. For example, Morecambe Bay is on the edge of the northern range in the UK for the southern wood ant. The shining guest ant lives only within wood ant nests.

Other UK BAP 'Priority Species' that are under threat within the county

AND

Where the conservation of these species could not be addressed adequately within one of the Habitat Action plans being prepared in the first tranche for the county.

Qualifying species:

• Freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera)
• Freshwater white-clawed crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes).

Justification:

• The two species are in decline nationally and are now confined to two sites in Lancashire.
• The nature of the threats faced by the two qualifying species give reason for grave concern for these species' continued survival within the county.
• The issues relating to both the qualifying species are addressed within their respective SAPs.

Other species included on advice of Technical Working Group based upon assessment of local and national data.

• Large heath butterfly (Coenonympha tullia) - Declining on a European-wide scale. Formerly widespread in the county, it is now restricted to two localities.
• Twite (Carduelis flavirostris) - The only English breeding population is in the southern Pennines where it has declined to under 300 pairs of birds.
• Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) - The lapwing has declined nationally at an alarming rate. Lancashire remains a national stronghold but work is required to maintain populations at current levels.

Habitats

All Lancashire BAP habitat types that contain UK BAP 'Priority (or 'Key') Habitats' where there are internationally, nationally or regionally important examples of the Priority Habitats in the county.

Qualifying habitat types:

• Broadleaved and Mixed Woodland
• Species-rich Neutral Grassland
• Calcareous Grassland
• Reedbed; Mossland
• Moorland/Fell
• Limestone Pavement
• Arable Farmland
• Sand Dune

Rivers and steams were added to the list not only because this habitat type was considered to be an important one in its own right but also because of the role that river corridors have within the county in linking areas of important wildlife habitat.

An additional criteria that was considered was the extent to which habitats supported UK BAP 'Priority Species' and other species of conservation value. This consideration leant additional support to the inclusion of the following:

Reedbeds –

• Bittern (Botaurus stellaris)
• Bearded tit (Panurus biarmicus)
• Marsh harrier (Circus aeruginosus)

Sand dunes –

• Dune helleborine (Epipactis leptochila ssp. dunensis)
• Isle of Man Cabbage (Coincya monensis ssp. Monensis
• Baltic rush hybrids (Juncus balticus X J. inflexus)