Managing Limestone Pavement
British limestone pavements vary in their appearance, their geological features and in the flora they support. The differences reflect the geological structure of the rock, their formation during the ice ages, climate, altitude and the more recent impacts of man.
Limestone pavements are an impressive and beautiful natural resource. To look after them it is essential they are managed to maintain, or where necessary, enhance, their diversity of plants and animals. This involves:
- ensuring pavement is not removed or damaged,
- avoiding all fertilizer applications on or around pavement,
- avoiding the use of asulam herbicide for bracken control in pavement areas because this will kill rare ferns in the grikes,
- avoiding supplementary feeding on limestone pavement areas,
- grazing with appropriate animals and at suitable stocking levels according to the type of pavement,
- controlling rabbit populations,
- observing and recording change.
Limestone pavement may be split broadly into three types: open, wooded and scrubby. All three types are of nature conservation value.
