Statement regarding Clee Liberty
Clee Liberty Common – entry into Countryside Stewardship Scheme
Information for all Commoners and the wider community
The Commoners’ Committee and Parish Council are delighted to confirm that Clee Liberty Common has been entered into the Countryside Stewardship Scheme.
The overall objective of the Scheme is to support the maintenance and restoration of priority habitats and priority species, bringing biodiversity improvements and climate change mitigations.
The Scheme is designed to:
• restore and maintain areas of upland flushes, fens and swamps, grass moorland and upland heathland, and associated species
• restore and maintain populations of breeding birds, mammals and invertebrates by providing the scrub and grassland habitat, and sward structure suitable for feeding and nesting
• conserve and enhance Nordy Bank Ancient Monument and Clee Burf.
The Scheme will allow implementation of much of the work suggested in the recent “Butterfly and Moths” and “'Proposals for Habitat Management on Clee Liberty” projects.
As a result of entry into the Scheme, you will see the following:
• Reduction in stocking levels: the number of sheep grazing the Common will be reduced to 800, and all sheep will be taken off the Common between November and February each year.
• Bracken control will continue on the Common (by crushing and cutting), following plans agreed with Natural England.
• Rush and gorse control, to improve habitats for nesting birds
• Felling diseased trees
• Replacing fencing around Common
• Creating “leaky woody dams”, to retain water
Funding received through the Scheme will be used to implement these measures. The Scheme runs for 10 years from 2024.
We are very grateful to all Commoners and members of the community who have supported and enabled the Common to be entered into the Scheme.
Clee St Margaret Commoners Association Committee
Clee St Margaret Parish Council
[October 2024]