Biological Heritage Sites (BHS)

Biological Heritage Sites are the best areas for biodiversity within Lancashire, outside of legally protected sites. Biological Heritage Sites are identified by the Biological Heritage Sites partnership.  All sites included on the register have been assessed against robust, scientifically determined criteria within the Biological Heritage Sites Guidelines for Site Selection. They are some of the core sites for nature recovery in Lancashire on which our Local Habitat Map has been based and are shown on the map as Areas of Particular Importance for Biodiversity, along with statutory protected sites, district wildlife sites and statutory irreplaceable habitat.

There are currently 1,215 Biological Heritage Sites, covering a total area of 34,298 hectares. However, the BHS system is not static. Independently from the LNRS, the extent of BHSs is regularly reviewed and updated, including the addition of new areas that meet the BHS Guidelines for Site Selection. Although LNRS mapping will remain fixed from publication until the next review, new areas of BHS would be included as Areas of Particular Importance for Biodiversity within future iterations of the LNRS. Up to date BHS boundaries can be found here: Nature Recovery Interactive Map

Areas which have been considered and agreed by the BHS Review Panel to warrant inclusion on the BHS register, but which have not yet received higher authorisation, are known as Provisional Biological Heritage Sites. The BHS measures have also been applied to Provisional Biological Heritage Sites where it is reasonably certain that higher authorisation is imminent.

Lancashire Environmental Records Network (LERN) holds and provides data, information and site descriptions relating to the BHS system on behalf of the BHS partnership.  The BHS Team (on behalf of the BHS Partnership) may also be able to provide additional information on individual sites, as well as advice based on available information and knowledge of sites gained from site assessments, to inform appropriate restoration, enhancement and conservation management.  Contact details as follows:

Maintaining and enhancing Lancashire's most important non-statutory wildlife sites is central to ongoing and future nature recovery action in Lancashire. The Priority and Measures seek to encourage only those interventions which would restore, enhance and maintain the ecological interest of these sites and are informed by available information and advice.

Pressures and risks

Unlike statutory designated sites, there are no statutory requirements for BHSs to have management plans, and no obligations relating to achieving or maintaining favourable conservation status.

Identified pressures on individual habitats discussed throughout this strategy can equally apply within a BHS.  There is also a risk that ill-informed or inappropriate management or interventions that do not take account of qualifying features and other ecological interest of these sites could result in damage or loss of ecological interest of particular importance in a County context.  

BHSs can be complex habitat mosaics which can be difficult to map.  Individual sites may be important in a County context for a number of different habitats and species with varying requirements. In line with the BHS Guidelines for Site Selection, a BHS may also contain important areas (such as Priority Habitat) additional to the guideline for site selection under which the site is listed. All of these factors need to be taken into account when determining appropriate restoration, enhancement and conservation management.

Although the BHS Partnership hold data and information on BHSs, for many sites this may not be in a suitable format to readily map areas under the most appropriate LNRS habitat measures.  Also, the LNRS habitat measures do not always fully align with BHS Guidelines for Site Selection.

Opportunities

Habitat restoration, enhancement and positive conservation management of Biological Heritage Sites and/or appropriate habitat creation, restoration and enhancement adjoining these sites would support nature recovery within Lancashire's most important sites and improve habitat most likely to provide the greatest benefit for nature.

Table 18: BHS priorities, potential measures, and associated benefits 

Biological heritage sites (non-statutory county wildlife sites)

Priorities Measures Species benefits Benefits
B1 - The ecological interest of Biological Heritage Sites is maintained and appropriately enhanced.

B1.1 – Habitat restoration, enhancement and positive conservation management within Biological Heritage Sites, which:

  • supports the qualifying features of the BHS,
  • maintains and enhances any irreplaceable habitats present,
  • supports other existing habitats and species of the site,
  • increases the ecological value of the site,
  • is informed by the BHS site description and other information available from the BHS Partnership, and
  • gives consideration to any available advice from the BHS Partnership.

A wide range of Lancashire species.

As Sites of Particular Importance for Biodiversity, BHS play a significant role in meeting overall national biodiversity targets.

B1.2 – Habitat creation, restoration and enhancement adjoining Biological Heritage Sites to benefit the ecological value of the BHS, which:

  • supports the qualifying features and existing ecological interest of the adjoining BHS,
  • is informed by the BHS site description and other information available from the BHS Partnership.
  • gives consideration to any available advice from the BHS Partnership.

To help align action with other potential measures on the land adjoining BHS.
} }