Appendix C - Glossary and Abbreviations

Glossary

Acid  Term used to describe soils with a low pH, such as peat.

Aliens  These are plants that have been introduced from other countries planned or accidentally. They may or may not be established or naturalised.

Alkaline  Term used to describe soils of a calcareous nature with a high pH, such as those on chalk or limestone.

Annuals  Plants that complete their life history within a year.

Biennials  Plants that complete their life history over two years, usually flowering in the second year.

Biodiversity  Short for biological diversity, means the diversity of species, the diversity of the habitats in which they live, and genetic diversity within species.

Breeding Birds Survey (BBS)  The monitoring scheme for common and widespread breeding landbirds throughout the UK. It aims to provide data on populations trends to inform and direct conservation action. It is a partnership between the BTO, JNCC and the RSPB. The BBS will replace the long-running CBC.

British Trust for Ornithology (BTO)  A research and conservation organisation in which amateur enthusiasts co-operate with professional ornithologists in national projects, to count birds and monitor populations and distribution.

Calcareous  Made of, or containing, calcium carbonate and therefore alkaline.

Canopy  The uppermost layer of woodland structure.

Climax community  The end point of an undisturbed succession under the prevailing climatic and soil conditions.

Common Bird Census (CBC)  A method used for estimating bird populations in woodland and on farms. Bird watchers visit a site regularly during the breeding season, recording every contact with a bird on a large scale visit map.

Coppicing  Cutting shrubs or trees close to the ground to allow new shoots to grow from the stumps on a rotational basis.

Cultivar  A variant of a species that has been selected by gardeners.

Ecology  The study of the relationships between organisms and their environment.

Eutrophic  A lake or river that is enriched, or over-enriched, with nutrients, particularly nitrates or phosphates.

Fauna  The animals of a particular region or habitat.

Flora  The plants of a particular region or habitat.

Glade  A clearing or open place in a forest or wood.

Green Network/Green Corridors  The built up areas of Hull are dissected by a strategic network of linear, semi-natural habitats including the River Hull, main drains and railway lines known as the Green Network. The network links the strategic SNCI and key open spaces and has the potential to allow wildlife to move freely amongst urban green space and into and out of the City.

Habitat  The natural environment of an organism. The place where it lives.

Habitat Creation  The creation of natural landscapes which provide suitable conditions for the establishment of natural processes and communities.

Habitat Statement  A short account of a broad habitat designed to help inform national and local conservation policy and action. Habitat statements for most of the broad habitats were published in the UK Biodiversity Steering Group Report.

Hull City Services  Includes Parks Maintenance, Urban Forestry, Grounds Maintenance.

Hybrids  Crosses between two species.

Invasive plants  The same as aliens, but the term is usually used to describe those that are a nuisance or injurious to other plants, animals or people.

Local Nature Reserve (LNR)  Local Nature Reserves are for both people and wildlife. They are places with wildlife or geological features that are of special interest locally, which give people special opportunities to study and learn about them or to enjoy and have contact with nature.

Long List of Globally Threatened/ Declining Species  A list of 1250 species generated by the BURD database and published in the UK Biodiversity Steering Group Report. The species qualified on the basis of endemism, decline, international significance, and listing in international legislation.

Middle List of Globally Threatened/ Declining Species  Together with the 'Short List', a subset of the 'Long List' comprising approximately 400 species which are globally threatened or have declined in the UK by more than 50% in the last 25 years. Originally published in the UK Steering Group Report, the middle list has subsequently been revised. The majority of middle list species were the subject of a second round of species action plans under development in 1997-1999. The short list and revised middle list are now referred to as the priority species.

Mitigation  Term used to cover measures to protect populations or habitats from damaging activities or to reduce or remove the impact of development. Normally, compensation for loss of habitat is also required, this often takes the form of habitat creation, restoration and enhancement.

Natural Regeneration  Regrowth of woodland through naturally occurring seedlings.

Naturalised Plants  These come originally from other countries (they are 'aliens') but are now firmly established here as introductions, often having escaped from gardens.

Perennials  Plants that grow and flower over several years.

Pollarded  Term used to describe a tree the trunk of which has been cut 2-4 metres above ground level and then allowed to grow to produce a crop of branches.

Provenance  The place of origin of a tree/plant stock, which remains the same no matter where local generations of the trees are raised.

Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB)  This society champions the conservation of birds and biodiversity.

RSPB Amber List  The Amber List Birds of Conservation Concern are 110 species which are either:

    * In moderate decline
    * Restricted to a small number of sites
    * Present in internationally-important numbers in the UK
    * In unfavourable conservation status across Europe.

RSPB Green List  The 'Green List' species are those which regularly occur in the UK, Channel Islands and the Isle of Man but which do not fulfil the criteria to be placed on the Red or Amber Lists of birds of conservation concern. Their populations are either increasing, stable or have decreased by less than 25% during the last 25 years. Although these are not a high priority for RSPB conservation action, it is vital that monitoring of their populations continues, to provide an early warning of any substantial changes to their status.

RSPB Red List  The Red List species of Birds of Conservation Concern are the 36 species in greatest need of urgent conservation action - the RSPB is undertaking recovery programmes for many of these birds.Birds appear on the Red List for one of three reasons:

    * Their population or range has declined by more than 50% in the last 25 years
    * The species has declined in the long-term (since 1800)
    * It is a globally-threatened species

Sepals  The usually green but sometimes petal-like structures that enclose a flower buds.

Short List of Globally Threatened/ Declining Species  Together with the 'Middle List' and a subset of the 'Long List' comprising approximately 400 species which are globally threatened or are declining in the UK by more than 50% in the last 25 years. 114 species action plans for the short-list species were published in the UK Steering Group Report.

Site of Nature Conservation Interest (SNCI)  A non-statutory designation awarded by the City Council to vegetated areas of value for City wildlife and/or people.

Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)  A statutory designation (under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981), for areas of national biological, geological, or physiographical interest. The aim of the designation is to safeguard the best of the country's varied wildlife and natural assets.

Species Statement  A summary account of a priority species, setting out its status, any current threats, and the need for active search or conservation through action plans of any related habitat or species.

Spore  A unicellular, asexual, reproductive body.

Transect  A line along which birds, flowers or butterflies are counted in a standardised way.

Tree Preservation Order (TPO)  Local planning authority designation which can be placed on a tree, a group of trees or woodland to help conserve the amenity of an area.

UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP)  The UK Government's plan for the protection and sustainable use of biodiversity, published in 1994. It represents a commitment to joint action nation-wide through the securing and better use of resources.

UK Biodiversity Steering Group (UKBSG)  A group of representatives from key sectors established at the launch of the Biodiversity Action Plan to oversee the first stages of the plan. It progressed the development of the first costed species and habitat action plans, and recommended ways of improving information management and dissemination, increasing public awareness and ensuring that the commitments of the BAP are carried out.

UK Habitat Action Plan  A document which describes the current status of a priority habitat, sets 10-15 year targets and objectives for the management, restoration and/or creation of the habitat, and proposes the actions necessary to achieve them. It is accompanied by cost estimates for implementation.

UK Species Action Plan  A 10-15 year summary plan which, based upon the ecological and other requirements of the species, sets out objectives and targets for the maintenance or enhancement of populations and range, and the actions necessary to achieve them.

Understorey  Layer of trees with crowns below those of the dominant trees in the canopy.

Vegetative Reproduction  A sexual reproduction by detachment of some part of the plant, rather than by specialised sexual reproductive organs.

Waterways Breeding Bird Survey (WBBS)  Transect survey of riverine birds.

Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS)  The monitoring scheme for non-breeding waterbirds in the UK which aims to provide the principal data for the conservation of their populations and wetland habitats. It is a partnership between BTO, WWT, RSPB and JNCC.

Abbreviations used in the text

ABP  Associated British Ports
BAP  Biodiversity Action Plan
BBS  Breeding Birds Survey
BP  British Petroleum
BC  Building Control
BGEEP  Bransholme Green Enterprise and Environment Project
BTO  British Trust for Ornithology
CBC  Common Bird Census
CHEF  City of Hull Environment Forum
CSS  Countryside Stewardship Scheme
DC  Development Control
DETR  Department of the Environment Transport and the Regions
EA  Environment Agency
EN  English Nature
ESA  Environmentally Sensitive Area
EU  European Union
EYB  East Yorkshire Birdwatchers
EYBG  East Yorkshire Bat Group
FC  Forestry Commission
FoE  Friends of the Earth
FWAG  Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group
GCT  Game Conservancy Trust
GM  Grounds Maintenance
HAP  Habitat Action Plan
HBP  Hull Biodiversity Partnership
HCS  Hull City Services
HEROGA  Hull and East Riding Organic Gardeners Association
HNHS  Hull Natural History Society
HVWG  Hull Valley Wildlife Group
HWW  Hull Wildlife Watch
IDB  Internal Drainage Board
IUCN  International Union for the Conservation of Nature
JNCC  Joint Nature Conservation Committee
KEG  Kingston Environment Group
KuHCC  Kingston upon Hull City Council
LA  Local Authority
LA21  Local Agenda 21
LEAP  Local Environment Agency Plan
LNR  Local Nature Reserve
NEYEDC  North and East Yorkshire Ecological Data Centre
PPG  Planning Policy Guidance
RSPB  Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
SAC  Special Area for Conservation
SAP  Species Action Plan
SMP  Shoreline Management Plan
SNCI  Site of Nature Conservation Interest
SOCC  Species of Conservation Concern
SPA  Special Protection Area
SPG  Supplementary Planning Guidance
SSSI  Site of Special Scientific Interest
TPO  Tree Preservation Order
UK  United Kingdom
UKBSG  United Kingdom Biodiversity Steering Group
WBBS  Waterways Breeding Bird Survey
WeBS  Wetland Bird Survey
WVP  Water Vole Project
WWT  Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust
YBC  Yorkshire Butterfly Conservation
YWT  Yorkshire Wildlife Trust