About this unit

This unit is about management plans. It looks at the key activities you undertake when gathering information on sites, how you interpret the information, and produce a site management plan. The plan should deal with a broad range of potential and actual site uses, and reconcile such uses in the plan’s proposals.

The term ‘site’ should be interpreted widely and could refer to a single nature reserve or country park, a roadside verge or a series or group of similar locations with comparable management requirements. ‘Management’ is also given a broad interpretation and covers all practical work such as habitat and access management, as well as the provision of interpretation and other visitor facilities.

You must be able to gather information on the site using a wide range of resources including that which is already there, the current uses of the site and the potential uses of the sites. The unit also concentrates on the sources of such information, whether this is primary data - collected by you (e.g. visitor use and requirements), or secondary data – collected by someone else but identified and used by you (e.g. the site’s botanical records). ‘Site resources’ - can include archaeological and historical features. These are an integral part of the environment but may not be immediately visible. Data on such features can be obtained from the relevant statutory agencies. It is important that alterations to the physical environment do not damage archaeological sites or historic buildings.

You must also be able to analyse this information, looking at the site’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, constraints and threats. Opportunities and constraints will include the link between proposed management and appropriate biodiversity action plans (local and national, species and habitat) and organisational commitments to sustainability. From this analysis you will be able to reconcile the differing uses in the form of a management plan – identifying prioritised action, the resources required to achieve the plan and any other information deemed necessary.

Management plans should be informed by appropriate biodiversity action plans and commitments to sustainability.

This unit is for all environmental conservation workers involved in management planning for a site or sites.

» Element EC24.1 Assess site resources

» Element EC24.2 Produce site management plans

Element EC24.1 Assess site resources

What you must be able to do:

1. accurately assess actual and potential site resources from available data
2. accurately identify existing site use and management
3. make records of site resources that are accurate, legible and complete, and appropriate to the production of management plans

This standard covers:

A. resources:

• flora
• fauna
• landscape features
• archaeological and historical features
• visitor facilities
• educational facilities
• recreation facilities

B. sources of data:

• primary
• secondary

C. types of data:

• qualitative
• quantitative

What you must know and understand:

• techniques for assessing site resources and their use
• secondary sources of information about site resources and the use and
  management of sites
• types of conflicts which may exist in relation to the use of the site and
  how this has been tackled in the past
• requirements for public access and recreational use of the site

Element EC24.2 Produce site management plans

What you must be able to do:

1. establish the intended purposes and uses of the site
2. identify and evaluate opportunities and constraints in managing the site
3. ensure that your plans achieve the best balance between the present use of the site and opportunities and constraints
4. identify the resources required to achieve the plan and establish their availability
5. ensure that your plans contain the necessary information for their effective implementation
6. present plans in a way which is suitable for those who are to implement and monitor them

This standard covers:

A. opportunities and constraints:

• legal
• environmental
• requirements of site users and wider community
• economic/financial
• physical
• organisational
• timing or seasonality
• site history

B. resources:

• natural
• physical
• human
• financial

C. information:

• site preparation
• work methods and procedures
• sequence of operations
• disposal of waste or surplus products
• final intended appearance and condition of the site
• health and safety requirements
• monitoring systems and timescales

What you must know and understand:

• the types of potential site uses and their associated requirements
• the impact which different management methods may have on surrounding people, flora and fauna
• the ways in which conflicts may be tackled and resolved in management plans
• the inter-relationship between opportunities and constraints in the management of sites: legal, environmental, social, cultural and aesthetic, economic or financial, physical, organisational, timing or seasonality
• the structure, content and presentation of site plans for particular uses and audiences
• the different kinds of resources - human, financial, material and capital, which are necessary to achieve plans, and their inter-relationship
• the organisation’s policy and your specific responsibilities under health and safety legislation
• effective methods of presenting plans to the full range of people who are to implement them

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