Infrastructure regulating the service
Habitats
Infrastructure regulating service
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The species and biodiversity that occur in a catchment landscape are supported by the network of natural habitats and greenspaces that currently exist in the catchment landscape. Ecological theory suggests that the habitat patches must be of a particular extent and have sufficient connectivity between them in order for the landscape to have a functional ecological network and for the assemblage of species to be supported at the correct level. Before any work is done it is vital that he habitat components of the landscape are mapped and that work is undertaken to protect and enhance them – there is no point working to add to the ecological network in a landscape if the current infrastructure in the landscape is being degraded or damaged at the same time.
National Forest Inventory from Forestry Commission GIS website. (www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/infd‐8g5btk)
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Natural England Priority (formerly Biodiversity Action Plan) Habitat Inventories from NE GIS website. (www.naturalengland.org.uk/publications/data)