Habitat Networks (Individual Habitats) (England)

The Habitat Network Maps seek to apply the best evidence and principles and to use the best available nationally consistent spatial data. The habitat network maps are developed around 4 distinct habitat components sets and include 3 distinct network zones where action may be undertaken to build greater ecological resilience. The different elements of the maps are described below: Habitat Components • The location of existing patches of a specific habitat for which the network is developed. This is termed the ‘Primary habitat’ e.g. lowland meadow. The main baseline data used for this is the Priority Habitat Inventories. • The location of additional habitat that naturally form mosaics with the primary habitat e.g. habitats that are most likely to form ecological mosaics possibly used by species associated with the primary habitat. This is termed the ‘Associated habitat’ or 'Other Priority Habitats'. The main baseline data used for this is the Priority Habitat Inventories. • The locations where habitat creation or restoration is known to occur, this is primarily sites under relevant agri-environment options. This is termed the ‘Habitat Restoration-Creation’ • Sites where data suggests small fragments of the primary habitat or degraded habitat exists and where restoration may be possible, this is primarily developed from information held within the current PHI. This is termed the ‘Restorable habitat’. Network Zones • Land within close proximity to the existing habitat components that are more likely to be suitable for habitat re-creation for the particular habitat. These areas are primarily based on soils but in many cases has been refined by also using other data such as hydrology, altitude and proximity to the coast. This is termed the ‘Network Enhancement Zone 1’. • Land within close proximity to the existing habitat components that are unlikely to be suitable for habitat re-creation but where other types of habitat may be created or land management may be enhanced including delivery of suitable Green Infrastructure. This is termed the ‘Network Enhancement Zone 2’. • Land within relatively close proximity to the Network Enhancement Zones 1 & 2 that are more likely to be suitable for habitat creation for the particular habitat and identifying possible locations for connecting and linking up networks across a landscape. This is termed the ‘Network Expansion Zone’. Note: For some habitat networks not all of the habitat components or all the action zones are identified either because the data does not exist or the habitat does not lend itself to identifying particular types of action. Further details are outlined in the Habitat Network Mapping Guidance document. The Network boundary is drawn around the 4 habitat components using a variable buffering process with a generalised distance of 500m although 1km was used for Blanket Bog. As the boundary for each habitat network is tightly drawn around the existing patches of habitat this means that at a national scale the habitat network is composed of a series of smaller ‘networks’ that encapsulates one or more clusters of existing habitat patches. These may be considered as ‘network segments’. The Network Expansion Zone has been drawn around these segments to identify areas where additional action may be undertaken to build greater ecological resilience across the wider landscape. Please note the network component ‘Fragmentation Action Zone’ has not been used in this update. Why is it important that NE publishes this data? The Habitat Network Maps provide spatial guidance to plan and develop local ecological networks and may be used to help target action to build greater ecological resilience for habitats across England. They are being used within a range of Natural England projects including the Favourable Conservation Status Project and Net Gain and to help identify possible locations for the delivery of the 25YEP target of 500,000 ha of new priority habitat. Lineage Created using the following data sets: Priority Habitat Inventory (March 2025) Agri-Environment CS and ES options data (Sept 2024) Ancient Woodland Inventory Priority Rivers Priority Rivers Headwaters Priority Lakes Draft Wood Pasture & Parkland Inventory PTES Traditional Orchards HAP data layer NSRI Soilscapes data A digital terrain model Urban Settlements EA Flood Risk Zone 2 and 3 The data layers listed above were geoprocessed using FME to prepare a series of individual habitat network maps that have also been combined to produce grouped habitat network maps and a combined habitat networks map. More information on which data sets and method used is outlined within the 'User Guidance Document' and 'Updates and Improvements NHN2025'. Some individual habitat networks have been grouped for this update to better reflect current ecological thinking and remove artificial divisions. A complete list of individual, grouped and combined habitat networks published is shown below: Blanket bog Limestone pavement Lowland dry acid grassland Lowland meadows Lowland raised bog Purple moor grass and rush pastures Traditional orchards Upland hay meadow Wood pasture and parkland Ancient Semi Natural Woodland Coastal: (Coastal saltmarsh, Coastal sand dunes, Coastal vegetated shingle, Maritime cliff and slope) Calcareous grassland: (Lowland calcareous grassland, Upland calcareous grassland) Heathland: (Lowland heathland, Upland heathland) Fen Reedbed: (Lowland fens, Upland flushes fens and swamps, Reedbeds) Rivers and Lakes: (Rivers, Lakes) Combined: (All habitats) Full metadata can be viewed on data.gov.uk.生境网络地图（Habitat Network Maps）旨在运用最优证据与原则，并采用当前可得的最优质全国统一空间数据。本生境网络地图围绕4类独立生境组分构建，并涵盖3类可开展行动以提升生态韧性的独立网络分区。地图各组成要素说明如下： • 生境组分 • 核心生境（Primary habitat）：即本网络所针对的特定生境现有斑块的分布位置，例如下低地草甸。此类数据的核心基线来源为《优先生境清单（Priority Habitat Inventories）》。 • 伴生生境（Associated habitat / Other Priority Habitats）：即与核心生境自然形成镶嵌格局的额外生境分布位置，例如最可能与核心生境形成生态镶嵌、且可能被关联物种利用的生境。此类数据的核心基线来源同样为《优先生境清单》。 • 生境修复与营造区（Habitat Restoration-Creation）：即已知将开展生境营造或修复的区域，主要为符合相关农业环境方案的地块。 • 可修复生境（Restorable habitat）：即数据显示存在核心生境小型斑块或退化生境、且具备修复可行性的区域，此类数据主要来源于当前《优先生境清单（PHI）》的存档信息。 • 网络分区 • 网络提升区1（Network Enhancement Zone 1）：紧邻现有生境组分、更适宜针对特定生境开展生境再造的区域。此类区域最初以土壤数据为基础划定，多数情况下还结合水文、海拔与滨海区位等其他数据进行了精细化修正。 • 网络提升区2（Network Enhancement Zone 2）：紧邻现有生境组分、但不适宜开展目标生境再造，但可用于营造其他类型生境或优化土地管理（包括落地适宜的绿色基础设施）的区域。 • 网络拓展区（Network Expansion Zone）：距网络提升区1与2相对较近、更适宜开展目标生境营造的区域，用于识别跨景观尺度连接生境网络的潜在点位。 注：部分生境网络并未涵盖全部生境组分或行动分区，原因在于相关数据缺失，或该类生境无法适配特定行动类型的识别。更多细节详见《生境网络制图指南（Habitat Network Mapping Guidance document）》。 生境网络的边界以可变缓冲流程围绕4类生境组分划定，通用缓冲距离为500米，但帽泥炭沼泽（Blanket Bog）采用1千米缓冲距离。由于每个生境网络的边界均紧密贴合现有生境斑块，因此在全国尺度下，生境网络由一系列更小的「网络单元（network segments）」组成，每个单元包含一处或多处集群分布的现有生境斑块。网络拓展区即围绕这些单元划定，用于识别可在更广阔景观尺度下开展额外行动以提升生态韧性的区域。请注意，本次更新未使用「破碎化行动区（Fragmentation Action Zone）」这一网络组分。 为何自然英格兰（Natural England，简称NE）需要发布此类数据？ 生境网络地图可为地方生态网络的规划与建设提供空间指引，助力靶向行动以提升全英格兰范围内生境的生态韧性。目前该地图已应用于自然英格兰的多个项目，包括《优良保护状况项目（Favourable Conservation Status Project）》与《净增益项目（Net Gain）》，并可用于识别落实《25年环境计划（25YEP）》中新增50万公顷优先生境目标的潜在点位。 数据谱系 本数据集基于以下数据源创建： • 《优先生境清单（2025年3月）》（Priority Habitat Inventory） • 《农业环境气候服务与生态系统服务方案数据（2024年9月）》（Agri-Environment CS and ES options data） • 《古林地清单》（Ancient Woodland Inventory） • 《优先河流》（Priority Rivers） • 《优先河流源头》（Priority Rivers Headwaters） • 《优先湖泊》（Priority Lakes） • 《草拟林地牧场与公园清单》（Draft Wood Pasture & Parkland Inventory） • PTES传统果园数据层（PTES Traditional Orchards） • 《生境行动计划（Habitat Action Plan, HAP）数据层》 • 《国家土壤资源调查土壤景观数据（NSRI Soilscapes data）》 • 《数字地形模型》（A digital terrain model） • 《城镇定居点数据》（Urban Settlements） • 《环境署（EA）洪水风险区2与3》（EA Flood Risk Zone 2 and 3） 上述数据图层均通过FME软件进行地理处理，生成一系列独立生境网络地图，随后进一步合并为分组生境网络地图与综合生境网络地图。关于所用数据集与具体方法的更多信息，详见《用户指南文档》与《NHN2025更新与改进说明》。本次更新对部分独立生境网络进行了分组，以更好契合当前生态理念并消除人为划分。已发布的独立、分组及综合生境网络完整清单如下： • 帽泥炭沼泽（Blanket bog） • 石灰岩坪地（Limestone pavement） • 低地旱生酸性草原（Lowland dry acid grassland） • 低地草甸（Lowland meadows） • 低地隆起泥炭沼泽（Lowland raised bog） • 紫芒禾草与灯心草牧场（Purple moor grass and rush pastures） • 传统果园（Traditional orchards） • 高地干草甸（Upland hay meadow） • 林地牧场与公园生境（Wood pasture and parkland） • 古半天然林地（Ancient Semi Natural Woodland） • 沿海生境：（沿海盐沼、沿海沙丘、沿海植被砾石滩、海蚀崖与海坡） • 钙质草原：（低地钙质草原、高地钙质草原） • 灌丛地：（低地灌丛地、高地灌丛地） • 沼生芦苇床：（低地沼地、高地渗流沼与沼泽、芦苇床） • 河流与湖泊：（河流、湖泊） • 综合生境：（全生境） 完整元数据可在data.gov.uk平台查询。