Management Plans

What is a management plan?

A plan of management is a document that outlines how an area will be managed in the years ahead regardless of size or location. It sets out the values of the area, management objectives and management strategies.

What type of management plan do I need?

There are many different types of management plans associated with a variety of industries, activities and disciplines.

BlueSky Environmental Solutions specialise in the preparation, production and implementation of the following types of management plan.

Our services include:

Parks and greenspace management plan

These management plans are written to guide the efficient and effective management of the park or green space. The people who are responsible for the day-to-day management of the site are therefore among the primary audience. This means that writers of management plans need to keep in mind their own needs and requirements as users of the plan. They are likely to require fairly technical information that addresses all the important elements of site management and control and that helps them plan and deliver the services the green space needs.

To be most effective, a management plan must be accepted, supported and owned by everyone who has a concern or interest in the park, which includes:

• Everyone involved in the management of the park;
• Everyone involved in the maintenance of the park;
• Everyone who uses the park;
• Independent businesses that operate in the park;
• The people who live in, near or around the park (including those who do not use it);
• The elected members or trustees responsible for making higher-level strategic decisions that impact on the park, such as the setting of annual maintenance budgets;
• Other service delivery teams that have an influence on access, visual amenity and local environmental quality;
• Local businesses that may not have a direct relationship with the park.

Reference: CABE Space – A guide to producing Park and Green Space management plans

Woodland management plan

A woodland management plan is a detailed written document which is essential for good woodland management and should include:

• Woodland location and description
• Woodland inventory and survey information
• Landowner's goals including long-term and short-term objectives
• Implementation of specific activities designed to meet the landowner's management priorities, including where applicable:
  o location
  o timeframe
  o resources required
  o estimated costs
  o estimated revenues
• Monitoring and review – a woodland management plan should be reviewed and updated at regular intervals.

Deer management plan

Deer are an important part of our wildlife and are attractive animals which people enjoy seeing in our countryside. However, too many deer can lead to:

• Damage to trees, woodland flora and wildlife habitats
• Damage to farm crops and gardens
• More traffic accidents
• Poor health of the deer themselves if their numbers are greater than the habitat can support.

Therefore, it is important to manage deer to keep them in balance with their habitat and prevent serious damage to woodlands, nature reserves, parks or gardens where deer may now live or colonise in the future. A good deer management plan should contain the following elements:

• Background information including any history of previous management
• Woodland information including any constraints
• Future management including long-term and short-term objectives
• The current management situation and any known impacts
• Proposed future management
• Strategy and implementation
• Monitoring
• Health and safety issues
• Cost and revenue implications
• Review and plan modifications

Fisheries management plan

A fisheries management plan is a management document that provides background information about the historic and current fish community and about physical conditions within the watershed. The plan is used to set management directions for the fish community, the fish habitat, and human use of the resource. It ensures that the fisheries resources are managed sustainably, effectively and efficiently and should include the following:

• Location and description
• Water quality and fish surveys, including health check information
• Aims and objectives
• Proposals for fish stock manipulation, including stocking or de-stocking
• Proposals for the management of bankside and aquatic plants
• Proposals for the control of algae and invasive species
• Implementation of physical and biological improvements
• Monitoring and review – the fisheries management plan should be reviewed and updated at regular intervals

BlueSky Environmental Solutions can provide you with individual site or species specific management plans or combine a number of management plans within a single document, allowing you to have an overall, greenspace / woodland / deer / fisheries management strategy for your area.

Please contact us for further details.