Management strategy

1.1 Purpose

1.1.1 The Norbury Park management plan is separate from the Norbury Park Strategy and complementary to it. The management plan sets out comprehensively the detail of management proposals over a five year period to implement the appropriate parts of the Norbury Park Strategy. There have been two management plans to date - the first produced in August 1986 and the second in December 1992. This, the third management plan will cover all the areas of Norbury Park covered by the Norbury Park Strategy as shown on the map in appendix 1 and will cover the period 2000 - 2005. The management plan will be reviewed in its entirety in 2005.

1.3 Strategic objectives

1.3.1 The strategic management objectives proposed in the Norbury Park Strategy have been adopted for the management plan and are listed below:

* Conserve semi-natural habitats, landscape and historic park
* conserve archaeological features and historic buildings
* Provide informal public access and recreation
* Develop business opportunities which are consistent with the previous objectives, and support farm tenancies
* Promote environmental awareness, educational and arts use
* Encourage active voluntary involvement
* Regularly monitor and review management objectives and management programmes
* Consult and organise research to obtain the views and attitudes of users of Norbury Park and interest groups

1.3.2 In view of the national and European significance of Norbury Park for its rare and threatened habitats, for its landscape quality and for the importance of its historic park features it is proposed explicitly to recognise that the first objective (conservation of habitat, landscape and historic park) should normally have priority over other objectives. In the case of a conflict between nature conservation, landscape and historic park features the matter will be referred to the Norbury Park Consultative Group.

1.3.3 All proposals for management work will be evaluated for their sustainability and nature conservation impact. No management work normally will be undertaken which would have an adverse impact on the nature conservation value of the SSSI. Where any such proposals are identified which are not in the management plan these will be put in front of the Norbury Park Consultative Group. All proposals and activities at Norbury Park will aim to retain its quiet, rural ambience.

1.3.4 Nature Conservation Objectives for the Natura 2000 features, which includes Norbury Park as part of the Mole Gap to Reigate Escarpment cSAC, are currently being developed and will come into effect during the life of this plan.

1.4 Management Programmes

1.4.1 This document outlines the main areas of activity which will be undertaken in order to implement the management objectives listed above. These management objectives are referred to in the Norbury Park Strategy and are in accordance with the Site Management Statement prepared for the Mole Gap to Reigate Escarpment SSSI by English Nature (included in appendix 3) and in the register entry for the historic park prepared by English Heritage (appendix 5). The map in appendix 7 shows the individual management compartments and the areas of these compartments is shown in appendix 8. Overall site management actions (and an explanation of the rpoject codes used) are set out in appendices 9 and 10. Compartment management programmes are identified in appendix 11.

This compartment programme will be reviewed and rolled forward annually