Client: South West Lakes Trust

Date: February - October 2024

The Challenge

South West Lakes Trust required comprehensive habitat surveys across 11 reservoir sites in Devon and Cornwall. These surveys would establish a biodiversity baseline and inform long-term habitat management plans. The key objectives were to:

1. Measure baseline and proposed Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) values.

2. Maintain or improve ecological conditions across the sites.

3. Enhance habitats for Section 41 species and habitats under the NERC Act 2006.

4. Create and restore natural habitats where needed.

5. Improve opportunities for natural flood management.

Given the scale of the project, challenges included site access limitations, large sites, seasonal constraints on surveys, and ensuring safe working conditions in remote or hazardous areas.

The Solution

Land & Heritage developed a structured, methodical approach to ensure efficient data collection, ecological assessments, and management planning. Our process included:

• Standardised habitat surveys: Using UK Habitats Classification and identification of potential Annex I habitats.

• Targeted condition assessments: Using the Statutory BNG Metric Habitat Condition Assessment approach and including MoRPh River Condition Assessments for all watercourses.

• Targeted Section 41 species assessments across all sites to identify their presence or potential presence on site.

• Detailed BNG assessments: Completing BNG metric calculations to quantify both baseline and proposed management biodiversity values.

• Risk & access planning: Conducting preliminary site scoping visits to identify hazards, access issues, and seasonal constraints.

• GIS-integrated reporting: All habitat data was captured using QGIS and QField, ensuring precise spatial mapping for long-term monitoring.

The Result

• Comprehensive habitat baseline reports: Each site received a detailed assessment, including baseline habitat maps, species records, BNG baseline values and ecological constraints and reasoning for all recommended management actions.

• Clear, actionable management plans: Prescriptive management plans for each habitat management action, including timeframes, methods, maps with target notes and ecological constraints intended to be collated into site-wide management for rangers on site.

• Proposed BNG: Best-case BNG scenario for all management prescriptions at each site to provide an estimated measure of future biodiversity value following management.

• Efficient & safe survey execution: Advance planning minimised delays and achieved a tight project timeline, for WINEP finding deadlines.

• Scalable approach for future projects: The methodology provides a repeatable model for ongoing habitat monitoring across South West Lakes Trust’s portfolio.

Looking Ahead

These surveys form the foundation for long-term conservation and land management strategies, ensuring sustainable and measurable ecological improvements across South West Lakes Trust properties in the region.

Let’s Talk

Need a comprehensive, scalable approach to habitat surveys and biodiversity planning? Get in touch today to discuss your project needs.