Plans to protect hundreds of miles of riverbank in south Wales are being devised after ecologists completed the first year of a major survey into their condition.
The four-year survey was commissioned by Forestry Commission Wales as part of a strategy for managing the land 20 metres each side of the streams and rivers which run through Welsh Assembly Government-owned woodlands.
FC Wales will use the data to prioritise work to protect 690km of riverbanks and watercourses – known as riparian areas – which provide a habitat for species such as fish, birds, reptiles and insects.
During the first year of the study, which aims to restore large areas of south Wales to their native vegetation cover, ecologists surveyed over 190km of riparian areas in the Heads of the Valleys.
They identified threats from invasive species such as Rhododendron ponticum, Japanese Knotweed and Himalayan Balsam, as well as migration barriers for fish such as erosion and debris build-up in dams and blocked culverts.
The ecologists also analysed the present condition of watercourses and riverside plants, along with the types of trees and factors which might make management more difficult, such as steep slopes or wet ground.
FC Wales Conservation Manager Rosalind Codd said the first year’s results were encouraging and showed that many watercourses were fine, though there were a number of issues to be addressed.
“A preliminary analysis of the results shows that a number of sites display operational constraints due to the steep slopes and rough terrain surrounding the watercourse,” she said.
“As with many rivers and streams across south Wales, a number of watercourses within Assembly Government woodlands are susceptible to some level of invasive species along their edges.
“However, a more in-depth analysis is required before we get a clear picture of the current condition of these watercourses.”
Rosalind said FC Wales would score every site for its current threat level and prioritise watercourses according to their score and the current condition of the riparian area.
“Once we have done this, we can begin to design programmes of work, targeting the most threatened areas first,” she said.
“This will allow us to be more effective in our management of watercourses to improve the overall quality of both the watercourse and surrounding area.”
The need to survey all watercourses within Assembly Government woodlands was identified after the publication of the EU’s Water Framework Directive, which said that the UK had to improve the quality of its rivers.
As well as tackling invasive species, work could involve removing conifer trees close to watercourses and planting native trees to deliver environmental benefits, improve the rivers and streams for wildlife and help to preserve the special landscape character of Wales.
The surveys are being carried out by AECOM, a multi-national consultancy that won the work via competitive tender, using the latest technology to capture biological information using handheld computers and GPS units.
Kevin Webb of AECOM said, “Two surveyors using the latest handheld GIS/GPS devices recorded approximately 1200 individual data points during the year, although the distance covered to reach survey areas was significantly greater than first anticipated.
“The Welsh weather was the other major challenge and surveyors experienced the full range of local weather, from days of prolonged heavy rain, snow showers and hot sunshine – occasionally all in the same day!”
It is hoped that the results of the survey will not only assist FC Wales with future work but also feed into the information held by Environment Agency Wales on watercourses in Assembly Government woodlands.
