A quick survey

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A quick survey!

• how many of you are environmental managers?

• how many of you are consulted, feed into and
  help shape the design process for new
  development?

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A Multifunctional Wetland for Biodiversity and
Sustainable Drainage
Dr John Hindley PhD BSc Hons CBiol
MIBiol Environmental Manager
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Main Aim to give an example of how to put
biodiversity issues on the table get success in
large development projects(supported with
pictures)
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Background

• Proposed Western Campus development comprising
  future educational build of 13,000 m2 (beginning
  2003)
• ?more hard surface - Current surface water quotas
  did not allow for increased runoff
• Solution SUDS system (retention system
  balancing lake)

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SUDS Specification

• Generic specification
• Creation of a 3.5million litre lake 3000m2
• Capacity - ability to store SW runoff from back
  to back 100yr storm events
• To provide runoff provision for all proposed
  Western Campus buildings and feature spaces
  (Piazza)

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Getting the bio-issues into thedesign process

• 2002 appointed as in-house Environmental
  Consultant to review design
• Main existing design features - Hard vertical
  edges (concrete/wooden stake), some sloping sides
  with epoxy mortared cobbles, artificial aeration
  (diffusers)
• In fact pretty featureless! Very limited
  opportunity for diverse ecology to establish and
  would become unsustainable in time

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Design engineeringHard to soft

• My main recommendations
• Reduce vertical edges in favour of soft batter
  and rock rip-rap in local stone
• Diversify habitat dynamics Still / moving water
• Circulation - Weir, Stream and Reedbed all had
  specific functions of circulating and oxygenating
  the water as well as being attractive features
• Increased marginal and peripheral planting but
  robust enough for ducks!!
• Reuse of excavated spoil in mounds for tree/shrub
  planting
• Sustainability - ensure lake design was
  sustainable and with maximum ecological social
  benefit.
• These changes showed a 150k budget saving

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as it was April 2002
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Lake layout
Reedbed
Bridge/stream
Weir
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Reedbed (removes excess nutrients)
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Bridge/Rocky stream (Fast flowing water)
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Formal Pool / WeirCirculation/aeration (2
features 1 pump!)
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The lake - a place of relaxation diversity
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The Piazza- Quality open space
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Animal diversity

• Huge noticeable biodiversity gains
• Breeding populations of damselflies and
  dragonflies
• Birds including moorhens and ducks!
• Use of the water surface byfeeding birds
  (emergent insects etc)

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Mound planting Reuse of spoil
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Key Points Making it work

• Best practice - The university Environmental
  Manager should always be consulted during the
  development of the campus.
• Build process sprinter
• Operation of development long distance runner
• In house resource will often give a more
  objective view on a proposal rather than an
  external clinical view (but they can work
  together)
• Developments will always have external
  landscaping issues, which should be seized as
  opportunities.
• Soft engineering solutions such as mounds and
  batters will enable more diverse planting options
  to be used and encourage increased wildlife
  value.
• Wildlife solutions are often cheaper and can fit
  within a formal theme (this scheme saved 150k)
• Increased interest from staff and students
  marketing is important
• Promotes the cross over between Service and
  Academic areas (student and staff research)
• Dont forget it is your campus!

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Thanks for listening!