Day to day data and information needs of a statutory nature conservation agency

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Day to day data and information needs of a
statutory nature conservation agency

• Bernard Fleming

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A quick summary

• The role of a nature conservation agency
• Describe the Humber Estuary protected area and
  the operational data information needs
• Present some case studies
• Discuss real-world issues in relation to data and
  information

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• There are known knowns. There are things we know
  that we know. There are known unknowns. That is
  to say, there are things that we now know we
  dont know. But there are also unknown unknowns.
  There are things we do not know we dont know.

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Englands State Institute for Nature

• Manages over 4,000 sites in England
• Very professional staff but only around 200 are
  involved in site protection
• The workload is enormous
• The responsibility can be huge
• Site protection is governed by national and
  European law e.g. the Habitats Directive

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Focus on the Humber Estuary

• Estuary - where 20 of England's rivers enter
  the North Sea
• 37,000ha
• 100 km long
• 13 cSAC features littoral and sub-tidal
• Breeding, passage and wintering bird populations
  (SPA)

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Spurn Head
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Wintering and passage birds

• 154,000 birds visit the site every winter
• One of the top 10 estuaries for wildlife in
  Europe

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Breeding birds

• Evocative species include avocet, bittern
  marsh harrier

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The other Humber estuary

• The largest port complex in the UK
• The focus for much new and necessary development
  on- off-shore

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Potential for conflict?

• However, new development can impact on
  biodiversity how to assess the impact?

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The Habitats Directive (cf SAC/SPA)

• This requires the (potentially unique) assessment
  of each development not only in isolation but
  also in-combination with all other plans or
  projects. This can include
• Airborne pollution
• Water resources
• Water quality
• Noise
• Direct land-take

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Case study Capital dredge

• A deeper channel proposed to allow larger ships
  to enter the estuary
• Possible effect on sub-tidal sandbanks an
  Annexe 1 feature
• But we didnt know where they were
• Nor their extent

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Case study Capital dredge

• Nor how they changed as a dynamic feature
• Nor what condition they were in
• Nor what impact the dredge would have (had to
  rely on applicant)
• Didnt know if their work was good or bad

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Case Study South Humber Bank
ABP
Magna
KTN
Abengoa
Helius
Vireol
Europarc Phase 4
SHB Link Road
Europarc