Day to day data and information needs of a statutory nature

conservation agency

Bernard Fleming

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

“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 don’t know. But there are also unknown unknowns. There are things we do not know we don’t know.”

England’s 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

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)

Spurn Head

Wintering and passage birds

• 154,000 birds visit the site every winter

• One of the top 10 estuaries for wildlife in Europe

Breeding birds

• Evocative species include avocet, bittern & marsh harrier

The other Humber estuary

• The largest port complex in the UK

• The focus for much new and necessary development on- & off-shore

Potential for conflict?

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

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

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 didn’t know where they were

• Nor their extent

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)• Didn’t know if their work was good or bad

Europarc Phase 4

SHB Link Road

Europarc

Abengoa

Helius

KTN

Vireol

Magna

Case Study: South Humber Bank ABP