Hydro-ecology

Hydro-ecology is used to determine the conditions before, during and after housing development and allows the avoidance or reduction of adverse effects on wetland habitats.

The placing of housing development within the catchment of wetland systems can have serious implications for adverse changes in water flows and water chemistry.

Water arising off hard surfaces such as roads and roofs has to be directed to specific locations such as existing watercourses or into the ground. This means that flows of surface water that once soaked into the ground and reached wetlands in a diffuse manner may now do so in an entirely different way.

In acidic environments, the introduction of concrete foundations, mortar and pavements based on lime can have a serious effect on base-poor wetland habitats.

FACT: A key test of a sustainable development is the extent to which biodiversity remains uncompromised by development.

WHICH MEANS THAT: An environmentally sustainable development should not adversely affect the wildlife habitats with which it is directly or indirectly associated and wherever possible should enhance those habitats.

WATER AND WETLANDS are under threat from development, abstraction and non-point source pollution and they are priority habitats in Biodiversity Action Plans.