wetland design and restoration

Our aquatic ecologists have extensive experience of wetland design and restoration. Our full-time team of professional ecologists is able to call upon the expertise of a number of specialists, including botanists, hydrologists, entomologists, ornithologists and fisheries experts. Such a broad range of expertise enables us to provide teams tailored to the individual requirements of specific projects in a highly cost-effective manner.

Our links with the University of Sheffield enable us to utilise the resources of one of the country's largest life science departments, including libraries, experimental gardens & glasshouses, environmentally controlled environmental growth room facilities and comprehensive analytical laboratories.

Our track record is reflected in our client list for this area of work, which includes statutory bodies, government, industry and conservation groups. Of particular note is the degree to which the wetland team has been called upon to develop fundamental policy and guidance for decision-makers at the highest level on wide ranging issues of land use policy and conservation matters. The wetlands team has undertaken many projects involving assessment, monitoring, design and restoration of valued habitats, including SINCs, SSSIs, SPAs, pSACs and Ramsar sites. In addition, we have worked closely with industry on a wide range of wetland restoration and wetland creation projects.

Internationally, our reputation continues to grow. The practice is currently undertaking projects on three continents and has assisted in strategic planning for the wetlands of Tomsk Region (Siberia) under the UK's Darwin Biodiversity Initiative.

Project examples include:

• Wetland restoration and crayfish reef creation - Calke Park, Derbyshire
• River corridor improvements benefitting primarily crayfish but also watervole, invertebrates and fisheries - Belton
• Newt pond creation with associated hibernacula and terrestrial habitat – Blaxton Quarry, Yorkshire
• Ecological Impact Assessment of the restoration of the Rochdale Canal cSAC/SSSI, including assessment, impact avoidance and mitigation design/delivery for numerous road bridge schemes, new channel build, dredging and lock refurbishment - Rochdale Canal Restoration.