- Home
- Companies
- Wessex Water Services Limited
- Services
- Wildlife and Ecology
Wildlife and Ecology
The region served by Wessex Water has significant populations of many locally, nationally and internationally important species and their supporting habitat. Many of these species and habitats are legally protected and represent the high level of biodiversity within the south west. Assessing the potential impact of our schemes upon wildlife is therefore very important and is a key component of the Wessex Water Biodiversity Action Plan. During the environmental screening phase, our environmental team consult ecological information held on our environmental GIS (Geographical Information System). This includes records for designated sites within our region (e.g. Sites of Special Scientific Interest or County Wildlife Sites).
We also check records of protected species. This information is sourced from the Environmental Records Centres within our region and our own survey programme.
Information from our survey programme is fed back to the Environmental Records Centres to allow others to benefit from the knowledge we gain of species diversity on our landholding.
Where our environmental screening indicates that there is a potential impact to wildlife or sensitive habitat, our in-house ecological team may undertake specialist surveys on the ground prior to construction. In addition, our schemes may be subject to consultation with local wildlife organisations (for example, the Wildlife Trusts) and national regulators (Natural England and the Environment Agency). During 2006, our ecological team surveyed over 120 projects, ranging from the construction of new buildings on existing sites to replacement pipelines.
Where we cannot reasonably avoid impact, we may need to undertake specialist mitigation/reinstatement and seek consent for our projects from Natural England and other regulators. Our ecological team co-ordinate this work. Recent examples of our work include:
Great Crested Newts
Following identification of ponds supporting this species, several projects have included measures to avoid impact. This includes ensuring our working areas do not contain any newts by erecting “newt proof” fencing and trapping any individuals within the fence – releasing them to suitable habitat elsewhere.
Dormouse
Surveys of a site prior to the extension of a water treatment works indicated that the surrounding habitat was suitable for the species. Specialist working methods were used during construction and nest boxes erected.
Sensitive habitat
Refurbishment of a water supply site in a Site of Special Scientific Interest required a detailed working method to ensure that the topsoil was stored during works and then replaced. This protected the plant species of this important chalk grassland. We have continued to monitor the progress of the grassland which has thrived following reinstatement.