WETLAND HABITAT ACTION PLAN
The water quality of Montgomeryshire’s rivers is still good and a number of rivers still have natural features like river shingles and ox-bow lakes. These features provide habitats for Otter, salmon, crayfish and Club-tailed Dragonfly. Our upland lakes are of local and national conservation importance, particularly the nutrient poor lakes as they are often home to some unusual specialist plants and animals such as Quillwort, an aquatic fern.
The Montgomery Canal, although man-made, is now recognised as being of international conservation importance and as such has been designated as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC). The canal is a unique place for aquatic plant species including globally threatened Floating Water-plantain.
What are the threats to our rivers and wetlands?
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Drainage of wet grassland and canalisation of rivers.
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Diffuse pollution issues and siltation from forestry and agriculture.
Wetland Habitat Action Plan
Action
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We will manage all wetland habitats on our Nature Reserves appropriately to maintain favourable condition.
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Encourage the creation of wetland habitat in the Severn valley to include wet woodland, flood meadow and mire on a large area scale.
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Encourage landholders to manage their wetlands appropriately to benefit BAP species.
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Establish a network of wetland Wildlife Sites and Private Nature Reserves.
Advice
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Advise landholders about the wildlife value of mesotrophic pools and encourage sympathetic management.
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Provide information to landholders and managers about watercourse conservation management.
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Advise landholders about appropriate management of river shingle for notable invertebrate and bird species.
Survey
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Work with partner organisations to locate invasive plant species along waterways.
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Undertake specialist surveys for Shining Ramshorn Snail, Lipsothrix nervosa fly, Lipsothrix errans fly, Perileptus areolatus beetle & Quillwort.
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Undertake a volunteer survey of Black-headed Gull nesting sites and Otter surveys.
Lobbying
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Advocate good practice animal husbandry to help reduce the risk of contaminating watercourses, particularly the use of sheep dip.
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Ensure that the conservation requirements of rivers and streams are fully considered when developing and revising agri-environment schemes.
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Strongly advocate that any restoration programmes on the Montgomery Canal do not damage its conservation interest.
