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RGIndex



http://www.somerset.gov.uk/levels/LIFE/RGTitles.htm
-- 
Lawrence F. London, Jr. -|- Venaura Farm
InterGarden -|- http://metalab.unc.edu/london
lflondon@mindspring.com -|- london@metalab.unc.edu
Title: RGIndex

Levels & Moors Home Page : life1.gif (1556 bytes)PROJECT : »Français/French

REEDBED CONSTRUCTION GUIDELINES

FOR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT APPLICATIONS

Experience from the Somerset Levels and Moors, UK
and the Parc des Marais du Cotentin et du Bessin, France

Context of this LIFE Project

Introduction

Reedbeds - what they are and how they work
Multiple purpose reedbed objectives
Site development for different objectives
Topography and soil requirements
Basic site investigations

Engineering design

Intensive reedbed lagoons and reedbed basins
Extensive reedbed embankments
Control structures
Determination of the size of reedbed
Ditch design within reedbeds

Reedbed Planting and establishment

Land preparation and weed control
Different techniques of reedbed establishment
Results and assessment of different techniques
Aftercare and water management

Practical hydrological management

Basic considerations - water quality and quantity
Water supply and demand by reedbeds
Pumping and storage solutions
Comparison of extensive and intensive reedbed requirements
Case Study: St Jean de Daye water management
Case Study: Ham Wall area water management

Management for wildlife

Requirements for reedbed birds
Fish management
Other wildlife

Costs of reedbed creation

Construction and management costs
Costs of Reed growing and planting

Transfer of experience to other sites

Performance of Ham Wall and St Jean de Daye reedbeds
Applications for reedbed technology
Realising multiple use objectives
Long term issues for reedbed management

Bibliography Acknowledgements Further information

 

Context of this LIFE Project

The Somerset Levels and Moors is a nationally and internationally important coastal wetland system, comprising large areas of unimproved grazing marsh, draining into Bridgwater Bay, a Ramsar site and Special Protection Area. The Marais du Cotentin et du Bessin is the most important peat grazing marsh in France, comprising the valleys of the Vire, Douve, Aure and Taute which discharge into the Baie de Veys, another Ramsar site and SPA. Within these two wetlands, a joint reedbed-creation project has been developed between a range of statutory and non-statutory organisations, under the aegis of the EC LIFE programme.

The objective of this project is to demonstrate the role of reedbeds in the interception of nutrient-rich water to the benefit of downstream areas of high conservation value. Other objectives, particularly in the UK site, include the demonstration of the fish nursery potential of reedbed/open water interfaces, and the combining of reedbed design for successful water treatment with the creation of suitable habitat for rare or endangered wetland bird and mammal species.

The project commenced in 1992, and was formally completed at the end of 1997, following which long-term monitoring has been continued to broaden our knowledge of the efficacy of such systems for the stated purposes. These Guidelines have been produced to disseminate the experience gained through the project of the construction of reedbeds for environmental improvement of this type.