sussex wetland conference: fran southgate

Water

By Pablo Neruda

Everything on the earth bristled, the bramble

Pricked and the green thread

Nibbled away, the petal fell, falling

Until the only flower was the falling itself,

Water is another matter,

Has no direction but its own bright grace,

Runs through all imaginable colours,

Takes limpid lessons

From stone,

And in those functionings plays out

The unrealised ambitions of the foam.

Water and Wetlands

Working to create a Living Landscape


Picture of Earths Surface showing % global surface covered by water


Images showing the way water has helped shaped our landscapes

© David Ball/Sussex Wildlife Trust


Fran Southgate

Water Footprints


What is our daily per capita water use, and how does the use of manufacturing goods and fuels to create and transport energy

alter that water footprint?

Crassula © Tim Hill


© J Blamire

Images showing human impacts on wetlands


Images showing the multiple human uses of wetlands and some of the ecosystem services that wetlands provide for us

• Around 40% of world species in wetlands covering less than 1% of surface

• 75% human population live in former wetlands • Wetlands are crucial to climate stability


Wetland landscapes

Emerald Damselfly © B Rainbow

What is a wetland?“Marsh, fen, peatland or water, both natural or artificial, permanent or seasonal, that is static or flowing, fresh,

brackish or salt, including marine waters which at low tide do not exceed six metres depth” (RAMSAR)


Likely Wetland Loss•Estimated 80% loss of UK wetlands since Roman times pre AD 400

•Estimated 100,000 ha p.a. drained 1840 - 1880 (UK Wetland Vision)

•Estimated 1960 - 1980 over 60% of Sussex wetlands drained (TWT, ‘96)

•Historical evidence (1840) suggests min. 20% floodplain was wetland

We can only guess at how much wetland has been lost both nationally and locally


230 ha in Sussex (subject to revisions) This is only 7% of the original estimate of reedbed in SussexTwo ‘core areas’ of 20 ha at Combe Haven and Pannel Valley Three areas over 5 ha at Sompting, Walland Marsh and Pannel Valley Roughly 38 reedbeds over 1 ha


What wetlands has Sussex got?

Reedbeds

Image © S McIntyre

FenArea of Sussex fen roughly 92 ha 10% of the original Sussex fen estimate Largest single unit areas in Combe Haven and Pett level (one third each of the entire Sussex fen resource) 18 fen sites over 1 hectare


Wet WoodlandASNW cover 11 % of Sussex (43,000 ha)Soil maps imply roughly 38 % of Sussex ASNW has wetland interest 570 ha of deciduous woodland found in frequently flooded zone300 ha (0.004 % of Sussex ASNW) is ancient floodplain woodland Around 500 ancient floodplain woodland patches, mostly small


Coastal HabitatsLittle known about marine habitats

405 hectares of Saltmarsh (BRANCH data), 92% in West Sussex + RyeChichester Harbour largest saltmarsh in the South-East region

2,000 ha of coastal and estuarine Mudflat (BRANCH)Chichester Harbour (3,000 ha) is the only large estuary in the SE Region.

Only 13 official Saline lagoon sites totalling under 65 ha Five not legally protected, Only three are considered ‘natural’ lagoons

Pagham and Chichester Harbours are internationally important for wintering wildfowl populations

BRANCH (Biodiversity Requires Adaptation in Northwest Europe under a CHanging climate)


Rivers and StreamsUnique geology hosting rare riverine habitats

Over 135 km of chalk stream. Less than 20% deemed near natural

Roughly 80 % of main rivers not achieving Good Ecological Status


PondsUK Ponds – estimated 75% loss this century At least 17,000 in Sussex (excluding garden and urban ponds)Little idea of biodiversity value or locations of priority ponds for wildlifeSix of twelve Important Areas for Ponds in SE are in Sussex: Western Rother, Sussex Heaths, Ashdown, Newhaven, Pevensey and Winchelsea


Wet GrasslandsCoastal and Floodplain Grazing Marsh (CFPGM) 14,000 ha.

Of 1000 ha surveyed in Arun 50% agriculturally improved, 30% species poor and 19% diverse (sometimes improved) inundation grassland.

Species-rich floodplain meadow area unknown - > 97% lost in the UK

Species-poor floodplain meadow area unknown



Habitat Current area in Sussex

Saltmarsh 405.3 ha

Mud flat 1,993.4

Fen 92.3

Reedbed 233 ha

Saline lagoons 65 ha

CFGM ? 5,000 ha in good condition

Ancient Floodplain Woodland 300 ha

TOTAL Wetland Habitats 8,089 ha or 0.02 % of Sussex

Total Wetland Resource of Sussex

+ Ponds

Sussex Wetland PotentialSussex is 384,000 ha in area It has an frequently inundated floodplain of 39,000 ha

Naturally wet soils of 159,000 ha (some overlap with floodplain) & roughly 10,000 Km of rivers and streams


Map showing the theoretical potential and best locations in the Arun valley for the creation of Base-rich fens and

wet woodlands. The modelled map would require ground truthing and liaison with landowners to verify the true

potential of fen creation in these areas.

Catchment boundary reproduced with permission of Environment Agency. Contains Ordnance Survey data. © Crown copyright and database rights 2011.

Potential for (Base rich) Fens Potential for Wet Woodlands

All nine modelled habitats overlayed with the existing BAP habitats

“Imagination is more important than knowledge.

Knowledge is limited, imagination encircles the world”


Sussex Wetland Landscapes Project

[email protected]

01273 497555

sussex wetland conference: fran southgate

Education