RAUK - Archived Forum - GCN and contaminated ponds

Hi everyone,

I am going to carry out a GCN survey on a pond which has been contaminated by a domestic heating oil spill back in summer 05. Decontamination works are required (emptying pond, dredging and scrapping banks). If GCN are present, I reckon we need an EN conservation licence to carry the works out rather than a DEFRA licence although I am not quite sure: EN's advice is that conservation licences are issued to protect a population which is under threat because of natural degradation. But oil spill can hardly be considered as a 'natural' degradation... or can it? when you think about it, what about ponds being restored in order to get rid of invasive species such as crassula? I know some are done under conservation licences and crassula is not quite a 'natural' occurence.

any thoughts welcome!!

cheers

katia

http://www.kbecology.co.uk/

If the works are done at a time when the newts are least likely to be in the pond - i.e. in the winter months - December to February then it is likely that you wouldnt need a license - as you are planning the work around the newt season when it is least damaging and very few newts would be in the pond - yes there may be a few overwintering larva or adults - but hey you can spend alot of time searching for these and not get the work done which would be far more beneficial for the newts - all reasonable measures should be adopted to prevent any harm to individual animals -

You do need to be careful how you carry out the works though - disturbing terrestrial habitat would require licensing if this cannot be avoided ie driving a machine over land towards the pond.

There is specific advice available from English Nature on pond management you can ask them for this and then decide what is best for your situation.

You may find that the newts do not return to the pond this year - due to the pollution so when winter comes you can clear up the mess ready for next years breeding season

If anyone has any thoughts on controlling Crassula please lets share them - here is mine - Fill the Pond IN! yep fill it in - you may need a license for this one mind but it seems the best way to deal with crassula is to block off all its light - hence filling the pond in - at the correct time of year of course - This operation though drastic can be compensated for by building another pond nearby so that wildlife has another pond to use while the crassula is rotting away under several feet of soil - leave the pond for two maybe three years (monitoring the breeding success of the newts in the new pond as you go each year) then re dig the filled pond to its former glory and hey you have two ponds and hopefully no Crassula. Now I will wait for the comments............1.........2........3........4.......5... ..

Building the new pond would of course provide the material to fill the crassula pond in of course

JC

JC, Comment 1, radical, but logical  I would suggest a couple of years monitoring first though as I've seen one pond where it died back of its own accord.. or at least it seems to have.

Getting back to Katia's question my thought would have been EN conservation license as the works are to improve newt habitat for the benefit of the newts, not for mitigation purposes.

Isn't this something that your local EN team should be able to give a definitive answer to? Though at the end of the day you have to be satisfied that the license applied for gives appropriate cover for the works so that the law is complied with and workers are legally covered.

Katia

Dealing with oil spills on GCN ponds. I seem to remember that Will Watson had dealings with a similar problem some years ago in Worcestershire. He might be a good person to contact, he's the West Midlands Regional Rep on ARG-UK (formerly HGBI) so his contact details are probably on the Froglife website.

Just for an update: I have now and been granted an EN conservation licence to undertake the decontamination works (under watching brief after netting).

Katia

http://www.kbecology.co.uk/