Wudalianchi National Park, in the north (eastern) province of Heilongjiang, is acclaimed both nationally and internationally, being designated as a Biosphere Reserve under the Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB), as a Global Geopark and as an Important Bird Area (IBA). As a result of repeated monogenetic volcanic activity over a period of more than a million years, Wudalianchi supports a diverse range of vegetation types that demonstrate repeated colonisation and succession on newly formed volcanic terrain.

Lyndon Roberts (Landmark Senior Ecologist) accompanied Dr. Chris Wood, science advisor to the IUCN and Senior Lecturer in Heritage Conservation at Bournemouth University, on a visit to the candidate site in October, 2009.

Expert botanists and ecologists from China were invited to attend a 5-day Workshop, led by Chris and Lyndon, to review the scientific evidence and arguments in support of the Outstanding Universal Value of the nominated site. Following this visit to China, The Landmark Practice will be further involved in the final drafting of the formal nomination document.

Wudalianchi was added to the Tentative List (of World Heritage Sites) in 2001. Following its formal nomination in January 2010, an independent assessment will be carried out by advisory bodies, including IUCN.

Wind Tubines

The UK is subject to extremely challenging energy targets, which commit the country to producing 15% of all energy consumed in transport, heat and power generation from renewable sources by 2020, from a baseline of 2.25% in 2008.

The Government’s Renewable Energy Strategy (RES), published in July 2009, anticipates that on-shore wind generation will be required to provide a significant proportion of the new deployment to meet targets. This will represent a seven-fold increase in wind energy capacity.

The planning process to bring forward wind turbine development is potentially time consuming and costly to developers. The Landmark Practice specialises in preparation of Environmental Statements to inform applications for wind turbine developments.

We offer extensive experience of planning for wind turbines, and a one hundred percent success rate for the planning applications that we have managed to date. The Practice provides in-house capability in the following key disciplines:

• EIA Project Management
• Environmental Planning
• Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment
• Ecological Services

More information here

An article written by Louise Redgrave, The Landmark Practice’s principal ecologist, has featured in this month’s edition of ‘In Practice’, the bulletin of the Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (IEEM).

The article describes the innovative great crested newt mitigation strategy that The Landmark Practice has developed along with David Wilson Homes at Marnel Park, Basingstoke

Download the IEEM article here

Wadi Dana, The Jordan Rift Valley

The Landmark Practice has been appointed to lead a year long pilot study of the impact of climate change on sensitive habitats in the Jordan Rift Valley. Working with internationally renowned climate change expert, Professor Sandy Harrison of Bristol University, Landmark will manage the project on behalf of the Jordanian Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature.

Jordan is vulnerable to climate change, with anticipated temperature increases of 1 – 2 °C, increased evaporation, reduced recharge of aquifers and shrinkage of grassland predicted to cause desertification of semi arid habitats. The objective of the pilot study is to inform strategic planning for conservation and management so that strategies for adaptation and mitigation of biodiversity loss can be designed and implemented.

The project will use computer-based models to predict ecosystem change. Simulations will be used to identify changes in major vegetation types and ecosystem adaptations, including in the distribution of dominant and indicator species. The pilot project will help to identify priorities for training local agencies in strategic planning, and practical measures to monitor and implement methods to manage changes in vegetation, carbon and water cycling.

Project manager and Principal Landscape Architect Chris McDermott commented

‘We’re delighted to be involved in work which adds to Landmark’s skills in addressing climate change in a positive way. This builds upon our land use planning and green infrastructure work and our experience in bringing forward renewable energy developments. This project will give us practical experience of the tools needed to contribute to the UK Climate Impacts Programme (UKCIP), to inform planning for climate change at a strategic and development management level.’

The Landmark Practice ecologists have been monitoring the effectiveness of the great crested newt mitigation strategy at Marnel Park, Basingstoke. Monitoring has been undertaken since the commencement of the project in 2004 (on behalf of David Wilson Homes) and preliminary analysis shows that the breeding population of great crested newt in Popley Ponds Site of Importance to Nature Conservation (SINC) may even be expanding.

The mitigation strategy for great crested newts at Marnel Park includes the creation and maintenance of high quality terrestrial habitat for the newts (species-rich grassland and scrub) with purpose-built hibernation sites, including two 40 m wide habitat corridors through the site linking to open countryside beyond.

To accommodate access to the development, the corridors include innovative underpasses beneath the roads. The culvert system was designed because there was a lack of evidence that great crested newts use standard amphibian tunnels and their effectiveness is being closely monitored. Amphibian-friendly road drainage systems have also been employed with dropped kerbs to avoid trapping any newts within the road network. The development also incorporates Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) to minimise any adverse hydrological impact on the breeding pond.

Enhancements are also being provided, including creation of two new breeding ponds with the aim of establishing a link to a known breeding colony, approximately 2 km west of Popley Ponds.

The newt habitat has been created on a staged programme in advance of each phase of development to provide compensation for loss of habitat in those areas and the majority of the newt mitigation is now in place.

Monitoring has shown that great crested newts are utilising the corridors, that newts have been shown to pass through the culverts in both directions and usage of the corridors appear to be increasing.

To raise local awareness of the scheme, information regarding the importance of the great crested newt population, mitigation strategy and responsibility for management of the newt habitat is being provided to residents in “Home Buyers’ packs”. Interpretation boards are being provided at strategic points within the newt habitat.

The development also features a great crested newt mosaic, designed by local school children and the internationally-acclaimed artist Julieann Worrall Hood in a project sponsored by David Wilson Homes.

Full legal protection makes it an offence to intentionally kill, injure or take water voles, intentionally or recklessly damage, destroy or obstruct access to any structure or place used for shelter or protection and to intentionally or recklessly disturb water voles whilst occupying a structure or place used for that purpose.

There is a defence against the above when the action is the incidental result of an otherwise lawful operation and could not reasonably have been avoided. Natural England has published guidance for planners and developers ‘Water voles – the law in practice‘ , which is available via its website 

This is the third wind energy scheme to be granted planning approval in Bristol and The Landmark Practice has managed the environmental planning issues for all three:

• Bristol Port Company’s three iconic wind turbines, granted consent in December 2006, now in operation and clearly visible from the M5 motorway
• Planning consent for two 3 mega watt turbines for Bristol City Council, on a disused oil depot on the shores of the Severn Estuary, granted consent in January 2009
• Planning consent for four 3 mega watt turbines for Wessex Water, granted in March 2009, to be built at the sewage works beside the M49

Collectively, these nine wind turbines will generate the same output of a moderately sized wind farm, and will make a significant contribution to the South West Region’s renewable energy targets. At a local scale, they will generate well over 50% of the former Avon’s entire 2010 renewable target.

Dr Mark Wright, Chairman of the BCC North Area Planning Committee, commented:

“Avonmouth is an area with excellent wind resource and also significant power demand. It makes obvious sense to put these two together in the most obvious way by installing wind power turbines. The approved plans in this regard are welcome and I look forward to future sets of plans being brought forward.”

When assessing the viability of the latest Avonmouth wind power project, Wessex Water and The Landmark Practice faced twin challenges:

• Proximity to a large urban population
• Proximity to the internationally important bird protection area of the Severn Estuary.

The Landmark Practice’s detailed environmental assessment of potential impacts proved that the wind turbines could be accommodated without damage to nature conservation interests. Careful attention was paid to the precise siting of the turbines to ensure that the effect on wildlife is mitigated. Public consultation identified considerable public support for wind turbines in the Bristol area.

Bernice Roberts, Principal Environmental Planner at The Landmark Practice commented that:

“Opposition to wind turbines usually stems from fear of the unknown, or of change. To allay such fears, it is essential that the environmental assessments we carry out to inform these schemes are thorough, accurate and robust. This helps the planning authority to reach a properly informed and confident decision.”

Bristol City Council’s North Area Planning Committee granted unanimous approval to the Wessex Water wind power project on 26 March.

Download Press Release

Recent projects have included Dunster Castle, Stembridge Tower Mill and Tintinhull House.

Dunster Castle - bat surveys of the stable block were required to inform renovation work of this Grade II listed building.

Previous survey data and surveys by The Landmark Practice identified that a small lesser horseshoe bat maternity colony used the roof void for roosting, along with a small number of grey long-eared, serotine and pipistrelle bats. The lesser horseshoe bats made use of holes in windows and between the each floor level to gain access to all parts of the building.

Mitigation included undertaking the renovation work at times of the year when the bats were absent from the roosts and installing a dormer bat entrance to provide direct access to the roof void. A screen was also placed within the roof void to provide a sheltered and warmer area for the bats to roost. Monitoring to date has revealed that the bats have readily taken to the new dormer entrance and warmer roost area (numbers have increased from 12 to18 bats).

To visit the National Trust website for information about Dunster Castle, click here

Stembridge Tower Mill - this is a thatched windmill (Grade II listed) located on the Somerset levels. Bat surveys were required to inform renovation work of the building. It was found that long-eared and lesser horseshoe bats used the building mainly as a night roost. Surveys included detailed building inspections using endoscopes and also dusk and dawn surveys. Anabat (remote recording devices) were also used to record bat activity within the building over several weeks. The renovation work is due to commence in April 2009. Sensitive working methods have been agreed, which include the retention of all roosts present and the continued provision of bat access into and out of the building. Bat activity will also be monitored over the summer.

To visit the National Trust website for information about Stembridge Tower Mill , click here

Tintinhull House - the former groom’s quarters in the stables building was due to be converted into the gardener’s mess. An ecological survey was needed before the conversion could start to identify whether there were constraints caused by roosting bats. The survey undertaken by The Landmark Practice ecologists identified that the building is used by, among others, long-eared, serotine and potentially lesser horseshoe bats. The room to be converted was used mainly as a night roost. The renovation proposals included repairing the ceiling of the room and installing a fire wall between the room, staircase and adjacent former hay store. Mitigation included undertaking the work while the bats are absent from roosts and retaining the roosts in-situ (which were located in the roof void and adjacent parts of the building). In addition, in order to provide continued access to the roof void, a large letter-box sized opening was created in the wall between the roof void of the (now) gardener’s mess and the hay store.

To visit the National Trust website for information about Tintinhull House, click here

So far this winter we have recorded 19 different bird species including blackcap, goldcrest, goldfinch, long-tailed tit, redwing, song thrush and chiffchaff.

For more information about the Bristol Bird watch, click here

The Landmark Practice has considerable experience in preparing planning applications for wind turbine schemes and associated Environmental Impact Assesment (EIA) and reports to inform Appropriate Assessments (AA). In 2005 Landmark led the successful planning application for the Bristol Port Company’s 3 x 3MW wind turbine scheme (which is now operational at Avonmouth Docks, adjacent to the Severn Estuary European site), the first in the South West to be granted without recourse to appeal.

The Landmark Practice environmental planning team was also responsible for coordinating the EIAs for the Bristol City Council Energy Management Unit Avonmouth Wind Power Project (2 x 3MW turbines, consent granted by unanimous committee vote in January 2009) and the Wessex Water Avonmouth Wind Power Project (4 x 3MW turbines), which is currently awaiting determination.