A Day in the Life of an Environmental Consultant – Winter 2023

New Scrapes created at Blacketts Marsh near Conyer

The marshes in winter have a bleak beauty. Wind shivered waterways silvered with pale light, marsh harriers lifting from reedbeds to quarter the fields. Herons harsh calls splitting the frantic piping of redshank.

Winter is an important time for our waders as native flocks are boosted with birds from Northern Europe who come to feed on the flooded fields. Holding this flood into the spring is crucial if the birds which stay to breed have any chance of success. This autumn the farmers across the Thames, Medway, Swale and Blackwater estuaries have been working hard to create wetlands that will hold rainfall on the fields for longer.

Tim, Jo, Richard and I survey the diggers of FGS Pilcher Ltd at work on the marsh.

I was delighted to visit Blackett’s Marsh on the Swale in November with Tim Malpas CEO of Blackbird Farming, Shepherd Richard Frampton and Jo Dear who has been helping monitor waders across the land around Conyer Creek.

I have been working with Blackbird Farming and farm agents BTF Partnership for the last few years to design and consent new scrapes and rills. These projects take a long time to come to fruition so it was magical to see master wetland engineers from FGS Pilcher Ltd out on the marsh making the designs a reality.

After Christmas work will begin further along the coast at Luddenham Marshes also owned by Blackbird Farming where water control structures will eventually be installed to isolate the marsh from the drainage system and flood the fields for waders.

During my visit, hundreds of pied wagtails were already taking advantage of the wet bare earth and flocks of lapwing were swooping in to investigate.

Tim Malpas surveys the new wetland he has created

The new solar pump in situ

In between these two farms the land is owned by Mr Oyler. I visited the site with son Tom to investigate the workings of a new solar pump sponsored by the Lower Medway Internal Drainage Board. The pump should top up rills on the land throughout the spring months to keep the fields wet for flocks of curlew who love to feed on this site.

Over on the Hoo Peninsula I co-chaired the first meeting of the Hoo Peninsula Farmer Cluster with Tom Gore of Ringshill Farm. Tom and I were delighted with the turn out and the support of the farming community for taking the idea of a cluster forward. We were grateful to Alexa Mujtaba-Murray of Making Space for Nature and Archie Fuller of Natural England for their advice on the day. Thanks also to Kevin at the Horseshoe and Castle Pub for hosting us.

Wetlands like this created on former arable land by farmer Leslie Orrock are all important for Essex’s breeding waders.

Across the Thames I visited 2 farms in Essex alongside Andrew Hartley from Natural England. Andrew and I explored ongoing issues with water supply to the National Nature Reserve and adjacent farmland following changes to the hydrology. We also spent a great afternoon with Leslie and Payne Orrock at Moverons Farm near Brightlingsea where we visited the tapestry of wetland features that have been created in the fields.

Suitable habitat for breeding waders outside of reserves is like gold dust in Essex it seems so I am hoping that this show piece farm will inspire other landowners to actively manage more land for birds like lapwing.

Finally seeing solid results after years of planning has been the best Christmas present I could have wished for.