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

White fronted geese take to the skies above Sheppey

As I write, the great tits are tuning up amid the hazel catkins and the sun has enough warmth to allow me to enjoy lunchtime in the garden once again. Spring is on the way and, like our migrating birds, I am beginning to think about heading to pastures new.

My work with farmers on the north Kent marshes is about to expand to the other side of the Thames estuary. Back in December I spent a fantastic day at Old Hall Marshes RSPB reserve with site manager Kieren Alexander. We talked about some of the farmers in Essex that have benefitted from the RSPB’s work as part of Defra’s Green Recovery Funding. Solar pumps have been installed and scrapes created with this funding and I am hoping to provide follow up surveys and advice to any farmers along the Essex coast who may be interested in managing their land for breeding waders. For me it is an opportunity to explore some of the coastline of my home country, a place I know woefully little about.

The mysteries of the Essex Coast await me.

However, I am not abandoning the chaps I have worked with in Kent and have been out and about visiting farms across Sheppey and the Hoo Peninsula. Here too farmers have been creating new wetland features this winter, although the lack of winter rainfall has once again hampered their efforts to get the land in ideal condition for the arrival of breeding waders.

The RSPB are working with the Environment Agency, Lower Medway Internal Drainage Board and Natural England, looking at options for water storage on the marshes which could then be used to top up some of the wetland features farmers have created. These discussion are probably long overdue but it will probably be some time before they begin to bear fruit.

Two highlights of my farm visits stand out. One is the site of 200 white fronted geese taking to the skies near Capel Fleet on the Isle of Sheppey and the other is the enthusiasm of Tim Malpus from GHD who along with Callum Preece of BTF Partnership and the stirling work of contractors FGS Pilcher are planning to transform 160 ha of dry grass at Conyer into a restored wetland. This work is planned to take several years to complete but, all being well, work should begin here this autumn.

Excited to be working with this wetland restoration dream team

Away from the marshes I have been busy planning a workshop for the Upper Medway Internal Drainage Board. This is a practical session teaching the machine operators the benefits of leaving woody debris in the river and then different ways of installing deflectors and leaky dams to create different effects.

Woody debris has multiple benefits. It can help re-meander sluggish streams, provide nursery grounds for fish and food for invertebrates as well as protect banks from collapsing and slowing flood water from speeding downstream and wreaking havoc in town centres.

Until recently standard practice has been to remove wood from rivers but now many organisations are beginning to think again. Many thanks To Mark Gallant of North West Kent Countryside Partnership for his help and advice and to the Upper Medway IDB for their forward thinking and proactive approach.