WWT Consulting

A centre of excellence for wetland consultancy
WWT Consulting is the UK’s leading specialist wetland related environmental consultancy.

WWT Consulting formerly known as the Wetlands Advisory Service (WAS) was established in 1989 at Slimbridge, the headquarters of the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) in response to the demand for well-informed, professional advice on how to conserve, improve and manage wetland habitats for wildlife and people.

The Mission of the WWT Consulting is

• to provide impartial and specialist wetland related advice;
• to guarantee that any advice provided is underpinned by current research and up-to-date scientific understanding;
• to offer a comprehensive range of skills and services to satisfy the needs of our customer;
• to respect client confidentiality and sensitivity; and
• to ensure that all work is covered by quality assurance guarantees.

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Our Staff

WWT Consulting employs qualified, specialist core staff providing expertise in the following areas:

• ecological surveying
• assessment of wildfowl issues
• wetland habitat design
• wetland management planning
• wetland creation and restoration
• water quality assessment
• eco-hydrology
• constructed wetlands
• visitor centre planning
• environmental interpretation
• environmental education
• making links between wildlife and people

In addition to core staff, WWT Consulting can draw upon staff from the Research Department and from WWT regional centres. The Research Department has over 50 years of national and international experience in pure and applied research into the conservation of wetlands and their associated habitats and species. This provides the WWT Consulting both with a key resource and a scientific robustness to our work.

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Over the last four years WWT Consulting…

• has worked on over 200 different wetland conservation projects
• has undertaken over 300 person days of waterbird monitoring
• has been involved in feasibility studies for wetland enhancement, restoration and creation on over 1500ha of land
• has been involved in the feasibility studies for the creation of nine wetland visitor centres
• has created more than 100ha of new wetland habitats
• has covenanted approximately £400,000 towards WWT’s conservation work

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WWT Consulting has worked in…

Australia Belgium Brazil Bulgaria Cameroon Chile China Dubai England Georgia Ghana Guyana Hong Kong India Ireland Isle of Man

Japan Jersey Kazakhstan Laos Macau Norway Northern Ireland Portugal Russia Scotland South Africa Trinidad United States of America Wales

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Wetland species

WWT Consulting has a wide range of experience in ecological surveys, species monitoring, and biodiversity planning from simple habitat assessments thorough to detailed surveys covering all wetland groups. Surveys are designed to meet clients’ requirements. Results can be analysed using a range of computer, statistical and GIS packages.

The following illustrate the range of services available

• surveys of wetland plants including Phase I and NVC Phase II surveys
• wildfowl and bird surveys including breeding bird surveys, common bird census, wintering bird surveys, nocturnal surveys, conflict waterbird surveys
• surveys of invertebrates to assess environmental and habitat quality
• surveys of wetland mammals including bats, water voles and otters
• amphibian surveys of breeding sites, and assessment of suitability of terrestrial habitats
• surveys of reptiles to identify hibernation, nesting and basking habitats
• surveys of conflict and feral species such as Canada Geese and Ruddy Duck

• British Waterways, Wales - Habitat guidelines for Floating Water Plantain and Grass-wrack Pondweed
• English Nature, UK - Evaluation of the hydrological requirements of Desmoulin’s Whorlsnail
• Central Science Laboratory, Glasgow - Advising on Whooper swan issues at Blackcart
• Nicholas Pearson Associates, Northamptonshire - Assessment of the effect of recreation on the overwintering waterbirds at Daventry Reservoir and an extensive desk review of the importance of this site for waterbirds
• Department of Trade and Industry, UK - Aerial surveys of coastal birds
• Northumbrian Water, Tees Estuary - Monitoring of waterbird numbers and distribution on the major intertidal sites

Wetland habitats

WWT Consulting can provide a single source solution to the enhancement, restoration or creation of all wetland habitats (canals, ponds, lakes, reedbeds, swamps, marshes, river, floodplain, coastal, mire, peatland, integrated constructed wetlands, sustainable urban drainage systems, mangroves, etc.). The following services are provided

• undertaking initial feasibility studies to assess site hydrology, soils, ecology, planning considerations and identification of other potential constraints
• production of concept and detail habitat designs to meet the objectives and desires of our clients
• project management and site supervision of groundworks
• provision of planting recommendations and the supply and aftercare of native wetland plants
• production of biodiversity action plans, habitat management plans and water level management plans

Examples of recent habitat related work:

• Aggregate Industries, Dorset - Restoration of former gravel extraction quarry near Wareham.  Wetland habitat design, including water level management.  Water balance and water level modelling to ensure adjacent properties remained beyond the potential flood envelope
• Project Management Ltd, Bulgaria - Two missions to Bulgaria to identify opportunities for wetland restoration within Persina Nature Park and Kalimok Brushlen Protected Area both located within the Danube River floodplain
• Ramsar Advisory Mission, Chile - Assessment of the impacts to the Carlos Andvandter Nature Sanctuary
• Severn & Avon Vales Wetland Partnership, UK - Floodplain restoration the river Severn
• Welsh Water, Wales - Design and construction of storm water treatment wetlands
• Alpiarça City Hall, Portugal - provided advice on the restoration and interpretation of wetland site

Wetlands and people

WWT Consulting has unrivalled experience in bringing wetlands, their wildlife and people together. The following demonstrates the range of services available

• integration of habitat interpretation with habitat creation
• provision of holistic wetland visitor centre planning
• development of environmental education and training programmes
• resolution of access and disturbance conflicts in sensitive wetland habitats
• production of signage and visitor orientation material
• project management of wetland visitor centre development and implementation
• bringing people and wetland wildlife together

Examples of recent people related work:

• Hong Kong International Wetland Park, Hong Kong - Content development of the Hong Kong Wetland Park (8,000 m² visitor centre and 64 hectares of wetlands).  Developed all content material including software, model work, graphics and live exhibits, for fabrication and installation
• Inverness and Nairn Enterprise, Scotland - Feasibility study for the establishment of an environmental education park.  Outline business and interpretation planning
• Centre Parcs, Nottingham - Interpretation plan for the nature centre at Sherwood Forest.  Included target audiences, proposed stories and initial designs
• Fingal County Council, Ireland - Assessment of potential locations for a wetland visitor centre on the Rogerstown Estuary
• Randsfjordenmuseene, Norway - Undertook a feasibility study and developed concept plans for freshwater visitor centre on the Dokka Delta
• Beck Interiors, Australia – Co-ordination of illustrations and photographic production for the Hong Kong Wetland Park

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Can we help you?

If WWT Consulting can help you with a wetland related issue please contact us at:

WWT Consulting
Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust
Slimbridge
Gloustershire
GL2 7BT
UK

T +44 (0) 1453 891222 F +44 (0) 1453 890827
E consulting@wwt.org.uk | w: www.wwt.org.uk/consulting/

Please quote ref: BG01453

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