The ISAC Project
The EU Life+ fund supports bids in two categories - nature and biodiversity. The former enables actions to be taken to restore Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), such as the Wye and Usk. In 2008 the Wye & Usk Foundation submitted a bid and, after a rigorous justification phase, we were fortunate to be one of just four successful UK candidates. We chose the Irfon as it had all the SAC species present - though only just with some! Our partners include the Environment Agency Wales, the Association of Rivers Trusts and the National Museum of Wales. We are also assisted with matching funds by Countryside Council for Wales.
What ISAC Will Do
Water Quality
The plan includes both specific actions for the listed SAC species and two main areas of work. In the upper Irfon above Llanwrtyd Wells practically all of the river and its tributaried rain uplands that are heavily afforested. In our pHish project, we set about correcting the low pH - and hence restoring invertebrate and fish life - of both the Irfon and upper Wye catchment. We achieved success in the upper Wye, Tarenig, Bidno and other streams in the area and salmon are now present in good quantities. We were, however, only partially successful on the Irfon. This was for two reasons. Firstly, a smaller proportion of the upper Wye catchment had been forested than the Irfon. Secondly, the Wye had many more hydrological sources where powdered limestone could be introduced. On the Irfon, however, these were largely obliterated by extensive forestry drains, which also compounded the pH problem with a faster run off. ISAC is working with both the private and public forestry interests to recover these crucial wetland areas and to correct the effects of the severe drainage system. Coniferous trees will be removed and long term management agreements drawn up to keep these restored wetland sections....wet!
Habitat Restoration
The other essential part of the project is restoration of the main tributaries of the Irfon. Work started on the South Dulas and Chwefru in 2010 and continues. Work is also planned for the Garth Dulas, Cammarch, Cledan, Cnyffiad, Cammdwr and parts of the Irfon itself. Double bank fencing, erosion repair, coppicing and introducing instream features and water gates will comprise the bulk of the work. In all, it is anticipated that in all, 32km of stream will be restored.
Protecting SAC Species
Amongst the species that will benefit, Atlantic salmon will perhaps be the most obvious as both the acid waters work and habitat restoration will increase the survival rates of juveniles. The works will also benefit other SAC species, including white clawed crayfish, freshwater pearl mussel, the lampreys, shad, bullhead, otter and rannunculus.
Monitoring
Whilst ISAC is a primarily 'doing' project, some monitoring is required to guide actions and quantify results. Fish populations are being studied by an electrofishing survey with the baseline established by the Agency's work in 2010. Acid waters monitoring by the National Museum of Wales comprises a network of 22 sites recording pH, diatoms, water chemistry and invertebrate analysis. The numbers of other SAC species will all be assessed at the start and end of the project.
The Association of Rivers Trusts will be responsible for disseminating the findings and results of ISAC using their links with other EU projects and rivers' trusts. This project gives us a real chance of protecting what we have, restoring what we might lose and enhancing some of the most important species and habitats in the UK. We look forward to reporting progress of this £1.2m project, which will continue to the end of 2013.