02 Aug Supporting Professional Development: Open Mosaic Habitat Survey training
In May 2024 BSG Ecology and Arup collaborated to provide twelve of our staff, along with ecologists from Welsh Government and Neath Port Talbot Council, with bespoke training in the survey and evaluation of Open Mosaic Habitats of Brownfield Land (OMH), a priority habitat type. The two-day training course was delivered on Welsh Government-owned land at Baglan, Neath Port Talbot, by specialist botanist Sharon Pilkington. Sharon had previously completed a detailed lower plant survey of the site, which is dominated by a very large area of OMH.
The first day of training gave attendees a grounding in the general character of OMH and how to assess the need for further botanical survey (following an initial walkover habitat survey). It involved looking at different aspects of the OMH present, including seasonally inundated / damp areas, established patches of grassland, sparsely vegetated ground, bryophyte and lichen dominated communities. The initial purpose was for attendees to understand why the OMH met priority habitat criteria, that the habitat typically shows spatial variation, and that OMH is characterised by early successional communities with many stress-tolerant species, areas of unvegetated and loose substrate, and numerous microhabitats. These latter are often among the most important to look at when assessing what follow on work might be appropriate in order to robustly assess habitat quality.
During the second day the focus of the training moved on to assessing what made the land at Baglan a good example of OMH. This included a focus on some of the scarce and rare higher and lower plants present, the lichen lawns, and the species and communities indicative of specific conditions, including contamination and seasonal inundation. The learning outcomes included an understanding of why the site was a good example of OMH, and what an appropriate scope of higher plant, lower plant and lichen survey might be for a site like this ahead of any plans to remediate or redevelop it.
Aggregating cushions of Tortella inclinata (bright yellow moss)
Feedback included the following:
“The training provided a great opportunity to draw on the expertise of a hugely experienced vascular plant botanist and bryologist in Sharon Pilkington, alongside meeting Arup botanists and ecologists from NPT and Welsh Government. Sharon gave us a tour of the site, taking in the locations of nationally scarce plants and many of the vastly different habitat types which can be present on OMH sites within a relatively small area. We looked at small areas of species rich neutral grasslands, areas dominated by calcicoles, wetter areas resembling dune slacks, patches dominated by salt tolerant coastal species, areas showing signs of reverting to a more natural habitat type and patches dominated by bryophytes and lichens. The training provided a good overview of OMH at a site which had a wide variety of substrates and niches. It also demonstrated how challenging botanical surveys can be on sites like this, with potential for large numbers of not only common species but also scarcities and rarities.“ James Darke, Senior Ecologist, BSG Ecology
“This training session provided very useful insight into how to appropriately identify and assess OMHs, and the further survey work to ensure similar habitats like this are appropriately assessed and quantified. As this training session was in collaboration with Welsh Government and BSG Ecology, it allowed for open discussion with like-minded individuals on how to overcome the challenges these habitats present, whilst ensuring government-owned sites are complying with legislation such as the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act. As brownfield sites are increasingly under threat from development, it’s imperative that these species-rich habitats are a material consideration within planning and their biodiversity value preserved or recreated where possible.” Elliot Taylor, Graduate Ecologist, Arup
“The expertise of the specialist botanist shone through at this training event and it was a rare opportunity for me as a professional ecologist and landscape manager to learn from their unique knowledge and expertise in a very practical and direct way that related to one of our own projects. This knowledge will add to the body of knowledge for this very important habitat in a Welsh context, understanding more about how and why these unusual species assemblages have arisen over time and improving our understanding of the wide ranging habitats which can be present on OMH sites”. Sustainability and Environment Lead