Biodiversity

Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) are the most important places in the country for wildlife.  Doxey Marshes (strictly known as Doxey Marshes and Tillington Marshes) is of very special importance for people too, situated as it is on the edge of the town of Stafford.  Because of its special interest Doxey Marshes is managed by Staffordshire Wildlife Trust as a Nature Reserve with the help of volunteers who carry out habitat management, improve access facilities and monitor birdlife.

Doxey Marshes

Doxey Marshes is an SSSI because of its high importance for birds all year round.  The complex mix of wet grassland, marsh, swamp, ditches and pools in the River Sow floodplain supports a wide range of wildlife with many breeding bird species.

High water levels and shallow pools mean abundant habitat is present for wading birds to feed.  Several rare and declining species such as snipe, lapwing and little plover breed and spend the winter on the marshes and at least 80 types of bird have been recorded in winter.

Other rare and protected species found in the SSSI include otters, water voles, harvest mice, bats, and slow worms. The wetland habitats found in the SSSI are also rare in Staffordshire. The marsh is rich in wetland plants with over 250 species including marsh marigold, marsh valerian, water dropwort and flowering rush. The ditches and pools support several species of amphibians and many wetland invertebrates, among these being a number of dragonflies and damselflies. As well as the rarer wildlife that may be difficult to see, birds such as swans, herons and ducks such as teal and mallard are commonly seen by visitors giving people the experience of being close to wildlife near to their homes and work places.  Several footpaths give access to the Reserve and there are hides for viewing birds. 

Castletown Marsh

All the route options will involve some impact on the Castletown Marsh part of the SSSI.  The Blue route would involve the least impact with Green route affecting a slightly larger area at the edge of the SSSI and Red route having the greatest impact.  Impacts can come from building the road and also from its use which will introduce noise, lighting and increased disturbance to this part of the SSSI.  Road drainage will need careful design to avoid pollution of the SSSI and impacts on water levels.

The route options will also affect other areas of natural habitat that may support protected and rare species or wildlife that is important to local people.  The route will cross the River Sow and Doxey Drain while the Castlefields Link Yellow route would be very close to the Castlefields balancing pool. 

In order to assess the impact of each option on the SSSI and other wildlife habitats and species and to enable protection of species and mitigation of harm to be integrated into the scheme, ecological surveys and assessments will be carried out. 

Surveys

Surveys will be carried out by independent ecological experts and will record and map the habitats along the route and the important, rare and protected species that could be affected.  Water levels and flows are important for the species and habitats of the SSSI and a study of these and their management will be carried out to inform road design.  Records of wildlife collected over the years will be taken into account to build up as comprehensive a picture as possible of the biodiversity of the area.  Potential impacts will be assessed and measures incorporated into the road scheme to prevent impacts on rare and protected species and to minimise, and compensate for, impacts on habitats.  An assessment will be made of how people access and use the Nature Reserve and the other areas affected so that impacts on this can also be minimised and improvements made where possible. 

Consultation

Natural England and Staffordshire Wildlife Trust will be consulted on the scheme at an early stage, and advice will be taken on the surveys and assessment needed and the mitigation and compensation required.

Our Biodiversity Team will work with Staffordshire Highways throughout the design and implementation periods to minimise impacts and develop mitigation and compensation proposals.

Advice will be taken on construction working methods to minimise adverse effects, on sustainable drainage design, on bridge and lighting design that avoids impacts on species such as otters and bats, and on road verge landscape design and management. 

There is potential to compensate for impacts on the SSSI by restoring areas that are currently covered by car parks to create complementary habitats and this restoration will be included in the road scheme.

Natural England and Wildlife Trust advice will be taken on the best way to do this.  In line with the Biodiversity Pledge signed in 2008, the Council is committed to avoiding harm to rare and protected species, to ensuring no net loss of biodiversity and to delivering enhancements wherever possible through the Western Access Route.