Montgomery Canal Conservation Management Strategy (1.2MB PDF)

10.3 CONSERVATION OBJECTIVE SETTING AND MONITORING FOR THE
SSSI AND SAC
A very thorough and detailed monitoring programme, to meet the requirements of national legislation, and to ensure the
safeguarding of the SAC and SSSI interest is described in the section below.
10.3.1 Introduction
The Montgomery Canal is designated as an SSSI for all of its length in Wales and part of the English section. It is also
designated as a SAC in Wales. The SAC designation is because of the abundance of Luronium natans in the Wales
length, whereas the SSSI citation also refers to Potamogeton compressus, the whole assemblage of aquatic plants and
also the Odonata (dragonflies) that the canal supports.
The citation for the English section of the canal refers to submerged and emergent species of plant.
This section will give details of the monitoring that will need to be undertaken to assess the condition of the special
interests of the site. At present it covers plants and physical attributes; there are plans to define standards for
invertebrates in the future.
10.3.2 SSSI Monitoring methodologies
An comprehensive monitoring programme shall be undertaken, with an annual review and assessment. Monitoring results
will be reported to the Montgomery Canal Partnership each autumn, in sufficient time to enable careful assessment and
decisions concerning management, including navigation limits, for the following year.
The detailed standards are part of a separate and formally adopted document: Montgomery Canal Conservation
Objectives and Standards (April 2005). These were prepared by the Countryside Council for Wales and English Nature,
with close co-operation with British Waterways and run to twenty four pages. The standards have been prepared for:
• Boated channel (based on canal type C)
• In-channel reserves (based on canal type B)
• Channel not open to navigation (based on canal type A)
All four standards will apply to different sections of the canal in Wales. In England, the off-line reserves standard will
apply to the new single major reserve. Once the reserve has sustainably achieved this standard there will be no specific
in channel standards to be measured against. However, the channel in England will continue to be managed to maintain
a high biodiversity interest, notably with a rich and diverse marginal and emergent vegetation zone. The standards are
simplified and summarised in Table 10.3. The detailed standards take precedence over this summary.
As knowledge and monitoring experience of the canal increases the conservation objectives and performance indicators
will be kept under review. It is intended to conduct some monitoring trials during the summer of 2005 to further test field
methodologies. This exercise will also attempt to re-assess the distribution of locally distinctive species, so that all
partners can feel that the standards defined within the conservation objectives are appropriate.
The test for any individual element or phase of management or restoration works needs to review the conservation
objectives of the whole canal. It is not necessary for the whole canal to be in favourable condition, but it is a requirement
that the whole canal is moving positively towards achieving the conservation objectives.
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