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| Fenland Ditch, Wood Walton Fen
© Roger Key |
Why are ditches so special?
Ditches snake through grazing marsh land in many parts of the British countryside; creating a network of freshwater life. Although a man-made habitat ditches support a wealth of invertebrate and plant life. Numerous wetland and water plants adorn their margins providing a refuge for a glittering array of rare water beetles including the BAP species: One-grooved diving beetle (Bidessus unistriatius).
Rare water invertebrates
Other BAP species found within this habitat include threatened invertebrates, such as: Fen raft spider (Dolomedes plantarius), Lesser water-measurer (Hydrometra gacilenta) and Shining ram’s-horn snail (Segmentina nitida); as well as BAP plant species, the Bird’s nest stonewort (Tolypella nidifica). Ditches also provide a habitat for numerous of national rare species.
Threats to Ditches
Ditches are yet another of the UK’s threatened habitats. They are rapidly deteriorating in quality due to range of issues, including: agricultural pollution, unsuitable water level management and ‘managed retreat’ schemes. One of
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| Fen Raft Spider © Roger Key |
the biggest problems is wholesale clearance of ditches, which is still common practice in many agricultural areas. However to date there has been little research and therefore a lack of understanding in regard to the affect of these issues on ditches and the rare species they harbour.
Buglife's Ditch Project
Buglife is undertaking a large three-year survey of ditch systems; re- surveying ditch faunas in nationally important grazing marsh sites, to assess recent change and identify management techniques to preserve aquatic and semi-aquatic invertebrates. This project is funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, the Environment Agency, Anglian Water, Peterborough & Norwich Building Society, The Broads Authority, Courtyard Trust, Natural England and Countryside Council for Wales.
How will this project make a difference? | 
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| Braunton Marsh © Roger Key |
This project will produce information and publications containing management advice for land owners as well as feeding into agri-environment schemes to help UK farmers support this rich and threatened habitat.
Project Reports
To accompany this project Rob Driscoll completed a comprehensive bibliography of previous surveys entitled 'Ditch Surveys Part 1: Surveys 1878 to 1999'. This bibliography lists all ditch surveys undertaken in a 121 year period! For a copy of this bibliography see the link below.
Ditch Bibliography 2007
The project has also produced a Ditch Manual detailing standard methods for surveying the vegetation and aquatic macro-invertebrates of ditches. The manual describes a method for evaluating ditches utilising plant and macro-invertebrate data. Also provided are check lists of plants and invertebrates found in ditch habitats. See the link below for a copy of the Manual.
Ditch Manual
2007 saw the plant and invertebrate surveys completed on the Gwent and Somerset Levels, by our tireless surveyors Martin Drake and Nick Stewart. A more detailed description of the 2007 survey work can be found in the first year project report, see link below.
Project Report 2007
Survey work is also examining the diatom species present in ditches. Diatoms are single celled microscopic algae, which can be found in both marine and freshwater habitats. They cover the surfaces of aquatic plants where they link together to form colonies. In this project they are being used to assess water quality, as many species can be used as indicators of environmental conditions. Survey data will also be used to extend knowledge of diatom communities in ditches and their relationship with plants and invertebrates. The first year diatom report completed by Dr. Marian Yallop from Bristol University can be accessed through the link below.
Diatom Report 2008
