My name is Morgan Taylor-Habgood, I am 17 and currently studying a Level 3 Advanced Extended Diploma in Ecology and Countryside Management. As part of this two year course there is a certain amount of required work placement hours.

I have had a small amount of previous experience in heathland ecology and a variety of surveying methods, and decided that after studying a freshwater habitats topic I wished to expand my experience in freshwater ecology as this was a sector I was excited to explore. After researching local companies I contacted the Watercress Company in September 2020 to express my keenness to experience working with a forward-thinking organisation which sees the importance of conservation ecology and does so with the utmost degree of appreciation. When contacting the Watercress company my keenness was met with equal enthusiasm from all the friendly staff, to accommodate me in my wishes.

This is a fantastic opportunity which has allowed me to further enhance my ecology experience by producing and partaking in freshwater surveys and management allowing me to exercise knowledge in practical scenarios such as management around discharge points after completing base invertebrate studies.

After completing base studies I have also been involved in a variety of management methods to improve the ecological value of these areas. This has included practical tasks such as clearance and bank management. I have also created plans in which flow was controlled and increased in the channels leading from the discharge points to tributaries which in turn transfer into main rivers whilst substratum and features would be added to improve habitat. These plans are being carried out with the help of the team and have in some cases already shown increased biological value after doing a second invertebrate survey. This, for me, was incredibly rewarding.

The Watercress Company have been fantastic and empowered me with a degree of independence whilst working, in which I am grateful, as it has given me a true and unadulterated impression of how it is to work within the Company.

So far in my time at the Watercress Company I have partaken in a variety of ecology based tasks to improve the biodiversity value of these habitats. First, base studies of invertebrates were completed in discharge points into rivers in Dorset, on watercress farms around Dorchester. These studies are extremely important for creating a baseline for future management and allows for management plans to be written with a desired realistic and achievable outcome based on the current value of the site.

After these surveys have been completed it is then possible to plan future management to increase biodiversity value. In regards to plans for discharge points, it is important to consider restrictions when discussing mitigation methods. There are many restrictions and legislations regarding freshwater bodies, especially with chalk streams such as the Frome and Piddle in Dorset, from which water enters and leaves watercress beds around Dorchester, some discharging directly into main rivers whilst others are controlled through channels and tributaries, all of which are filtered by silt ponds to increase the water quality before entering the main river.

My plan with all the sites, therefore, was to add substratum such as larger pebbles, rocks, masonry or other natural materials, being the most cost effective and liable method to possibly improve biodiversity whilst also being overall less invasive than modifications to topography of the bed itself such as creating vegetative bars or or other modifications that may effect the flow and disturb the existing beds. The addition of rocks, larger pebbles, or natural material should also create habitat for gammarus, mayflies, stoneflies and olives as they are important indicator species for water quality.

This was the overall plan for the sites, though some areas were observed to need additional mitigation before this could be completed. At one of the discharge points flow had become stagnate through a narrow channel, becoming built up with duckweeds. This meant that additional management would have to be completed to optimise flow. This issue was soon remedied by the Watercress Company staff. Another nearby site had become partially overgrown and hindered access to the discharge points. A small amount of trimming to make the discharge point more accessible whilst also decreasing the amount of leaf matter and humus remaining in that section was necessary to improve the overall access.

A later study of one of the sites has already shown an increased biodiversity value, with a huge increase of gammarus an important indicator species. I hope that these results will continue to be satisfying and fulfilling and I look forward to observing changes in biodiversity in the future.

Next steps are:

Discharge point improvements - these are to continue with the addition of more varied substrate at Tincleton and Waddock, along with clearing of vegetation that is impeding flow.

Discharge point monitoring – ecological monitoring to be carried out in the spring (most likely May) to see what improvement there have been to the ecology on the farms

Reptile tin monitoring – we will locate all the tins and check for activity on a monthly basis

Bird monitoring – while on each site carrying out other activities, a record will be kept of which bird species are seen/heard

Ecology work experience - Morgan Taylor-Habgood