Evelyn Simak ©. Kindly recommended by UKCEH.
The following is a short summary of the habitat type and how to create/enhance it to a "good" condition. For an informed position, please refer to official up-to-date UKHAB documentation or the UK Government's Condition Assessment Sheet.
Ditches are artificially created linear water-conveyancing features which are
less than 5 metres wide; and
are likely to retain water for more than 4 months of the year
According to UKHab, a ditch should be over 20 times longer than it is wide.
How to Create / Enhance to a "Good" condition
How to get a "moderate" rating
In a management plan aiming to achieve ‘moderate’ condition the plan will show:
There will be no activity that will risk physical damage, including trampling by livestock causing excessive poaching, damage from machinery use or storage, and other similar risks.
A fringe of wetland plants will be allowed to grow along the water edges of the ditch (marginal plants) for more than 75% of the ditches' length.
Less than 10% of the shade will be shaded by buildings or shrubs, trees or woodlands.
There shall be no invasive non-native animal or plant species listed on Schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) or any species included on the Water Framework Directive (WFD) UKTAG GB High Impact Species List.
Steps will be taken to ensure the ditch has at least one of the following characteristics:
A minimum summer water depth of 50cm (not including drought periods) with a diverse range of wetland plants and water plants growing in and at the edges of the water. There will be more than 10 native plant species per 20 metre length of ditch.
There will be good water quality with clear water and no obvious signs of pollution. This will be measured by making sure there is less than 10% cover of blanket weed (filamentous algae) and or duckweed Lemna spp.
How to get a "good rating"
In addition to the characteristics for moderate condition, to get a ‘good’ condition the plan will show these features:
As soon as possible, steps will be taken to ensure the ditch has both of the following characteristics:
A minimum summer water depth of 50cm (not including drought periods) with a diverse range of wetland plants and water plants growing in and at the edges of the water. There will be more than 10 native plant species per 20 metre length of ditch.
There will be good water quality with clear water and no obvious signs of pollution. This will be measured by making sure there is less than 10% cover of blanket weed (filamentous algae) and or duckweed Lemna spp.