Case study:Improving the Conservation Status of Freshwater Pearl Mussel Targeting the Clun SAC and Upstream Waters

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Location: 52° 27' 19.75" N, 3° 12' 51.23" W

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Project overview

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Status	In progress
Project web site	http://www.shropshirehillsaonb.co.uk/looking-after/projects/rivers/
Themes	Environmental flows and water resources, Fisheries, Habitat and biodiversity, Hydromorphology, Land use management - agriculture, Land use management - forestry, Monitoring, Social benefits, Water quality
Country	England
Main contact forename	Mike
Main contact surname	Kelly
Main contact user ID
Contact organisation	Shropshire Hills AONB Partnership
Contact organisation web site	http://www.shropshirehillsaonb.co.uk/
Partner organisations	Natural England, Environment Agency, CSFI, Land Life and Livelihoods, local farmers and landowners
Parent multi-site project
This is a parent project encompassing the following projects	No

Newly created buffer strip on River Clun © Shropshire Hills AONB

Project summary

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Objectives
- To restore the Clun SAC to favourable Condition
- Riparian habitat restoration/creation by stock exclusion, control of Phytophthora alni by coppicing, tree planting, provision of sustainable livestock watering, improvements in stock crossings
- Surveys and scoping studies to inform conservation activity

To date (February 2014), the project has established/protected 24,838m of riparian buffer

Background
The River Clun and tributaries are located in Shropshire, England, with the lower Clun and most of the Special Area of Conservation (SAC) being located in Herefordshire. The catchment is important for ecology due to the underlying geology of sandstone and mudstones. Clun SAC was designated in 2004 for it population of Freshwater pearl mussels (Margaritifera margaritifera) demonstrating the European and UK government commitment to its protection. The SAC is in unfavorable condition - Pearl mussels are indicators of excellent water quality, requiring oligotrophic water for their survival. Recruiting populations of pearl mussels help maintain good water quality, as individuals they are able to filter up to 50 litres of water per day to help maintain habitat for other freshwater wildlife (including host salmonids). Pearl mussels are keystone species and are model species to deliver catchment wide conservation strategies; by protecting the pearl mussel, river habitats will be improved for a range of other species.

Reasons for the project
Freshwater pearl mussels are dependent on low sediment and nutrient levels, fast flows of cool water, clean gravels and fringing shade. They also rely on the presence of juvenile salmonids for part of their life-cycle. It is thought that the decline in the population has been occurring for a number of decades, age profiles indicate a population that has failed to recruit juveniles probably since the 1960’s. Recruiting populations are usually numbered in the hundreds of thousands, the Clun population is now estimated at just over 1000 individuals, considered to be permanently stressed and in rapid decline they are in danger of imminent extinction.

Monitoring surveys and results

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Lessons learnt

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Image gallery

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Catchment and subcatchment Select a catchment/subcatchment Edit the catchment and subcatchment details (affects all case studies in this subcatchment) Catchment River basin district Severn River basin Teme Subcatchment River name R Clun - conf R Unk to conf R Teme Area category 100 - 1000 km² Area (km2) Maximum altitude category 200 - 500 m Maximum altitude (m) 453453 m <br />0.453 km <br />45,300 cm <br /> Dominant geology Calcareous Ecoregion Great Britain Dominant land cover Improved grassland Waterbody ID GB109054043990 Site Edit site Name Clun, Clunton, Clungunford, Leintwardine, Bishops Castle, Newcastle WFD water body codes GB109054043990 WFD (national) typology WFD water body name R Clun - confluence R Unk to confluence R Teme Pre-project morphology Reference morphology Desired post project morphology Heavily modified water body No National/international site designation EU - Special Area of Conservation Local/regional site designations Protected species present Yes Invasive species present Yes Species of interest Protected - Freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera); Invasive - Phytophthora alni Dominant hydrology Dominant substrate River corridor land use Average bankfull channel width category Average bankfull channel width (m) Average bankfull channel depth category Average bankfull channel depth (m) Mean discharge category Mean annual discharge (m3/s) Average channel gradient category Average channel gradient Average unit stream power (W/m2) Project background Edit project background Reach length directly affected (m) Project started Works started 2011/08/01 Works completed Project completed Total cost category 100 - 500 k€ Total cost (k€) 374374 k€ <br />374,000 € <br /> Benefit to cost ratio Funding sources Sita Trust, Natural England, Defra Cost for project phases Phase cost category cost exact (k€) Lead organisation Contact forename Contact surname Investigation and design Stakeholder engagement and communication Works and works supervision Post-project management and maintenance Monitoring Reasons for river restoration Edit reasons for restoration Mitigation of a pressure Hydromorphology Quantity & dynamics of flow, Substrate conditions, Width & depth variation Biology Fish Physico-chemical Nutrient concentrations Other reasons for the project Freshwater Pearl Mussel Measures Edit Measures Structural measures Bank/bed modifications Floodplain / River corridor Riparian habitat restoration, Control of Phytophthora alni by coppicing, Tree planting Planform / Channel pattern Other Improved livestock crossing points Non-structural measures Management interventions Livestock exclusion, Sustainable livestock watering Social measures (incl. engagement) Other Monitoring Hydromorphological quality elements Edit Hydromorphological quality elements Element When monitored Type of monitoring Control site used Result Before measures After measures Qualitative Quantitative Biological quality elements Edit biological quality elements Element When monitored Type of monitoring Control site used Result Before measures After measures Qualitative Quantitative Physico-chemical quality elements Edit Physico-chemical quality elements Element When monitored Type of monitoring Control site used Result Before measures After measures Qualitative Quantitative Any other monitoring, e.g. social, economic Edit Other responses Element When monitored Type of monitoring Control site used Result Before measures After measures Qualitative Quantitative Monitoring documents Upload monitoring documents Additional documents and videos Upload additional documents Additional links and references Edit links and references Link Description http://www.shropshirehillsaonb.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/FWPM-article.pdf Freshwater Pearl Mussel Conservation in the Shropshire Hills (January 2010) Supplementary Information Edit Supplementary Information