CASE STUDY - MANCHESTER AIRPORT
Project: Infilling Great Crested Newt breeding pond (medium population) to reduce aircraft bird strike risks:
This is our most recent contract at the airport for MAG and involves loss of and Infilling a GCN pond (medium population) at the end of Runway 2 within the operational airfield. The pond was located at the immediate end of the runway with a high risk of potential bird strikes from waterfowl using the pond. A decision was made by MAG to infill the pond and re-locate GCN to purposely built / enhanced ponds and hibernacula outside the operational airfield.
This interesting and challenging project was completed under a protected species licence produced by PENNINE ecological and involved design & construction of 5 new ponds, construction of new hibernacula and terrestrial habitats.
Logistically the task presented significant constraints due to stringent security controls and access restrictions whilst working on the operational airfield. In addition captured amphibians needed to be moved by road involving a 5 mile detour.
Over 60 days of pitfall trapping, 30 nights of bottle trapping and egg translocation were undertaken with thousands of amphibians moved to new ponds including many hundreds of GCN.
 |
Mitigation pond before restoration |
 |
During restoration |
 |
Following restoration |
 |
Emirates A380 Airbus over newt fences |
 |
Qatar airways over GCN pond |
Other Great Crested Newt Projects at Manchester Airport: Dates: 1998 - Present
|
