Initial results look good for Inverness SuDS Project

Highland Council graduate research assistant Marcia Rae has been investigating the presence of amphibians in Inverness Sustainable Urban Drainage (SuDS) ponds and now that the survey period (March- July) is over the initial results are looking good.

Frogs have been found in 28 ponds, Toads have been found in 10 and Palmate Newts have been found in 17 ponds. This proves that SuDS are indeed providing valuable habitat for these species within the urban environment.

On top of this Marcia has also been conducting OPAL water quality surveys on the ponds. This is a citizen science project that can be carried out by anyone, with resources provided by OPAL, to determine the quality of ponds based on the insects that can be found living in them. A number of local Schools helped with this research by helping Marcia conduct the OPAL surveys. They learned that anyone can contribute to science and that the majority of the SuDS are quite healthy with a diverse range of insects including dragonflies and damselfies.

Marcia said of the results: “These are very promising results. We know that SuDS have the potential to support wildlife but this is one of the first studies to investigate whether this potential is being realised. In Inverness it looks like it certainly is. The study has identified sites that are working very well and although there are some sites that are not working as well these could be improved with the knowledge gained from this project.”

For more information about the Inverness SuDS project contact Marcia Rae at marcia.rae@highland.gov.uk or telephone Marcia on 702086.