HABITAT MATTERS is one of the few consultancy firms that specialise in soil & water management. We advise on:

• Soil assessment looking at soil type, structure and horizons and rooting patterns.

• Determination of drainage problems such as surface water ponding or groundwater (seepage lines and springs) with site-specific solution. Remedial drainage advice including ditch sizes (depth, top width and bottom width), drain depths, pipe size, use of stonefill, contractor liasion and work in progress visits. The merits of moling and subsoiling and when to carry out such work

• Creation of wetland habitats through watertable management.

• Sportsfield drainage, including problem analysis, drainage lay-out, advice on funding applications, work in progress visits and drawing-up of final plans

• Soil management plans to reduce compaction & soil loss.

• Poorly-drained agricultural land results in shorter grazing periods & lower crop yields; it affects the profitablilty of the farm. Poor drainage could be due to a number of factors - compacted soil, breakdown of existing systems or poor outfall. Badly-timed cultivations can lead to soil erosion resulting in the loss of a valuable asset and siltation of nearby watercourses.

• Poorly-drained sportsfields lead to difficult playing conditions. Continued use in such conditions can often make the problem worse, leading to cancelled matches.

• Before taking what could be expensive remedial action, a thorough investigation of the problem is essential. Using experience gained from many years working with MAFF/ADAS, Habitat Matters is here to help.