Planet WGSW-24010 User Manual page 42

· Clipboard with waterproof shield/cover or a large clear plastic bag (to protect record sheet
and make writing possible in damp conditions)
· Grapnel with depth markings on the rope
· Bank stick with depth markings
· Plastic bags, labels and tubes for small specimens
· Tape measure or measuring rope, stakes and mallet (to mark start and end of survey length)
· Identification and field guides (Appendix 3)
· Camera with a polarising lens and 200 ISO daylight film speed
· Hand lens (x10)
· Blackboard & chalk or wipe-clean board, non permanent pen and cloth (small, to include site
details in the photographs)
· Underwater viewing aid (eg glass-bottom bucket or underwater TV camera, see Appendix
4 for details)
· Polarising sunglasses (optional)
· Optical range finder (optional) - Appendix 4
· Boat and additional safety equipment as required
· Copies of previous survey sheet(s) for site(s) to be surveyed (optional).
3.3.6 Wildlife and Countr yside Act 1981
Macrophytes are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981. Whole plants should
never be uprooted, and portions of scarce macrophytes should only be removed when absolutely
necessary (under no circumstances must those rare species listed in Schedule 8 of the Act have
any parts whatsoever collected). A list of relevant 'rare' species is given in Appendix 1.
Material collected should be confined to the minimum required for identification. If a rare plant
is found, make records of it by photography, noting any distinguishing features of the plant in the
field.
3.3.7 Health and safety
Surveyors should refer to health and safety guidelines before undertaking MTR surveys. Please
note that the surveys always involve working in water, could involve contact with polluted water,
could be undertaken by a lone worker (although this is not recommended, see 3.3.8) and/or could
involve use of a boat.
3.3.8 Staffing level
Where resources allow, surveys should be carried out by a team rather than a single surveyor.
A minimum of double-staffing is to be encouraged as contributing towards good practice, for the
following reasons:
· it reduces inter-surveyor variation and thus improves the quality of the survey data collected;
· it improves the efficiency of the survey.
One of the most significant causes of inter-surveyor variation, and thus of reduced quality of
results, lies in the estimation of percentage cover. The accuracy and consistency of these rather
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