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Ash Girdler B.Sc.(Hons), CBiol, MIBiol, CEnv, MIFM, FIFM Please note that there is a new and updated AGA Group website at
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Welcome
to the A.G.A. Group website.
The A.G.A. Group are specialist aquatic consultants, fishery managers and bioengineering contractors. Aquatic consultants. The A.G.A. Group is one of the leading aquatic consultants in the UK specialising in all aspects of river, pond and lake construction and restoration from concept to completion. The concept and design of rivers, lakes and ponds is generally dealt with by the consultancy division of the company before handing over to the ‘in house’ contracting arm to carry out the construction phases of any project. As aquatic consultants the A.G.A. Group can offer advice on fish health, fishery management, water quality, and all other areas of aquatic ecology and freshwater biology, the service is available UK wide. The Aquatic consultancy division is headed up by the A.G.A. Group’s Managing Director Ash Girdler. Fish Health. Ash Girdler is recognised by the Environment Agency to carry out fish health examinations under Section 30 of the Salmon & Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975. Fish health is not however just about disease, fish health can be about ensuring that the fish health is maintained by ensuring environmental conditions that are as near to the fishes optimal conditions as is possible. In common with the aquatic consultancy service, fish health advice is available on a UK wide basis. Fishery Management. The A.G.A. Groups fishery management service includes advice on running maintaining and improving all types of fisheries. Additionally the group is able to offer practical fishery management, which might include netting and electro-fishing for stock surveys or fish removal, habitat enhancement, weed control and the establishment of aquatic plants and wetlands. The A.G.A Group have pioneered the use of floating Islands called Eco Islands. Floating Eco Islands can be used for the establishment of habitat for fish, nesting waterfowl and importantly protection against cormorant predation.
Floating Islands can be used for the establishment of habitat for fish, nesting waterfowl and importantly protection against cormorant predation. Floating Islands have also been used to combat erosion caused by wave action. Floating Islands are populated with pre-established coir fibre pallets with a species of aquatic plants appropriate for the application. A variation of our modular floating Islands are floating reedbeds, these are formed by linking a number of islands together to form the floating reedbed. Water quality. Water quality is a crucial factor in all forms of aquatic ecology and is as important in fishery management as it is in wetland ecology and conservation of the aquatic environment. Aquatic Weed Control. Aquatic weed control including the control of blue/green algae and filamentous algae using ultrasonic equipment. The ultrasonic control of algae is a technique that is now available at an affordable cost due to developments and cost savings associated with micro circuitry. Ultrasonic control of algae is limited to the single celled algae species. The technology relies upon the ability of ultrasonic sound waves to rupture the cell wall of the algae thus killing the organism. The ultrasonic control of algae has no adverse impacts upon the aquatic ecology. Bioengineering systems. What are bioengineering systems ? Bioengineering systems are simply methods of using and adapting natural living components to accomplish civil engineering solutions in the aquatic environment. The components that are often used are:- Reeds and floating reedbeds Reeds and reed beds The A.G.A. Groups nursery is the largest grower of common reed (Phragmites australis in the UK. The reeds are grown in 195 root trainers both for sale and internal use for the establishment of traditional reedbeds and tertiary polishing beds. P. australis is also used in our pre-established coir fibre pallets for the establishment of floating reedbeds. Floating reedbeds are used where traditional beds would be impractical but the benefits of reed bed purification is desirable for improving water quality
The A.G.A Group purchased Merton Hall Pond Limited (MHP) in March 2005 to enhance the contracting division A.G.A Bioengineering & Contracting Services Limited’s ability to provide a guaranteed source of native aquatic plants many of which are pre-established in coir fibre rolls and pallets. The 86 acre nursery site in Norfolk is the largest specialist aquatic plant facility in the UK. Aquatic plants form the base of all freshwater ecosystem so a source of native aquatic plants which have guaranteed provenance is vital to any company that undertake work to the required standards of current environmental and conservation thinking. Aquatic plants that are supplied and installed either in 195 root trainers or pre-established in coir fibre rolls and pallets meet these exacting standards. We can also offer a service to provide local provenance by cropping or collecting seed locally before contract growing to the clients specific requirement. Coir fibre rolls and pallets. Coir fibre rolls and pallets are manufactured from coconut fibre. The coir fibre rolls and pallets are imported from source from the coconut growing regions of the world. On arrival at the A.G.A. Group’s nursery the coir fibre rolls and pallets are planted with aquatic plants. After planting and growing to establish the plants they are ready to be installed by our specialist installation teams. Coir fibre rolls and other bioengineering components are available to end users, these are supplied direct from the Merton Hall Pond nursery in Norfolk. Faggots. Faggots made from chestnut, hazel and willow have many uses in aquatic bio-engineering these include as part of a coir roll edge detail, faggots may also be used to form mattresses in a river to trap sediment to create. Generally faggots are made from dead or inert material, although when bundled together like a faggot willow may be used as a ‘live willow’ product. Live willow. Live willow has many uses, although primarily this is associated with the stabilisation of eroding banks. Live willow for spilling is held at the A.G.A. Group nurseries in Norfolk. Willow spilling is a skilled job and the AG.A Contraction and Bioengineering Services Limited specialised installation teams have the necessary expertise to carry out willow spilling in river conditions. Willow spilling is often the preferred option where there are rivers with eroding banks with spate flows Rock rolls. Rock rolls whilst perhaps considered to be a hard engineering solution can offer a robust erosion control using a natural product. Rock rolls can be used beneath coir rolls to provide toe protection. Unfortunately rock rolls have to be manufactured away from site under normal circumstances so their inherent bulk and weight require heavy lifting equipment to aid installation. Rock rolls can be filled with locally available stome to meet contract specific environmental criteria. The A.G.A. Group hope that you find the
website useful and would welcome and comments that you may have with regard
to content. Webmaster@agagroup.org.uk |
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