Publications

Watson, W. R. C. 1994. Construction of Hibernacula for Great Crested Newts. English Nature/British Coal Opencast. Conservation and management of Great Crested Newts: Proceedings of Symposium. English Nature Consultation Report No. 20.

One of a series of articles relating to Great Crested Newt management written following the 1994 symposium which was organised by English Nature and Bob Bray (Bob Bray Associates). This article covers design implications for newts based upon experience rescuing newts in their terrestrial habitat.


Everard, M., Blackham, B., Rouen, K., Watson, W. R. C., Angell, A., & Hull, A. 1999. How do we raise the profile of pond? Freshwater Forum. Volume 12. The Freshwater Biological Association.

An article discussing the value of ponds and how to raise their profile following the 1998 Pond Conservation Trusts’ conference at Denman College.


Watson, W. R. C., Datlen, R., & Riding, N. 2000. Aqua Vitae 21 A Best Practice Guide to Pond Restoration. Worcestershire County Council.

A free booklet provided by Worcestershire County Council advising landowners on how best to approach the issues of pond restoration using 21 pond restoration as case studies. Aqua Vitae 21 was a partnership headed by Worcestershire County Council. The project worked with parish and community networks to restore and conserve Worcestershire ponds. It was funded by the Environment Agency’s Sustainability Partnership Programme and grants from Worcestershire County Council.


Watson, W. R. C., 2002. Review of Fish Control Methods for the Great Crested Newt Species Action Plan. Countryside Council for Wales .

A scientific report commissioned by CCW to help fulfil the species action plan target in relation to the control of fish within Great Crested Newt ponds. It is the main reference source for the advice sheet published by the Amphibian & Reptile Conservation Trust in 2010.


Watson, W. R. C., 2005. Water Beetle Discoveries in Herefordshire. The Flycatcher No. 73, August 2005. Herefordshire Nature Trust.

An article primarily detailing water beetles discoveries emanating from Herefordshire Ponds and Newt Project between 2005 and 2006 with an emphasis on beetles collected from glacial ponds on the Letton Lakes and at Moccas Park.


Watson, W. R. C., Hand, N., King, P., 2006. Amphibians and Reptiles of Herefordshire. Herefordshire Amphibian and Reptile Team (HART). HART & Herefordshire Biological Record Centre.

The 72 page booklet is the result of more than six years recording by the county’s reptile and amphibian experts culminating with the Herefordshire Ponds and Newts Project which over its three-year duration was run by HART. This beautifully illustrated publication has a foreword by Mark O’Shea. The project and some of the publication costs were part-financed by the European Union’s European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund and Defra through the Herefordshire Rivers LEADER+ Programme. The booklet is available from the Herefordshire Biological Record Centre and Natural History Book Service.


Watson, W. R. C. & Foster, G. N. 2006. Some modern records of wetland Coleoptera in Worcestershire. The Coleopterist 15(3):101-104. December 2006

A 4-page article providing an introduction to water beetle recording in Worcestershire and a species account of 15 scarce and/or unusual water beetles that have been found in Worcestershire.


Watson, W. R. C. & Foster, G. N. 2006. Some modern records of wetland Coleoptera in Herefordshire. The Coleopterist 15(3):107-114. December 2006

A seven-page article providing a species account of 32 scarce and/or unusual water beetles that have been found in Herefordshire. It includes a discussion which outlines importance of wetland sites for aquatic coleoptera in the county and the apparent loss of species recorded in late 19th and early 20th centuries.


Watson, W. R. C., 2007. The Fairy Shrimp discovered in Herefordshire. The Flycatcher No. 74, August 2007. Herefordshire Nature Trust.

An article on the re-discovery of fairy shrimp in Herefordshire from a pond on Hergest Ridge; the third confirmed record; previously recorded from the Shobdon area in 1935.


Watson, W. R. C. & King, P. 2009. Uncommon Water beetles in Herefordshire. The Flycatcher No. 75, April 2009. Herefordshire Nature Trust.

This article provides an update on the scarce and rare water beetles found in Herefordshire and summarises the account within the Coleopterist by Will Watson and Professor Garth Foster. There is table listing water beetles discovered or rediscovered in Herefordshire since 2000.


Watson, W. R. C. 2009. Bidessus minutissimus in Herefordshire. Latissimus 26 Newsletter of the Balfour-Browne Club. August 2009

This article describes how a chance visit to an abandoned limestone quarry on the English/Welsh border led to re-discovery of the diminutive diver Bidessus minutissimus. It is the first record of this species of water beetle in England since 1908. B. minutissimus is a Biodiversity Action Plan Species and is listed as Red Data Book 3.