Summer 2003
Contents
New! Blackwater Valley Dragonflies
A full colour guide to the dragonflies and damselflies of the Blackwater Valley with a guide to sites to visit has just been produced. It is packed with superb colour photography and information on the 30 Valley species – see inside for further details and how to get your FREE poster.
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It’s Webtastic
Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership is now online and if you have access to the internet you should certainly think about visiting this excellent new website. From sites to visit, things to do with the kids, wildlife to see, conservation groups and events to get involved in,
Much thought was given to the content and design of the website as we wished to make it as informative and easy to use as possible. The main body of information within the site ha been broken down into four main sections, ‘About Valley’, ‘Recreation’, ‘Wildlife’ and ‘Volunteers’. Within these sections you can find information as detailed and as varied as the geology of the valley, to where you can learn to ski! Navigation has been made even easier by using maps from the route of the Blackwater Valley Path as a base from which to access information within the site.
Regular updates, including a monthly events listing, mean a visit to the website will be one of the quickest ways for people to find out what is going on within the Valley all year round. Since its launch last year feedback about the site has been promising and we hope that it will soon become a firm favourite with locals and visitors alike.
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Here be Dragons!
Insects often get overlooked, but if any can brighten up a summer stroll, it is the darting translucent colours of dragonflies and damselflies. What was that flash of blue, or glimpse of red? Blackwater Valley’s latest guide now has the answer.
Over the past year, two local volunteers, Jim Bennett and Ken Crick combined their talents to produce a guide about Blackwater Valley dragonflies. Stunning close-up, colour photographs are linked with informative text to identify the 30 species found in the area.
Jim, a freshwater biologist, used his interest in natural history photography to capture these fascinating insects on camera. ‘We have listed good dragonfly sites to visit in the guide, as these are where Ken and I have been studying dragonflies over many years. The Blackwater Catchment is one of the best areas in Britain to see these beautiful and exciting creatures.’ Ken first developed his interest in dragonflies as a boy whilst playing and fishing around Fleet Pond, the Basingstoke Canal and Hawley Lake, He described the guide as ‘a joy to work on’ and went on to explain, ‘it is not aimed at the expert but is written to encourage interested people to get out and explore the area’.
Dragonflies need open water so it is no surprise that Blackwater Valley with its numerous ponds and lakes has been described as ‘a dragonflies paradise’. Many of the lakes have been created by gravel extraction over the years. Publication of the guide was made possible by a grant obtained by Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership from English Nature’s Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund.
The guide is available to purchase direct from Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership by making a cheque payable to ‘Blackwater Valley’ for £3.00 (includes p&p) and sending to BVCP, Ash Lock Cottage, Government Road, Aldershot, GU11 2PS. To support the guide a FREE poster is available for secondary schools, colleges and interested individuals whilst stocks last, from the same address.
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The otters are coming
Otters have returned to the Loddon Catchment, after an absence of many years. The good news was tinged with sadness as it was the discovery of dead otter beside a road that provided the vital evidence. However fresh tracks and spraints (distinctive otter droppings) showed that at least one live otter was still present.
The exciting find was made just before Christmas on the River Loddon near Wokingham. Otters can have a home range of up to 40km, so it is quite feasible that otters are already using the River Blackwater.
The last confirmed sighting of an otter on the River Blackwater was in 1957 at Sandhurst, and by the late 1970's they had disappeared from most of the UK. The major cause of this sudden decline was the indiscriminate use of poisons that entered our river systems. With tighter controls on the use of pesticides otters have been slowly returning to their old haunts.
David Webb, from the Environment Agency said, "We have worked in partnership with Thames Water to provide suitable habitat to enable otters to recolonise this area naturally. Otters are a good indicator of a healthy water environment as they need a plentiful supply of fish and encouraging them back into our region is a major success for local conservation." Volunteers working with local wildlife trusts and ranger services have also been busy planting riverside tree belts and constructing holts.
The discovery is very timely as otters are a key species for the Loddon Catchment Biodiversity Project that will be co-ordinating further habitat improvement work to ensure otters will be back to stay in our local rivers.
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Wet & windy
“Believe me, my young friend, there is absolutely nothing half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats”.
So said Ratty in Wind in the Willows, and if you’ve ever been tempted to have a dabble at Ratty’s favourite hobby there has never been a better time or place to start than 2003 in the Blackwater Valley.
The Valley boasts two watersports centres, both of which, despite very different histories, now provide first class facilities in beautiful countryside settings. Both centres specialise in teaching beginners, young or old, and their sheltered waters are the ideal starting point for a lifetime of “messing about in boats”.
Horseshoe Lake has only recently been created by gravel extraction and has rapidly gained a reputation for providing excellent facilities for a range of outdoor activities. Youngsters from 8-15 years old are especially well catered for, with holiday courses in sailing, windsurfing, canoeing and kayaking; adults can sample – or improve their skills in – all disciplines through the centre’s programme of Saturday courses. School and youth groups are also welcome with a range of multi-activity packages.. The centre’s activities are a hit with birthday party groups – there is a BBQ on site for just such an occasion.
Visitors who can demonstrate competency on the water can purchase a lake pass for the year and various craft can be hired for use on the lake. For youngsters who get hooked, there is H2O, Horseshoe Lake’s very own junior watersports club for 8-15 year olds, which is run every Sunday morning throughout the season. The centre also sells wetsuits, boots and other watersports accessories.
Hawley Lake on the other hand is about 200 years old and was formed by the damming of a small tributary of the River Blackwater on Hawley Common. For many years it has been used by the local army camp as a Sail Training Centre; however, it is now open for civilian as well as military use.
An active programme of sailing courses is run throughout the year aimed at all ages from 8 years upwards. A speciality are the “mums” courses, with times suited for those picking up children from school. Courses are mostly held midweek and will enable the complete beginner to start sailing alone in a few short, if action packed, days. Courses in power boats are also available.
Once you have successfully completed your initial training course the Hawley Lake Sail Training Centre offers membership that allows use of the centre’s boats for 1 year. The centre is open for all but Christmas week with a race programme every Sunday for the keenest.
So there it is, no excuses are acceptable. Whatever your age, book a course and get on the water. It could be a decision you will never regret.
Brochures are available from:
Hawley Lake Sail Training Centre
Tel: 01252 863341
e-mail: enquiries@hawleylake.co.uk
Horseshoe Lake Activities Centre
Tel:01252 871808
e-mail:watersport@freeuk.com
Did you know:
- Ratty was actually a Water Vole.
- Water Voles were once common alongside British rivers & streams but are now one of our fastest declining species, so much so it is feared they may soon become extinct.
- A major reason for this sudden decline has been American Mink, escaped or released on purpose, which find Water Voles easy to catch.
- A few small colonies of Water Voles still service along the river Blackwater
- Willows, fortunately are still common alongside our rivers and lakes and support the greatest variety of insects of any native tree, over 450 species.
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Special protection for rare birds
Three rare birds are to receive their own Special Protection Area in over 8000 hectares of land surrounding the Blackwater Valley.
The proposed Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area will give the area the highest protection possible in recognition of its international importance for birds. It will protect internationally important populations of; woodlark, nightjar and Dartford warbler across a suite of 13 heathland sites located across Berkshire, North Hampshire and East Surrey.
These birds flourish on well managed heathland sites where there are a variety of habitat niches providing short vegetation; gorse; some bracken; a few scattered trees; and a good supply of invertebrates for food. Such good quality heathland has become increasingly rare over the past 200 years and is still under threat. Berkshire alone has lost 97% of its heathland over this period. Fortunately in recent years woodlark and nightjar have began to use habitats created by the clear-felling or storm-damaged mature coniferous forestry. The open conditions of young forestry planted on relic heathland provides similar habitat characteristics for breeding woodlark and nightjar as the woodland edge habitat they utilise on heathland.
As well as the birds, other rare and declining species such as Silver-studded blue butterflies, raft spiders, sundews and dragonflies will benefit from the special protection to the heathlands.
The main threats to the birds come from habitat loss from tree growth as well as developments, degradation due to lack of correct management, and pressures from the surrounding urban areas. The SPA is good news for the many people who live in the local area as it will help preserve the open space that many use for recreational access. Unfortunately the breeding birds can suffer from the disturbance from dogs, walkers, cyclists and motor cyclists.
The Thames Basin Heaths SPA Project is designing a series of projects to minimise these threats. As well as the essential habitat management of removing encroaching trees to restore the heathland, it is tackling the issue of recreational users and recently held an off road motorcycle event to promote responsible use by the motorcyclists who have caused much damage to certain heathlands in the past
The work in the Blackwater Valley over the past 30 years to provide better access to the local countryside now takes on extra importance. By providing alternative opportunities for outdoor recreation it will play an important role in protecting the internationally important heathlands.
The designation of the SPA provides many challenges in a part of the world that is becoming increasingly developed an urbanised. It will be welcomed by many people who appreciate the open heathlands, their landscapes and wildlife. Ironically recreational access may be as damaging to the birds as development. Involvement of local communities will be critical to the long term success of the SPA, so that they fully appreciate the international importance of the area and the reasons for management.
For example monitoring its continuing value to wildlife by the collection of heathland bird data is fundamental to the project. English Nature is currently looking for recorders through a new initiative, the SPA Bird Warden Scheme. If you are interested in protecting the local heathlands and their important bird populations please contact: Sarah Brocklehurst, English Nature on 01635 268881.
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Wet & Wild
A new strategy is being launched this summer that aims to conserve the wildlife of the River Loddon and its catchment. The Loddon Catchment Biodiversity Strategy takes the innovative approach of looking at the river catchment as a whole, breaking down the artificial, administrative and paper boundaries and working at a ‘real’ landscape level. This makes it possible to identify what needs to be done – and who is going to do it – much more effectively and in a way that relates to the countryside itself.
The strategy has been funded by the Environment Agency and prepared by Hampshire Wildlife Trust together with a partnership of organisations including Wokingham Unitary Authority, Berkshire Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust and Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership.
“Our rivers form administrative boundaries and this often causes problems. This strategy now puts the River Loddon at the centre of many peoples agenda” said Dave Webb, Biodiversity Technical Specialist at the Environment Agency
The Loddon Catchment Biodiversity Strategy picks out ten important habitats and seven wildlife topics requiring priority action (see box 1). It has identified the Blackwater Valley as one of the key areas recognising it has a vital role within the Loddon catchment, both for wildlife and also as an educational and recreational resource, giving local people space to enjoy, experience and learn about nature. It specifies over 20 action points that will improve the Valley’s biodiversity and looks to the Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership to take a lead role in co-ordinating activities in the Valley.
“The River Blackwater is surrounded by wetland habitats including woodland and grassland that provide havens for wildlife” explained Sue Dent, Countryside & Access Officer with the Blackwater Valley Partnership. “In the north the river is surrounded by farmland, small woods and hedgerows that may provide a home for otter in future. At Swallowfield, where the Blackwater meets the Loddon, there is part of an historic parkland landscape with ancient trees standing in open grassland. Some of the lakes that have resulted from gravel extraction, such as at Moor Green Lakes Nature Reserve, have developed into important open water habitats providing homes for over-wintering wildfowl. Other old gravel extraction sites have become damp, boggy areas with fen, marsh, swamp and reedbed, whilst many of the lakes that are used for angling are now surrounded by largely undisturbed wet woodland”
She continued “Along the whole length of the River Blackwater, the Blackwater Valley Path provides access to the countryside. The success of this strategy will ensure all of us have better opportunities to experience wildlife and nature close up, even in the most urbanised parts of the Valley”.
Priority habitats identified by the strategy are
- Woodlands & hedges
- Parkland
- Farmland
- Ancient grassland
- Wet grassland
- Fen, Swamp & reedbed
- Heathland & bog
- Open water
- Chalk streams
- Canals
Priority wildlife identified by the strategy are
- Otter
- Water vole
- Great crested newt
- Bats
- Wild birds
- Characteristic local species
- Alien species
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Ten remarkable years
Moor Green Lakes Nature Reserve celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. It is a remarkable success story. In just 10 years the reserve has gone from gravel pit with bare ground and empty lakes to a thriving nature reserve supporting a wide and varied mixture of wildlife. It is now a popular local beauty spot and in particular attracts bird watchers from both far and wide.
Behind the success of the Reserve is a history of co-operation between RMC Aggregates (Southern) Ltd., Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership, local authorities, nature conservation groups and local people. The site is now managed by the Moor Green Lakes Group whose membership of over 400 includes a hard-core of volunteers who put in many hours to continue to develop and improve the nature conservation of the site. The group is also very active in surveying and monitoring the wildlife of the reserve to increase the knowledge of what is there, and to ensure that the careful management is achieving its aims.
The reserve now consists of three lakes surrounded by a mixture of grassland, scrub and coppiced woodland. The lakes are best known for the wildfowl and waders that visit every winter with important numbers of Gadwall, Wigeon, Goosander, and Shoveler. In summer it is one of the best local sites to see Common Tern, Mandarin Duck and Redshank which now regularly breed on the reserve. During the ten years a total of 201 birds species have been seen.
“Its not just birds” said Peter Scott, Chair of the Moor Green Lakes Group, “the reserve is now a great place to see all sorts of wildlife, roe deer, foxes, weasels, and bats are all regularly observed here”.
Quarrying continues adjacent to the nature reserve area, and will in due course be restored as a wildlife and conservation area to include: 9 ha of reedbed; a lake; grassland and woodland. “The next ten years will see the extension of the reserve” said Peter “this will make a significant contribution to the Blackwater Valley wetlands and will improve the area for our visitors, be they birds or people”.
The anniversary was marked in June by an open day at the reserve and adjacent quarry hosted by RMC Aggregates. Derek Wiseman, Estates Manager at RMC said that “It has been a delight to support the reserve for the last ten years and we look forward to continuing our involvement to this exciting project in the future”.
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Go Wild in September
Conservation Volunteering open month in the Blackwater Valley.
Local conservation groups up and down the Blackwater Valley will be holding events throughout September to give you a chance to try conservation volunteering. Regular volunteers will be on hand to introduce you to the site and to what they do and why they do it. Practical tasks will be underway to give you a chance to ‘have a go’.
So, if you have thought about conservation volunteering before, or if you enjoy a local site and would like help to maintain and improve it, now is your chance to give it a go.
Important things to remember about conservation volunteering:
- It doesn’t matter how much or how little you do, everyone works at their own speed and for as long as they wish;
- No experience is needed, the group will provide the tools, advice and training;
- Just wear comfortable outdoor clothes, boot or wellies and bring some waterproofs;
- There are regular breaks when tea, coffee and biscuits are provided but if you are staying for the day, do bring your lunch along.
If you are not able to tackle the practical work, but would still like to get involved and contribute, take the chance to come along and talk to the group, they need ‘backroom boys’ too.
There are twenty local groups from across the Valley taking part in September, they vary greatly in their size, the types of site that they manage and the of work they do. They are all dedicated to making a positive contribution to their local environment, helping to secure it for present and future generations.
Some are dedicated to the care of one particular site: these include Rowhill Nature Reserve; Brickfields Country Park and Moor Green Lakes Nature Reserve. Others cover a wider area: the Bourne Conservation Group is concentrating on footpaths south of Farnham while the Blackwater Valley Countryside Volunteers range across sites throughout the valley. Groups meet both at weekends and on weekdays. They vary from entirely volunteer run and organised to local authority run groups.
Practical conservation tasks include pond clearing, hedge laying, fencing, scrub clearance, footpath work, woodland work and much more. Many groups also hold regular social events such as walks and talks throughout the year and a regular newsletter. Some are keen to spread the word and are regular hosts to parties of school children learning about the environment.
Somewhere in the valley there will be a Local Conservation Group to suit you and at the end of the month there will be a free barbeque to thank everyone who has taken part. So why not take the chance to ‘Go Wild’ this September? .
For further details see the Go Wild page
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