Return to .... Waysides Homepage . . .List of wayside reserves . . . Waysides News Blog BRIDGE ROAD WAYSIDE RESERVE The first roadside nature reserve in Emsworth For the full list of plants on the wayside go to . . . Plants of Bridge Road Wayside Reserve This was the first wayside to be set up in Emsworth in 2009 in Bridge Road car park. It consists of a narrow grass verge about 100 metres in length which was previously closely mown several times a year. It has two shrubbery areas containing a variety of trees and bushes, and has the Westbrook Stream running alongside with a number of interesting plants. Botanically it is an important site with over 150 species of plant including rare ones. It is a haven for birds, butterflies and other insects and fish use the stream. The reserve was officially designated as a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC) in April 2011. One month later the reserve was added to the Road Verges of Ecological Importance (RVEI) by Hampshire County Council. It is hoped that other waysides will also receive recognition of their ecological importance. WIDLIFE NOTES . . . Blue Water Speedwell 22 July 2011 - The Blue Water Speedwell plant that I transplanted a week ago to a more sheltered position north of the Bulrushes is doing very well. It now has several flowering spikes, the largest of which does not exceed 20 flowers, which suggests it is the pure version of Blue Water Speedwell (Veronica anagallis-aquatica) and not the more common hybrid Veronica x Lackschewitzii. The other Blue Water Speedwell plant is still in its original position behind the centre shrubbery and also looks healthy, but has no flowers. Water Mint - Several plants are flowering on the east bank of the stream immediately behind the central shrubbery. This is a new plant for the Bridge Road Wayside. Fat Hen and Field Pepperwort are both established and flowering near the gap in the metal fence. Both newcomers. Gipsywort is in flower right next to the Narrow-leaved Water-plantain in the Bulrushes area. Guernsey Fleabane is coming up along the edge of the car park. Prickly Lettuce - One plant on the edge of the verge by south entrance. Not in flower. Insects Speckled Wood - Two Speckled Woods were flying around the verge. Whirligig Beetles - Hundreds of the tiny beetles were whirling around on the surface of the stream. Pyrausta aurata moth - This distinctive and fairly common moth has brown wings with yellow spots. It was feeding on the Water Mint flowers in the stream. Council workers Les and his new mate Lee were cutting the Beech hedge to the west of the car park. I was sorry the hear that Les will be retiring in 2012, we shall miss him. I explained the waysides project to Lee who was interested. It is good to get the men on the front line on your side! Les told me he had already heard about the new Beacon Square allotments wayside from Richard Denman, his supervisor. He will mow the grassy path. He also volunteered to cut and clear the Bridge Road Wayside in October. Good news. 14 July 2011 - Sulphur Cinquefoil - A buttercup-type flower with whorls of sharply toothed leaflets up the stem. The flowers with slightly notched petals and the leaves reminded me of Cinquefoil, but unlike any other I had seen before. This one was erect with a firm stem, not like the regular Creeping Cinquefoil. The whole plant was very hairy and I think it must be Sulphur Cinquefoil. An alien garden escape. The plant is about three paces north of the waysides conservation sign on the southern verge. Grid Ref: SU 7473 0604. From The New Atlas: "A perennial herb, originating from gardens or as a contaminant of grass seed and naturalised on waste ground, roadside banks and grassy places; rarely occurring as a casual. Lowland.Neophyte (change +0.99). P. recta was introduced into Britain by 1648, and was known from the wild by 1858 (Middlesex). It seems to have become more frequent since the 1962 Atlas, but this may be an artefact of better recording. A European Boreo-temperate species, naturalised in Scandinavia north of its native range, and in N. America." It is described as rare in The Hants Flora. Blue Water Speedwell 14 July 2011 - What must be Blue Water Speedwell has suddenly appeared on a small area of silt on the eastern side of the Westbrook Stream just south of the central shrubbery at Grid Ref: SU 7474 0608. . I have been looking for it regularly this year. I first saw it here in 2008 and then again in 2009, but I did not find it last year. I feared it may have been removed by the Environment Agency in their clearance of the stream following the floods in February of this year. I got down into the low water stream to have a good look at it. There are two small plants which are growing on a very thin layer of silt no more than a cm in depth above the solid concrete floor of the stream. To give them a better chance I scooped up the larger of the two plants (the one with flowers) together with the underlying silt and repositioned it on a more solid base of silt close to the Bulrushes further down stream at Grid Ref: SU 7474 0604. It is on the east bank of the stream, north of the Bulrushes and almost opposite the Sulphur Cinquefoil. The flowering spikes are not yet fully developed, but it may be the hybrid between Blue Water Speedwell and Pink Water Speedwell - Veronica x Lackschewitzii which we have had in previous years. I shall need to check the number of flowers on the racemes when it develops. The Plant Crib 1998 (p. 263) gives a mean of 25 flowers (range 15-40) for the pure form and a mean of 60 (range 30-90 for the hybrid. Ant hills 25 July 2011 - Over the past few months several mounds of fine soil have developed on the north verge near the signcase that look like ant hills. I have not as yet spotted any ants, but they must be at work below the surface. An ant hill mound is made from earth deposited at the entrances of excavated chambers by the ants. Apparently, ant hills have ecological value for a grassland site, in that they provide a different micro-climate and soil composition which encourages more plants and insects. Yellow Oat-grass is now well established on the north verge about 10 metres north of central shrubbery. Bristly Ox-tongue and 5 plants of Broad-leaved Willowherb to add to this year's plant list. Common Fleabane is in flower on Bridge Road verge, my first of the year anywhere. 23 June 2011 - Yellow Oat-grass (Trisetum flavescens) was a new discovery on the Bridge Road Wayside. This is an attractive grass with distinctive shining yellow spikelets. Crested Dog's-tail was another new one for this year. 14 June 2011 - Vervain flowering for the first time this year in the northern shrubbery. I also found three good areas of False Brome grass in flower. 8 June 2011 - Stream survey I donned my wellies and did a survey of the stream. Narrow-leaved Water-plantain was in flower near the Bulrushes. Walking up the whole length of the stream as far as the Victoria Road bridge, I counted a total of 28 plants, only two down on last year's total of 30. Also, growing in the stream in the Bulrushes area were Marsh Foxtail, Plicate Sweet-grass, Fool's Water-cress and a single plant of Gipsywort. Further north Elm and Lesser Burdock were growing on the east wall while Large Bindweed, Water-cress and Water Figwort in flower behind the central shrubbery. Several huge plants of Hemlock Water-dropwort were flopping over on the stream and swamping out other plants. These might be best removed? 8 June 2011 - Common Knapweed is now in full flower on the southern part of the verge near the stream. Common Fleabane was showing yellow in the buds, not yet in flower, but getting close. Two queries that I need to follow up. Possible False Brome behind the central shrubbery and a Hedge Woundwort look-alike (without flowers) but its leaves had no smell. I am pretty sure it was not Marsh Woundwort. Other wildlife Pond skaters were scuttling around on the surface of the stream. Three Ant hills behind the signcase. A Cinnabar moth flying. Two Mallards were mating in the stream, the male on top of female for several minutes, with two other males circling around. This did not appear to be a rape, as the female was quite accepting, though making a heck of a noise. The other males did not follow her after the original male had finished. May 27 - 2011 I up-dated the signcase on the wayside verge with new text and added some new photos. It now looks very smart. I checked the area for any missing plants and found quite a few to take this year's list to 114. Last year's total was 144, so still some way to go. One new plant added to the list today was Crow Garlic, 5 plants of which were just developing their red bulbils on the grass verge north of the signcase. That makes 14 new plants added to list this year. Narrow-leaved Water-plantain I got into the stream to do a count of the Narrow-leaved Water-plantain. I found the regular plant on the west bank north of the central shrubbery, where Nigel Johnson discovered it originally in 2006. This plant was crowded by Great Willowherbs, some of which I cleared away to give it a bit of space. I counted a further 15 plants in amongst the Bulrushes, where I counted 20 last year. I did not further north up the stream which is overgrown from surrounding Brambles, but I have seen the plants near the Victoria Road bridge and those from my back garden wall. So I think all are present much as last year, though probably fewer in number than the 30 that I found last year. Two plants that I did not find during my stream survey were Sweet Plicate Grass and Hard Rush which I recorded last year. They were probably removed when the Environment Agency cleared a one metre channel through the silt earlier in the year. Fortunately the Narrow-leaved Water-plantain appear to have survived this assault. Other plants I was pleased to see several Wall Lettuce plants beneath the Beech hedge with their delicate yellow flowers showing well. The slightly larger yellow flowers of Nipplewort made a nice comparison. Scarlet Pimpernel was also flowering beneath the hedge, while Honeysuckle was flowering in the hedge itself. A small bush (unusual) of Pellitory-of-the-wall is in flower on the edge of the car park. The first Hedge Bindweed of the year was in flower on the east bank of the river. Meanwhile, the red flowers of Broad-leaved Dock make a striking contrast with the yellow Buttercups on the southern verge. REVIEW OF PLANTS - 13 May 2011 The grass verge by the stream in Bridge Road car park is a glorious mixture of flowers and grasses. It must be seen. The sedges are coming along well mainly on the southern part of the Bridge Road grass verge. There is much more False Fox Sedge than in previous years, which is now quite widespread, along with a few tufts of Grey Sedge and Remote Sedge. There is also quite a lot of Smooth Meadow-grass (Poa pratensis) coming up on the grass verge, as there is everywhere else it seems. This is a grass I have often failed to pick up in previous years, but not this year. The plant list for this wayside now stands at 154, far ahead of any other of the waysides. Ten new plants have been added to the list this year. FURTHER RECOGNITION FOR BRIDGE ROAD WAYSIDE - 11 May 2011 Joanna Thornton, Land Management Advisor, Ecology Group, Hampshire County Council writes: I thought you would like to know that I have added Bridge Road Wayside in to the 'Road Verges of Ecological Importance ' (RVEI) project as it has been designated a SINC . It is listed as RV242 - U609 Bridge Road, Emsworth. I have attached a summary of this project for your information. I think that originally I had said that it couldn't be included as it was not technically a verge beside a road, but to reflect all the hard work you have put in, the SINC designation, and the interest from the community we felt it was better to include it. As you know it is under the management of Havant BC as it is in an urban area, rather than HCC direct, so the relevance of the RVEI status is slightly less as you have already agreed the management regime with Havant. Still, better to have it in there and recognised I think. I also noted your question about what is the best cutting regime for road verges/waysides and thought you might like to have copies of a couple of research articles I have about mowing regimes ? If you can email me your address I will put them in the post for you. Praise from Martin Rand (Botanical Recorder for South Hampshire) . . "Excellent stuff!" BRIDGE ROAD NATURE RESERVE GETS SINC STATUS - 5 April 2011 Nicky Court (Manager of the Hampshire Biodiversity Information Centre) apologises for the long delay in sending the results of the Hampshire SINCs Panel about the Bridge Road site. However, it was worth the wait since she was able to convey the excellent news that the panel agreed to the Bridge Road site as a SINC (Site of Importance for Nature Conservation). Nicky has notified Havant Borough Council who are the landowners, but has yet to supply them with an updated SINCs GIS layer showing the new site. However, they have had a copy of the .pdf map which Nicky also sends to us with the SINC area marked. Link to SINC Map of Bridge Road NR The SINC area includes the grass verge and the shrubs and the stream including both banks, from the northern end of the car park to the southern end where the stream disappears into the culvert below St James Road. The plant we have to thank for the SINC status is the Hampshire rare Narrow-leaved Water-plantain (Alisma lanceolata) which grows on the banks of the Westbrook Stream in some abundance. The SINC designation will certainly give us extra ammunition in our fight to protect the banks from the attentions of the Environment Agency. This is simply great news for the Friends of Emsworth Waysides project. As far as I am aware, the Bridge Road site is the first wayside in Havant Borough to get this official recognition. Although Bridge Road has always been our flagship is it only one of 17 waysides spread across Emsworth. It is likely that others can be put put forward for SINC status in time, providing we can find some notable species. However, in our eyes they are all equally valuable in our quest improve the biodiversity of the town and to bring nature closer to people! FIRST CUCKOOFLOWERS OF THE SPRING - March 30, 2011 A sight to gladden the heart on this gloomy day. The first Cuckooflowers of the spring were open this morning on the Bridge Road Nature Reserve site, on the southern edge of the central shrubbery. Five plants had fully open flowers and another five were half open. This is almost 2 weeks early than last year when the first Cuckooflower was open on this site on April 6. For the past two years I have recorded the first Cuckooflowers on the Brook Meadow site on April 8. So far as I am aware these were the first Cuckooflowers in the Emsworth area. A feather in the cap for the waysides project! GOAT WILLOW in full blosson - March 2011 SIGNCASE UP DATE - 27 March 2011 The Friends of Emsworth Waysides signcase (information board) on the Bridge Road site has been up dated with news, text and photos. BRIDGE ROAD IN SNOW - 1 December 2010 Well, first we had the flood, now we have the snow. What can possibly come next? SINC ASSESSMENT - 25 November 2010 Nicky Court from the Hampshire Biodiversity Information Centre (HBIC) of Hampshire County Council wrote to say she was going through all last year's surveys for SINC status. However, as the survey of the Bridge Road wayside by their own botanist last summer was a 'bit thin', she asked if I could send her our full species list of plants. The survey certainly was rather disappointing, with only 73 of the 144 plants being listed. Regarding Alisma lanceolata (Narrow-leaved Water-plantain) which is our notable species, I told Nicky that I had done a thorough survey of the stream and counted 30 plants, about 20 of them growing around the stand of Bulrushes at SU 7474 0604. I subsequently heard from Nicky to say that she will be recommending to the SINCs Panel that the stream and verge of the Bridge Road Wayside are designated as a SINC - Site of Importance for Nature Conservation. That is brilliant news, but we must await the final verdict. Here is a reminder of the rare Narrow-leaved Water-plantain in flower in the Westbrook Stream in June 2010 FLOODING IN BRIDGE ROAD - 9 November 2010 Heavy rain over the past two days led to the Westbrook Stream flooding over into Bridge Road this morning. Cars were submerged and houses flooded. We have had floods before, but this was certainly the worst I have seen. The water did not reach our end of the road, but our back garden was partially flooded. There were dramatic scenes with Bridge Road and the main A259 closed. Police and fire engines were busy. People were being ferried in boats. Workers were desperately trying to clear the grill and culvert at St James Road. Many people thought the millpond sluice gates had not been opened in time. But an Environment Agency guy told me the sluice was open. The problem was the inability of the culvert under the road to take the huge volume of water coming down the stream. He said he would get some stick from his superiors about not fully clearing out the Westbrook Stream, but that would have made no difference. Phew! The atmosphere in the town was quite amazing, everyone pulling together like war time. People were friendly and involved. I spoke to several people for the first time ever. The flooding was featured on both local TV channels this evening and no doubt in the local paper too. More heavy rain is forecast for Thursday! Here are a few photos The car park with the nature reserve totally submerged, but the pile of cuttings survived! Bridge Road looking north from St James Road. Just like a canal. People will not park their cars here in a hurry again! Workers clearing out the grill and culvert while flooded householders look on The main road was closed for a while as the water flowed across to the millpond View from the main road VOLUNTEERS CLEAR WAYSIDES - 4 November 2010 Five volunteers made a start this morning on clearing the arisings from three of the waysides, including Bridge Road. Brendan, Roger, Cindy and Jan completing the clearance of Bridge Road WESTBROOK STREAM DUG OUT - 25 October 2010 - Report by Brian Fellows The Environment Agency chaps completed clearing out the Westbrook Stream, which they started on Friday. I spoke to the team leader today, who was a very friendly and helpful guy. He appreciated what we were doing with the new nature reserve and assured me that there was no intention to remove all the silt from the stream - in sharp contrast to what was said last year! All they would be doing would be rounding off the banks to create a metre wide channel, as required for flood control purposes. This would leave a solid bank of soil for the growth of plants. The Bulrushes and surrounding plants would not be touched. He said that no further clearance work should be needed on the stream for the next 4 years or so. All this was a great relief as I had been fearing a total clearance of the stream to the great detriment of the reserve. It was a happy compromise. It is good to have harmonious relationships again with the Environment Agency and to think we are pulling together and not in opposition! Environment Agency chaps at work in the stream   WESTBROOK STREAM CLEARED - 15 October 2010 - Report by Brian Fellows The Environment Agency cleared the vegetation from Westbrook Stream in the Bridge Road Nature Reserve while I was away on the Isle of Wight, probably on Friday 15 Oct. This was the same date they did it last year. I was sorry not to be there to supervise. However, they did leave the Bulrushes which they cut down last year. The Narrow-leaved Water-plantain plants growing in amongst the Bulrushes have also been spared as an unintended consequence. I was a bit shocked when I first saw the clearance, but the same happened last year and the stream recovered well, so it is not serious. The threat the Environment Agency made last year to completely clear all the silt and soil from the stream has not materialised. Our meeting with the Environment Agency chaps was on Nov 5 last year, partly prompted by my complaint to them about the clearance. I am keeping quiet this time. PLANT SURVEY OF BRIDGE ROAD WAYSIDE - Oct 2010 - Report by Brian Fellows I have received the results of the plant survey conducted by Joel Miller of the Hampshire Biodiversity Information Centre on 26 August 2009. Joel recorded 73 species on his visit, including one notable species, ie Narrow-leaved Water-plantain (Alisma lanceolata). Note there are in fact 144 plant species, but Joel can only sample them on one visit. The decision about whether to award the wayside SINC status has not yet been made, but I am confident in view of the presence of a notable species in some quantity. More details of the survey to follow. COMMEMORATIVE ROWAN REPLACED - 9 October 2010 - Report by Brian Fellows The ailing Rowan tree, which was planted on the grass verge at the southern entrance to Bridge Road car park, in memory of Margaret Gibb-Gray has now been replaced with a much larger and healthier looking tree with leaves and berries. We look forward to seeing Waxwings! PLANT LIST - 21 June 2010 - Report by Brian Fellows The plants on the Bridge Road Wayside go from strength to strength. Three new plants for the list today were Hairy Buttercup, Pineappleweed and Crested Dog's-tail. This takes this year's total for the site so far to 111, including 29 additions to last year's list. The grand total for the site now stands at 127 species. I am amazed by the number I am finding. This place must surely have a botanical history? Bridge Road wayside is a riot of wild flowers - June 2010   The rare Narrow-leaved Water-plantain (Alisma lanceolata) is flowering well in the Westbrook Stream - 27 June 2010 The flower bed I met a couple of chaps from HBC who were about the cut the car park entrance verge. They also had some bedding Marigolds to plant in the flower bed in place of the wild flower mix which we have decided against. They were fully aware that the wayside verge was not to be cut. Mallard ducklings The female Mallard was back on the Westbrook Stream this afternoon with 9 tiny ducklings in tow, three dark ones and 6 light coloured. She has been missing from the strem for the past few weeks, so that is what she has been doing! The two male Mallards are still around and no doubt will continue to harass her and put the ducklings at risk. WESTBROOK STREAM SURVEY - 28 May 2010 - Report by Brian Fellows I donned my wellies and walked the length of the Westbrook Stream from the south end of Bridge Road car park to the bridge at Victoria Road. Narrow-leaved Water-plantain . Narrow-leaved Water-plantain I was mainly interested in the Narrow-leaved Water-plantain. I was very pleased to find at least 30 plants, most of them in the stretch by the car park around the Bulrushes. As this rare plant is doing so well, this is even more reason why the Environment Agency should not clear the stream. The locations are as follows: 20 near Bulrushes at Grid Ref: SU 7474 0604 1 north of the central shrubbery at Grid Ref: SU 7474 0610 1 near my back garden wall at Grid Ref: SU 7473 0618 8 near the Victoria Road bridge at Grid Ref: SU 7473 0618 Other plants of interest Sweet Plicate Grass - on the east bank in the car park at Grid Ref: SU 7474 0606 Hard Rush - opposite the signcase at Grid Ref: SU 7474 0610 Remote Sedge - north of the car park at Grid Ref: SU 7473 0615 NEW METROGUARD SIGNCASE - May - June 2010 - Report by Brian Fellows The new signcase was installed by HBC employees, Ian and Albie on May 25 on the Bridge Road wayside.   Brian with the new signcase with news and photos about the waysides scheme - 27 May 2010.   A section of the barrier was removed and a curb ramp to facilitate access to the board - 10 June 2010 WILD FLOWERS ON THE WAYSIDE - 9 May 2010 - Report by Brian Fellows The Bridge Road Wayside by the stream is now burgeoning with wild flowers with particularly good displays of Slender Speedwell, Common Sorrel, Meadow Foxtail and Sweet Vernal Grass (a new one for the site). I have already recorded 50 of the 113 plants on the list for this site. An additional 11 plants have been added to the list so far this year. We also have a Blackcap singing, and probably nesting in the bushes. A good flowering of Common Sorrel   Sweet Vernal Grass has not been previously recorded on this site   Early Winter-cress is another newcomer to the Bridge Road wayside WILD FLOWER AREA - 18 April 2010 - Report by Brian Fellows The flower bed on the verge at the southern entrance to Bridge Road car park has been carefully prepared and sown with the wild flower seed mix as we previously agreed. Many thanks to Rob Hill of HBC for organising this. The area looks a bit bare at present without its bedding plants, but the new seed should give a good flowering from June onwards. A "contrasting seed" mix has been sown from Pictorial Meadows to give flowering from June onwards. To quote from the Pictorial Meadows web site: http://www.pictorialmeadows.co.uk/annual_mixes "Sow Pictorial Meadows Annual seed mixes in the spring - March, April, May - and they will produce superb colour displays within 8 weeks or so of sowing. Unlike other annual meadow mixtures, Pictorial Meadow mixtures are formulated so that as one species in the mix starts to die back it is replaced by another to give continuous displays from midsummer through to late autumn. Regarding the contrasting seed mix which will be sown - it is "A vibrant mix with a combination of orange and yellow with contrasting blue components, throwing together species like Cornflower, Red and Blue Flaxs and Larkspur." Here is a photo of the mixture to be sown in Bridge Road from the web site BRIDGE ROAD WAYSIDE NEWS - 16 April 2010 - Report by Brian Fellows Meanwhile, wild flowers are starting to emerge on the grass verge next to the stream. I have already logged several new ones from last year, including Sweet Violets. The patches of blue flowered speedwell on the grass that I originally thought was Common Field Speedwell is, in fact, Slender Speedwell (Veronica filiformis). Common Field Speedwell also grows on the site. Several Cuckooflowers are showing well on the grass verge by the stream    There is a fine display of Lesser Celandine beneath the hedge at the southern entrance to the car park. This photo also shows the flower bed (soon to be a wild flower area) and the new Rowan.   MYSTERY FISH - 12 April 2010 Caroline French asked me to have a look at a dying fish that she had noticed in the Westbrook Stream while parking her car. It looked like an ornamanental variety of Carp with pale, almost white scales and reddish eyes. It was badly damaged on the tail and had probably been dumped in the stream. There was nothing we could do for the poor thing. COMMEMORATIVE TREE PLANTING - Easter Day Sunday 4 April 2010 Local tree wardens John Green, Frances Jannaway and Richard Jannaway planted the Japanese Rowan Sorbus commixta on the grass verge at the entrance to Bridge Road car park in memory of Margaret Gibb-Gray who died in December 2009. There was a short ceremony in which Frances said a few words about the tree and poems were read by John Green and Ann Jolly. Finally, Brendan expressed his appreciation to everyone involved for creating a memorable occasion. John and Richard planting the Rowan in Bridge Road car park   Brendan helps in the planting   Frances reading a piece about the Rowan tree in memory of Margaret   People gathered to witness the ceremonial planting   Here is a photo of what the tree is likely to look like in 20 years time. MOVING THE PARKING POST - 1 April 2010 As agreed with Rob Hill, a couple of Council chaps re-sited the parking post on the grass verge where the tree is to be planted at the southern entrance to Bridge Road car park to the back of the verge. It looks so much better there and makes room for the Metroguard Signcase. The photo also shows the site of the new tree and the wild flower display. GOAT WILLOW- 27 March 2010 Goat Willow in full blossom with "pussy" catkins on the edge of the Westbrook Stream ANNUAL CUTTING OF BRIDGE ROAD WAYSIDE RESERVE - 14 December 2009 Report by Brian Fellows This morning, I was pleased to meet Les and John of Havant Borough Council in Bridge Road car park. They had arrived to carry out the first annual cutting of the grass verge on the new Bridge Road Nature Reserve. The cutting was efficiently done with a strimmer. I asked them if they would rake up and remove the cuttings, which they did without hesitation. They also removed the top part of the vandalised apple tree, leaving the main trunk to sprout again. I was most impressed! John busy strimming the grass verge in Bridge Road car park   Les and John busy raking and clearing the cuttings   Job very well done. Now let's wait to see what comes up in the spring.   Our next job is to stop the Environment Agency clearing the stream of all the plants and silt which they have threatened to do. We have had no further communication with them following my e-mail to Steve Hale about the rare Narrow-leaved Water-plantain (Alisma lanceolata) which grows in the stream. A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE NEW RESERVE AT BRIDGE ROAD - 2009 - 2010 Weed spraying Earlier this year (spring 2009), Emily Laurens alerted me (Brian Fellows) to the chemical spraying that had taken place in our local area. I was particularly concerned about spraying which I could see the effects of on the small grassland area between Bridge Road car park and the Westbrook Stream. I have been monitoring this area for some years and was aware of that it supported a good number of wild plants, including one, Narrow-leaved Water-plantain (Alisma lanceolata), which is classified as rare. This photo shows the results of weed spraying along the edge of the proposed reserve   This photo shows the spraying very close to the Westbrook Stream Contact with the local Council Clearly, it made no ecological sense in this green age to damage such a valuable area and to use chemicals so near to a stream. It needed protection. So, in June 2009, I contacted Andy Paffett of Havant Borough Council, who is the person responsible for managing the weed spraying in the borough, to see what could be done to stop this practice. Andy's response was reassuringly positive. Yes, the Council does listen! After inspecting the site, Andy Paffett of HBC agreed to cease the current programme of mowing and spraying and said we need look towards creating a more natural managed area, utilising the knowledge and skills of local volunteers. We certainly have a good local volunteer base in Emsworth. The aim would be to have a small natural area beside the stream, a mini-nature reserve, which people could enjoy and where wildlife would flourish. Even after 2 months of no cutting there is a profusion of wild flowers, attracting butterflies and other insects. My plant list for the area is growing and currently stands at 93 different species, which is an amazing number of wild flowers for such a small area (roughly 500 square metres). Small but beautiful. It might even get the status of a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC). This photo shows the grass verge by the car park with the Westbrook Stream on the right HCC Surveying for possible SINC In June 2009 I contacted the Ecology Group of Hampshire County Council expressing my concerns about the spraying in the Bridge Road car park area. I had a reply from Jo Thornton - Land Management Advisor Ecology Group. Jo is the new contact for the road verge project. Nicky Court from HBIC had forwarded a copy of the Brook Meadow Newsletter, which contained an article regarding Bridge Road. Jo was pleased to hear about the good progress with Havant BC and the great news that they agreed to stop the current spraying and cutting regime. She thought it is possible that the site could be designated as a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation which would give it more protection and recognise its conservation value. The site would have to be surveyed by one of the HBIC field surveyors to see if it meets the criteria. I sent through a list of plants found on the site which Jo forwarded to the HBIC with a survey request form for Bridge Road. Hopefully they can fit in a visit this summer. The surveyor will be in touch with me when they carry out the survey. Jo added that the site would not be classified as a 'road verge' under Hampshire County Councils Highways Departments responsibility. Therefore it could not be included in the 'Road Verges of Ecological Importance Scheme' ( RVEIS ). Litter and vandalism Being close to a well used free car park, the area is vulnerable to litter and minor acts of vandalism. I keep a constant watch on the area and clear up any litter, most of it being cans and bottles in the stream, which I fish out with a net. The only only major act of vandalism on the site ocurred in early August 2009, when a mature apple tree in the small shubbery was cut down. Sadly, the tree at the time was full of apples and has for many years has been an attraction to local kids. From inquiries I gather this act was the result of a personal grudge against the tree and quite unconnected with the with the proposed mini-nature reserve. A simlar act occurred in Appledram Lane (south) in early June thjis year when someone took it on themselves to strim a roadside nature reserve, which happened to cntain a rare plant (Spiked Star-of-Bethlehem), despite the verge being clearly marked as a reserve. CLEARANCE OF THE WESTBROOK STREAM - October 2009 The Environment Agency did their annual clearance of the Westbrook Stream in the new Bridge Road Nature Reserve on October 18 2009, but it was an excessively severe cutting in which all of the vegetation was cleared. The severity of the clearance has gone well beyond the need to keep the stream running smoothly. Even a fine growth of Bulrushes on the eastern edge of the stream was torn away. There are several other important species of plant growing on the edge of the stream that need not have been cleared, including a good growth of Narrow-leaved Water-plantain Alisma lanceolata, which has been confirmed as a rare species in Hampshire.   MEETING WITH ENVIRONMENT AGENCY - 5 November 2009 Brendan Gibb-Gray, Roger Mills and Brian Fellows met up with Steve Hale, Adam Cave and Louise Parker from the Environment Agency at Bridge Road car park to discuss the severe clearance of the Westbrook Stream and the possibility of a more gentle conservation cut in the future in view of the fact that the stream was an important and integral part of the newly set up Bridge Road Nature Reserve. However, things did not go according to plan and the outcome was very disappointing from our point of view. The Agency officers informed us that the stream would have to be completely cleared of all the silt that had built up along the banks over the years. They pointed out that the Westbrook Stream was not a natural waterway, like the River Ems on Brook Meadow, but was canalised with concrete banks to improve the flow of water. They said the build up of soil lessened the effectiveness of the stream to absorb the back up from a tidal surge and its removal would help to combat the risk of flooding in the Bridge Road area. The clearance would probably take place in the next few months depending on available resources. We were all stunned by this news. We appreciated the position of the Agency in that their task to maintain water flow in the stream and protect properties from flooding. However, their plans would mean the stream being converted from what is at present an attractive and ecologically rich waterway to a barren concrete sided channel with little wildlife interest. The soil to be removed supports a number of important plants, including Narrow-leaved Water-plantain, Blue Water Speedwell, Bulrushes, Plicate Sweet-grass and Water Figwort, all of which will be lost along with the wildlife, fish, insects, etc. that depended on them. The only compromise we were allowed was a single plant of Pendulous Sedge, in a non-critical area, which the Agency said would be spared! A few days later, Steve Hale went to the site with the engineer who identified three areas where vegetation will be left in a controlled manner i.e. area reduced in size and silt shaped as well as reduced in height. The rest of the channel will be cleared for storage capacity. This is very disappointing. WHAT HAPPENED? - January 2010 The Environment Agency has threatened to clear the Westbrook Stream of all plants and silt 'to prevent flooding'. We question whether such a drastic action, which would seriously affect the integrity of the new nature reserve, is really required. The amount of soil that would be removed is relatively insignificant compared with the size of the stream, but the soil does hold a number of important plants, the destruction of which would seriously compromise the new nature reserve. Also, we note there has been no flooding in the Bridge Road area since the new remote controlled sluice was installed on the millpond, which has worked very well. Thus, the sluice can be opened if heavy rain is forecast to prevent any back up of water from the millpond into the stream. We have had no further communication with the EA following Brian Fellows's e-mail to Steve Hale about the presence of the rare Narrow-leaved Water-plantain (Alisma lanceolata) in the stream, which would be destroyed by the clearance. Have we had a reprieve?