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CONSERVING WETLANDS
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The Stour Valley contains a variety of wetland types, of value to birds,
aquatic mammals, insects and plants. The KSCP works with landowners to enhance
and conserve these habitats.
Some of the major habitats are summarised below.
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Stodmarsh
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Riverside habitats are a particularly important feature of the Stour
Valley. Sheep-grazed riverside pastures are a characteristic sight. Flood
meadows, old pollarded willows and bankside vegetation all offer habitats for a
range of species, and benefit the wildlife of the river itself, such as otters.
However, on many parts of the Stour, trees have been grubbed out, meadows
drained, and arable crops planted right to the edge of the water, all to
increase agricultural production. The river itself has also been altered -
straightened and made less natural. More positive is the recent creation of
several lakes in the valley. These flooded industrial gravel workings are now
habitats for birds and a range of other wildlife.
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The Stour near Chartham
White-clawed crayfish - an inhabitant of the River Great
Stour
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Grazing marshes are low lying wet pastures. They often
flood in winter,
attracting migratory birds, and their network of drainage ditches provides
habitats for aquatic plants and insects. In recent years, many grazing marshes
have been drained much more effectively by modern pumping systems, which makes
the land suitable for arable crops (more profitable than grazing), but destroys
much of the wildlife interest. Having said that, the ditches may remain valuable
habitats.
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Ditch in arable-ised grazing marsh, Ash Levels
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Reedbeds occur on land which is flooded for most of the year, often at
the edges of lakes or in shallow lagoons. Dominated by a single species of reed
- usually common reed - they are habitats for specialised wildlife, including
some very rare birds. They have been lost with the widespread drainage of land
for agriculture. However, the Stour Valley contains some of Britain’s largest
reedbeds.
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Reed bed birds - bearded tit (top) and bittern
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Ponds were once a common site on farmland, supplying water for livestock
and providing habitats for amphibians and aquatic plants. However, as
agriculture has changed in recent years, many have been filled in or neglected.
Leaflet on conserving ponds
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Great crested newt - an uncommon pond dwelling amphibian
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Grants for
landowners to conserve wetlands |
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Wild Sites contents page
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