OS 50K Sheet 196, SU 5009
Here, on the urban fringe of Southarnpton, old clay
workings have been abandoned and Nature has taken over in style. The
result is a 70 acre patchwork of woodland, scrub, grassland and lakes
teeming with wildlife. From 1897 the Bursledon Brick Company bought up
farmland from which it extracted the underlying London Clay until
1974. Digging moved on when the best clay had been removed, leaving
deep, steep sided quarries, now partly filled with water. In summer
the sunny banks attract basking lizards, butterflies, mining bees and
Green Woodpeckers feeding on ants. The lakes are home to over a dozen
different dragonflies. Former fields and spoil heaps became overgrown.
Some have had time to develop into oak and birch woodland. Keeping
this variety now depends an careful management such as preventing
trees from taking over the remaining meadows.
Swanwick Nature Reserve and Study Centre is a joint
project between the Civil Aviation Authority and Hampshire Wildlife
Trust. CAA own the land, have erected the Study Centre and have
undertaken major work on the reserve. This has been part of the
development of the site for their New En Route Centre which will
provide air traffic control up to the Scottish borders. The reserve
extends to 70 acres. Hampshire Wildlife Trust is responsible for its
management and employs a full time Warden, based at the Study Centre,
with funding from the Authority. This nature reserve is open between
dawn and dusk for all to enjoy. Please respect its wildlife.
Centre Lake
A shallow lake was created in 1991-2 on the site of
a deep flooded clay pit. Varied depth of water will encourage a wide
range of plants and animal life: we are letting it develop naturally
to ensure a balanced food chain. Within a year rnayflies, dragonflies,
toads and newts had already made it their home.
Southern Reserve
Sandy clay was dug here in 1955-6, leaving shallow,
reedy lake and steep slopes that are still relatively bare. Older
quarry faces are now covered with woodland and support a wide range of
wildlife. For your safety, access is restricted to pre-booked groups
only.
New Hill
This is an artificial hill, created in 1991 with
excavated soil from the CAA site. It was sown with meadow grasses and
wildflowers in 1992. These attract butterflies in summer and in winter
flocks of finches feed on the seeds.
North Meadow and Lakes
Fields of cabbages once grew here but from 1957-74
clay was dug for the brickworks. Four deep lakes now occupy the bottom
of the hole and are fished by a local club. This area became overgrown
but is now being managed to maintain a balance of grass and woodland.
It is particularly rich in birds, butterflies and dragonflies.
East Valley
Believe it or not, this wooded part of the reserve
was formerly farmed for soft fruit. In places you can still see rows
of low ridges where strawberries were grown. A conveyor belt carried
clay across this area for years. It has been removed but you can still
follow its route along a wide path from New Road to the slopes above
the Study Centre.
With thanks to Hampshire Wildlife Trust for
permission to use this site in our series. If you would like to join
the Trust, membership is obtainable by writing to them at 8 Romsey
Road, Eastleigh, Hampshire, SO50 9AL. |
