Wildlife Workers
Recent sightings
Links for Alverstone Mead Conservation Group
Event Calendar
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Helping preserve an important wildlife site
 Every Thursday from 8:30 to around lunchtime a group of local people of various ages gather at the end of Burnt House Lane, Alverstone to carry out work on the adjacent meadows or woodland with the ultimate intention of benefiting the animals, plants, insects and birds of this beautiful location. Alverstone Mead was purchased by Wight Nature Fund through public subscription and is one of the few remaining water meadows in England. Water levels are carefully controlled in the traditional manner so that flooding during the winter allows a chemical-free growth of grass for cattle to graze on in the summer. The principle was that the latent-heat of the water kept the covered land warmer than the winter air. It protected the grass and was shallow enough to let daylight shine through so the pasture crop grew well while submerged. Birds are attracted by the water including snipe and teal and the odd cormorant will come inland for a look. There are a number of resident water voles (above). Other groups which come and work here from time to time are Island Conservation Volunteers*, on a Sunday, and BTCV's Green Gym* on a Wednesday.
[*See links for their programmes] |
Nature on the Map
 There is a guide leaflet available locally for a circular walk on public footpaths and the mead is part of the Newchurch Nature Trail. There is a box with leaflets in the corner of Newchurch Recreation Ground, off School Close. To see a map on-line courtesy of English Nature please click on the Nature on the Map link and type "alverstone mead " in the box. The reserve is to the south-east of the village, near where Scotchell's Brook meets the Eastern Yar. You may like to use the system to find other wildlife localities in the country by typing in its name or that of a nearby village or landmark.
The water meadows still have their old ditch drainage system and retain scarce and interesting wetland flowers and invertebrates such as dragonflies and you will see hunting barn owls, herons and occasional kingfishers here. |
Dragonflies and Damselflies
Southampton Natural History Society's excellent website has some beautiful photographs of local dragonflies and damselflies. Several species shown are to be found in the reserve and breed here. You will enjoy browsing through their other pages too, with photos of wildlife that is also found on the Isle of Wight. People visiting the hide have entered in the log book two species so far - the Emperor and the Broad-Bodied Chaser. |
Nature Matters - Newsletter
 | Consultation with local farmer, Richard Salter has resulted in the deployment of marsh-grazing specialists, i.e. Highland Cattle, to graze the Mead. It is hoped to graze four beasts, with some costs being covered by a Countryside Stewardship Grant. The Management Plan has been updated and sent to DEFRA. Negotiations with the Environment Agency continue regarding their Alverstone Water Level Management Plan. Routine ditch clearance has been done and the bird scrape has been enlarged as planned. Some fencing repairs have been carried out with more to be completed, the costs of stock-proof fencing being covered by Countryside Stewardship. The new rotary tedder for haymaking has greatly improved the efficiency of our meadow management, producing more than 470 bales of hay. Ragwort has been controlled with hand pulling. A track has been cut around the edge of the Mead immediately under the Copse to avoid rutting the softer ground where interesting plants are found. Notable species recorded recently on the Reserve include two young Red Squirrels occupying the feeders around the hide; roosting Buzzards; a Corn Bunting, seen with Reed Buntings by the cycle track; a late Swallow on 25th November and a Bluethroat on the edge of Youngwoods Copse on 8th December. The raising of the water table has provided shallow flooding of the grazing strips at the eastern end of the Reserve. This has brought in more Teal and Little Egrets. Kingfishers have been seen regularly, but did not use the nesting bank this year. The digger driver reported seeing three water voles and many small fish whilst clearing the ditches. Click on the link below and see why Ratty was mis-named in "The Wind in the Willows"
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Welcome Discovery
The old-hay-meadow plant, Yellowrattle, has appeared on Skinner's Mead which is good news as it is partially parasitic on grass and will therefore help keep the sward low, which in turn should allow a greater variety of plant species to have a chance of flourishing. Haymaking can be timed to allow this plant to successfully seed.
An unwelcome non-native plant which has arrived on the River Yar bankside is the Himalayan Balsam which, although attractive, will shade out existing vegetation that our wildlife needs to survive on. It is a notifiable pest which will be removed and this operation is likely to be filmed here by the BBC who are making a documentary about the problems caused by introduced species. They will be using The Dinosuar Museum as a base. |
Martin's Wood Bench Installation
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During
 | | Geoff, Bernie and John in action |
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After
 | | All nails securely banged home |
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