Conservation work at Ipsley Alders
26th February, 2010
Redditch residents and visitors to Ipsley Alders nature reserve will be able to see conservation in action over the next few weeks.
Contractors working for Worcestershire Wildlife Trust are on site felling a number of trees in order to open up the marsh. The felling will help wading birds and waterfowl get to the water and margins of the marsh and pond.
Andy Harris, reserves officer for the Trust, explained “Some species of bird, such as snipe, need a clear line of flight in order to land. We’ve got areas of trees that have grown too tall and are making it difficult for these birds to take advantage of the resources on the reserve. Redshank and even little egret have been seen on the reserve recently.
“In addition we’ll be continuing our annual coppice of many of the alders. This creates a variety of ages of tree, important for biodiversity, as well as stopping them growing in the marsh and shading the more delicate plants. Natural England are funding the work and the necessary felling licences have been granted.”
The felling is just part of the conservation work at Ipsley Alders. Cattle will soon be introduced onto the northern part of the reserve where they can graze the meadow before the flora springs up. Grazing cattle ensure a structural variation to the grassland marsh is maintained.
The reserve covers 18 hectares and is situated about 2 miles east of Redditch town centre at Winyates Green. A rare habitat in the Midlands, it has up to 1.5metres of sedge peat overlying blue-green clay. Spring water that rises beneath the peat produces water-logging over much of the site. At least 170 species of plant have been recorded on the reserve including common spotted orchid and hoary willowherb.
For more information about the reserve or the work of the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust visit www.worcswildlifetrust.co.uk.
More Information
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