16-Aug-2006
- The Environment Agency and its partners, Worcestershire
Wildlife Trust and English Nature, have launched
a project to restore Wilden Marsh and Meadows
Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) near
Kidderminster to its former glory.
Wilden Marsh and Meadows SSSI
lies in the floodplain of the River Stour, between
the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal and
Wilden Lane, about 4km south of Kidderminster
and 1km north of Stourport-on-Severn.
Its status as a SSSI means that
it is recognised, and legally protected, for its
unique, rare or special features. Wilden Marsh
is a wetland, but it is deteriorating following
past flood alleviation works, and it is in danger
of losing the species and habitats that led to
it being nominated as a SSSI.
Wilden Marsh is home to rare
plants, old willows and about seventy species
of breeding birds. Falling water levels are draining
the marsh and as a result the plant communities
are changing. There has been a decline in swamp
and wet woodland habitats and Himalayan Balsam,
a non-native plant, has invaded some areas of
the site
Our primary aim is to restore
the site by raising water levels. However, we
recognise that we must do this without reducing
water quality or causing any increased flood risk
to nearby properties.
In addition we want to improve
it by increasing the number of different plant
species and, where possible, to restore and recreate
surrounding habitats. We will also consider making
the site more enjoyable for local people to visit
by providing access, education and recreation
facilities in keeping with the nature of the marsh.
At the moment, we are investigating
the cause of the problem and the options that
might help us resolve it. We are already working
closely with Wyre Forest District Council, and
towards the end this year, we will prepare an
Environmental Scoping Report, describing our preferred
options, and consult the local community. The
final solution must be technically possible, economically
justified and environmentally acceptable.
Project Manager, Davinder Gill,
says: "Wilden Marsh is Worcestershire’s number
one priority in our work towards meeting Government
targets to improve important wildlife sites. It
is a special place for plants and wildlife and,
if nothing is done, it could be lost forever.
We must act now to restore this valuable piece
of our heritage for the benefit of future generations."
Background
The Government has set a target
to bring 95% of all nationally important wildlife
sites to favourable condition by 2010.
English Nature is responsible
for monitoring the condition of SSSIs at least
once every 6 years, using a set of common standards.
The Environment Agency has primary
responsibility, as the operating authority, for
bringing 64 SSSIs in England back to favourable
condition and of the 4 sites in the Herefordshire
and Worcestershire area, Wilden Marsh and Meadows
SSSI has been identified as the most urgent priority.
Wilden Marsh
Wilden Marsh and Meadows SSSI
lies in the floodplain of the River Stour, between
the Staffordshire and Worcester canal and Wilden
Lane, about 4km south of Kidderminster and 1km
north of Stourport-on-Severn.
Most of it is currently managed
by Worcestershire Wildlife Trust. In the coming
months, they will be removing fallen trees and
scrub, repairing fences and mowing some areas
to enable animals to graze safely. The rest of
the site is owned and managed by private landowners.
It has three broad types of
habitat: lowland grassland, fen marsh and swamp,
and broadleaved mixed woodland. Rare plants include
southern marsh orchids, marsh cinquefoil, marsh
arrow-grass, marsh pennywort and lesser water
parsnip.
One hundred and ninety two bird
species have been recorded since 1968, and about
seventy breed there, including yellow wagtails,
nine species of warblers and redshank. It is one
of the few wintering places for water pipits in
Worcestershire, although numbers have declined
recently.
This is a complex site and many
different factors affect water levels. A lack
of information before the late 1970s makes it
difficult to establish how flood work at that
time may have affected the water table. The first
step is to understand how all these factors interact.
We are currently monitoring the water levels across
the site. This information will be used to confirm
our current understanding of the site’s hydrology.
We will then consider different options to restore
the site and choose a preferred option which is
technically viable, economically justified and
environmentally acceptable.
Worcestershire Wildlife Trust
is the foremost organisation actively restoring
and protecting wildlife and wild places in Worcestershire.
The Trust owns and manages over 70 nature reserves
throughout the county and has approximately 15,000
members. It is a member of the national Wildlife
Trusts partnership. For further information about
Worcestershire Wildlife Trust please phone 01905
754919 or visit www.worcswildlifetrust.co.uk
The Wildlife Trusts is a network
of 47 local Wildlife Trusts across the UK, plus
the Isle of Man and Alderney. Their vision is
‘an environment richer in wildlife for everyone’.
Together these trusts are the largest UK charity
dedicated exclusively to conserving all our habitats
and species, with a membership of more than 530,000
people including 62,000 junior members. The Wildlife
Trusts campaign for the protection of wildlife
and invest in the future by helping people of
all ages to gain a greater appreciation and understanding
of wildlife. Collectively, they also manage more
than 2,500 nature reserves spanning over 80,000
hectares. For further information about The Wildlife
Trusts please phone 0870 0367711 or visit www.wildlifetrusts.org
Lyn Fraley
