Local Wildlife Site

Wildlife

This site includes a large lake with three islands dominated by willows and a diverse, well-structured edge vegetation, including a variety of trees, shrubs, tall herbs, grassland (some of which is acidic) and marginal vegetation. Notable species include brooklime, rigid hornwort, sea club-rush, hare's-foot clover and spotted medick. The lake provides a good habitat for waterfowl, including little egret, little grebe, pochard, grey heron and greylag goose. A second lake is surrounded by a number of mature weeping willows. There are patches of sea club-rush and great reedmace, as well as other marginal species. To the south of the lakes, an area once occupied by a pitch and putt course has now been planted with native (and a few other) trees and hedgerows. Species include sweet chestnut, birch, oak, hazel, hawthorn, elder, whitebeam and sea buckthorn. The lakes have been declared a Local Nature Reserve by the borough. A recent habitat restoration and creation project has given rise to significant changes and new habitats, including removing the concrete channel of The Mayes Brook and creating a series of interconnected swales, backwaters and a seasonal pond, with frequent occurrences of common reed. There are also areas of semi-improved neutral grassland, planted shrubbery, and patches of acid grassland, dominated by red fescue, common bent and sheep's-sorrel.

Facilities

Car parking; fishing; playground