The results are now in for the first survey of plant growth in the new Cuttle Brook Nature Reserve scrapes. These results are for what can only be described as an unusual first growing season, following winter floods with an extended drought resulting in much lower summer soil moisture levels than we would normally expect. However, the scrapes have responded amazingly and all very differently reflecting the slight variations in soil type and moisture levels. In very broad terms; 29 plant species were found in the Rycote Meadow scrape, 56 species in the Nontron Meadow scrape and 31 species in the southern meadow scrape above Watkins’ Bridge. While some species are the pioneers that are always quick to occupy newly available bare earth, there is a good range of wet-loving plants that we expect will eventually come to dominate, providing habitats for specialist animals to benefit from.
Wetter conditions should prevail over the winter and into the spring and we expect this to knock back some of the pioneers while encouraging even more of the specialist communities of plants and animals to get established. It’s been a great start but we are looking forward to seeing the results from future years and how the already rich flora of the scrapes continue to develop.
If you would like to see the full species lists of what has made it into the scrapes so far, please send a message to [email protected].
CBCV has also been busy adding more in-flow deflectors to the brook and has now completed four. These are proving effective at focusing the low flows into a narrower channel, keeping the water velocity higher and keeping silt from settling. This creates better stream conditions for fish and invertebrates - both for living and for reproduction. Early fish surveys by the Environment Agency and by the River Thame Conservation Trust suggest that they are working!
Recently volunteers from CBCV have been up to their waists in mud keeping the channel clear from vegetation blockages and, again, trying to ensure that the brook flows rapidly enough to reduce the silt load that is the inevitable result when the flow is too slow.
If you would like to join the volunteers’ work parties, they meet at the Scout Hut car park at 10:00 a.m. on the third Sunday and last Wednesday of every month. For more information email [email protected].
