Wild about Eastleigh
A Biodiversity Action Plan for the
Borough
In May 2002, the Eastleigh Biodiversity Partnership published
'Wild About Eastleigh' a plan that details the action required
over the next few years to enhance the natural environment in the
Borough.
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The document 'Wild About Eastleigh' is 2,602KB therefore we have
split it into 3 parts to make it quicker to download. (To view
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the Free Reader)
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- Read more about the
Biodiversity Action Plan and the Borough's 'Priority Areas'.
Annual Reports
Every year an annual report is produced to showcase the
achievements so far.
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Read last year's Annual Report:
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The Biodiversity Action Plan and the Borough's 'Priority
Areas'
The Action Plan was drawn up by a partnership of organisations
including Eastleigh Borough Council, English Nature, Hampshire
Wildlife Trust, Environment Agency and local Parish & Town
Councils. All these organisations already play an active part in
protecting and managing the natural environment in Eastleigh
borough and were keen to plan future work to continue this.
Action to conserve and enhance habitats and species that are
important for biodiversity is the main aim of Wild about Eastleigh.
Seven areas in the Borough have been identified where action is to
be targeted. 'Wild About Eastleigh
'
provides everyone who lives and works in the Borough an opportunity
to play a part in protecting and enhancing wildlife.
To focus the action detailed in Wild About Eastleigh, seven
'priority areas' have been identified in the Borough. Action to
conserve and enhance the natural environment will be targeted
within these areas first and foremost.
Select an area name below to find out more about it and
the action planned
Flexford Priority Action
Area
Action
Ramalley Copse is owned by Eastleigh Borough Council. The site
is managed for nature conservation by the Countryside Service.
Shrubs such as hazel and willow are periodically cut back by a
traditional method called coppicing. This increases the
opportunities for wildlife within the wood and encourages
butterflies and woodland flowers.
Flexford Nature Reserve is managed by the Hampshire Wildlife
Trust. The flower rich meadows are grazed by ponies to promote a
diversity of plants. The wet alder woodland along side the meadows
are managed by removing dense laurel which shades out most other
woodland plants if allowed to grow unchecked.
If you have any views on ways in which the wildlife of this
area can be increased, or have seen some wildlife in the area which
is interesting, please contact the Biodiversity Officer at
Eastleigh Borough Council.
Action
Wetland wildlife is dependant on water levels both in the
river channels themselves and in the surrounding floodplain areas.
The main use of water taken from the river is for domestic use and
it is the responsibility of the Environment Agency to regulate
water company abstractions. Any new development proposed in the
area of the river will need to ensure that the amount of water
needed to supply the development will not impact wildlife.
Itchen Valley Country Park is a large area of the floodplain
of the River Itchen, owned and managed by Eastleigh Borough
Council. Much of the land is of European importance for wildlife
and must be carefully managed to ensure that wildlife is conserved
and enhanced. Woodlands in the park are managed to increase their
diversity for wildlife and the meadows are grazed and water levels
carefully controlled to maintain favourable conditions for plants,
dragonflies, birds etc.
If you have any views on ways in which the wildlife of this
area can be increased, or have seen some wildlife in the area which
is interesting, please contact the Biodiversity Officer at
Eastleigh Borough Council.
Action
In the last 20 years or so, Moorgreen Meadows has been
affected by the building of roads adjacent to it. The motorway
upset the delicate water supply to the wet grasslands on the site
so that many areas are now drying out. Careful consideration has
been given to the building of new development at Dowd's Farm in
order to ensure the area does not dry out any further.
English Nature regulate the management of Moorgreen Meadows as
it is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest. They work
closely with landowners to ensure habitats and species are
conserved.
If you have any views on ways in which the wildlife of this
area can be increased, or have seen some wildlife in the area which
is interesting, please contact the Biodiversity Officer at
Eastleigh Borough Council.
Netley and Bursledon
Common
Action
Telegraph Woods is owned and managed by Eastleigh borough
Council. Current work in the woodland to increase biodiversity
includes the recreation of heathland, in conjunction with the
Hampshire Heathlands Project.
The Countryside Unit of Hampshire County Council own and
manage Netley Common. Rangers patrol the site to discourage mis-use
and to educate visitors, although there are still problems of
mis-use.
If you have any views on ways in which the wildlife of this
area can be increased, or have seen some wildlife in the area which
is interesting, please contact the Biodiversity Officer at
Eastleigh Borough Council.
Solent Coast and Hamble
Estuary
Action
The coastline of the Borough is subject to natural weathering
processes which produce a diverse range of habitats for
biodiversity including cliffs, shingle shores and saltmarsh.
Development along the coast usually requires that erosion and
flooding are controlled or stopped by the building of coastal
defence structures. As a local planning authority Eastleigh Borough
Council has a duty to ensure that any proposed development along
the coast will not lead to the destruction of important habitats
and species.
Many sites which are managed for nature conservation are found
along the borough's coast. These include West Wood, Hamble Common
and Manor Farm Country Park. Existing management plans for these
important sites should be reviewed or new plans compiled to ensure
that they have regard to the requirements of all the important
species they support.
If you have any views on ways in which the wildlife of this
area can be increased, or have seen some wildlife in the area which
is interesting, please contact the Biodiversity Officer at
Eastleigh Borough Council.
Action
The largest area of woodland in this area (Stoke Park Woods)
is owned and managed by the Forestry Commission. Although it is
primarily managed for timber production by the planting and
harvesting of conifers, this public body has a duty to promote
biodiversity in its landholdings. This it carries out by managing
the remaining broadleaf areas specifically for wildlife and
carrying out it's timber production operations in a wildlife
friendly way.
In the past, the IHCP has worked with landowners in the area
to plant hedgerows to link the blocks of woodland. This act as
corridors for wildlife so they can pass between the woods more
easily. Further planting to increase these connections may be
possible.
If you have any views on ways in which the wildlife of this
area can be increased, or have seen some wildlife in the area which
is interesting, please contact the Biodiversity Officer at
Eastleigh Borough Council.
Action
The flower-rich meadow at Wyvern school is being managed by
late summer grazing with a few cows. This will help the flowers to
return year after year and should continue for the foreseeable
future.
The pond in the north-east corner of the Priority Area once
held great-crested newts Unfortunately the pond has become
overgrown with willow which has shaded out pondweed, which the
newts lay their eggs on. Management of the pond, to open it up to
the sun and encourage both water plants and the newts back is being
investigated at the moment by the Countryside Unit.
If you have any views on ways in which the wildlife of this
area can be increased, or have seen some wildlife in the area which
is interesting, please contact the Biodiversity Officer at
Eastleigh Borough Council .
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Page Last Updated: 6/19/2009
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