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The Manhood Wildlife and Heritage Group were awarded a Heritage Lottery grant to fund this project. Since 2017 they have carried out extensive wetland improvement work across the Peninsula using volunteers and contractors.
First, ditch surveys were conducted to give a picture of the wetland network, and it’s connections, and shared with WSCC, CDC, Arun DC and the EA. Areas for improvements were identified to reduce flood risk to properties and roads, and to recover unmanaged and relic ponds and ditches. This has a positive knock on effect for wildlife, improving habitat, provides a range of microclimates and, by removing rubbish, improving appearance.
We have worked with over 20 farmers and private landowners so far, and 6 parish councils, 3 parish flood groups and have advised on 4 neighbourhood plans. We have formed volunteer groups made up of our experienced volunteers and local residents to help manage local village ponds and other areas backing on to houses.
Before any work is done on a site a series of BioBlitz surveys take place to identify species and to establish if any protected species or any of specific interest are present. We also liaise with the Chichester Harbour Conservancy or the ecologist for the AONB. Water vole surveys are carried out and a registered and licensed bat ecologist is then brought in to identify all trees that have bat features or roosts that need to stay. Once the work is completed there are follow up surveys to record how the site has responded, what has emerged from the ground or water, and what further work may be required.
We have worked across the area that we had previously surveyed and many old ponds and a couple of ditches have had some willow removed and have been dug out and their silt removed. This looks very stark and bare in winter, the season for carrying out this work, but in the new year we have a program of native tree planting across many of these sites to introduce a greater variety of species. We will also be adding coir rolls full of wetland plants so the bare banks are quickly colonised and stabilized by a range of colourful and attractive species, and stakes and binders will be put in to make the sites look managed and well looked after. Dead hedges of cut branches and dead wood will be created to add connected habitat for hedgehogs, birds and insects. Wildflower seeds chosen for their suitability for the soil types and wetness will be raked in and large stands of native wetland plants installed. By May the sites will have greened up and should start to recover from the work quickly. Overall these ponds and ditches should then be able to hold more water during high rainfall events, improve water quality through the wetland plants mopping up some of the excess nitrates and phosphates, and become attractive features for wildlife and people.
We have gained landowner permissions for all aspects of our work – access for the surveys and then through discussions, for the work itself. Sometimes it is the farmer that carries out the digging work and they are often thrilled to recover something that they remember being an open pond as a child but with a lack of regular management had turned into a willow copse displacing water and not storing it. Once this initial input of tree cutting or digging out is done, the pond or ditch may only then need a day a year with a small team of volunteers and hand tools to manage it, very low impact and we let nature take its course at that point.
One of the community groups we are working closely with is the Flood Action Group for Selsey (FLAGS) as we have many mutual activities that will benefit both parties – monitoring ditches for flooding, keeping an eye on high risk areas, notifying councils or landowners if problems are identified, and knowing who to go to seek advice. By working together we can share knowledge and experience and hopefully inspire people to get involved. It is your environment and your community and we need you!
WSCC Community Resilience Programme
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