Species
List
Produced
by Fred Booth, Field Surveyor from Kent Wildlife Trust,
16th May, 2005.
Site 1 - is the north
facing bank with a very wide verge frontage
Site 2 - is the south
facing long verge bank
Site 3 -is the opposite
side of the road to Site 2
Site 4 - is the small
area within the road signs near the devil’s-bit scabious reported
Site
Site 1.
This site of interest
reported to us was found to have very limited plant diversity, very
roughly vegetated through lack of management. There was a small
colony of cowslip present but otherwise no species of special interest.
Ox eye daisy, knapweeds and wild carrot suggest it may be better
later in the season, when there may be a good population of invertebrates,
including grasshoppers and butterflies.
There is a useful planted
shrub community at the top of the bank, as described in the species
lists, which may provide good cover for reptiles and some diversity
for invertebrates. There is a developing bramble patch which may
also provide additional interest for invertebrates and reptiles.
There is a very wide flat
road verge which is regularly close mown. Some species were identified
here which had not been recorded on the bank, including buckthorn
plantain. On site it was suggested that it would be beneficial to
limit the extent of this mowing programme, to create a zone, perhaps
some 10 metres wide, at the foot of the bank, which would allow
plant species to develop and thrive in this zone. A limited mowing
programme would be an advantage over the whole area but, having
approached the location along the by pass, it is plain that this
is an essential road safety feature. There is a long bend on rising
ground, and it is unlikely that the highway authority would wish
to place restrictions on their mowing of the safety sight line.
It is considered that
there may be some scope for the proposed uncut 10 metre margin close
to the bank but any further restriction on the mowing programme
is unlikely to receive favourable consideration. It may be possible
to introduce a planned management programme using local volunteers,
to cut and rake down the bank and the limited verge area, *0 removal
of the cuttings off site.
The verge on the opposite side of the road was briefly checked and
found to be very coarsely vegetated, with no species of interest,
and showing signs of enrichment from the adjoining arable field.
Site 2
This is a tong south facing
bank with a more limited flat verge area. The flat area is close
cut but the bank appears to have received no recent management It
is understood to have been created when the by pass was constructed
some 8 years ago.
It has good plant diversity, much richer than anything else seen
in the area. Although there are no cowslips here, there is a good
assembly or chalk plants as shown on the species list, many of which
are good for invertebrates. The abundance of ox-eye daisy, knapweeds,
common vetch, hairy tare, and wild carrot suggest that other species
may be present later in the year. It should be good for invertebrates,
and reptiles are a possibility.
The flat area was of low
interest and diversity, but did hold a selection of the bank plants.
This appears to be the
most promising site on the by pass visited. It is adjoining arable
fields and there is the risk of some crop spray damage and enrichment,
but at present it looks good, and may merit designation as a RNR.
Future management should be an autumn cut and rake down, with clearance
of the cuttings, which may be achieved by the local volunteers suggested
by Prof. Swingland.
It will be important to
monitor this verge over the next few seasons to determine the plant
diversity throughout the summer months, and as it develops under
the proposed management
Site 3
This is on the opposite
of the road and is another of the cowslip sites. It is north facing,
is very coarsely vegetated and had low plant diversity. Again it
has received no management and could improve substantially with
the autumn cut and clear proposed elsewhere.
It is of relatively tow
priority but should be monitored to record any changes.
Site 4
This area was visited
because of the reported presence of the devil’s-bit scabious,
but it is too early in the season to record this species. It was
also found that there had been a close cut up to the hedgerow margin
and the plant may have suffered in the process. It should be monitored
later in the season to establish whether it is still surviving.
A small area within a cluster of road signs
was checked and found to have a limited flora, but without sufficient
interest to merit close attention. |
