5 minute read
Discover Alverstone Mead
From enchanting woodlands to tranquil wetlands, the beauty of Alverstone Mead is plain to see. This special mosaic of habitats teems with wildlife, especially red squirrels, and spring is prime time to visit.
Situated around two miles from the Isle of Wight’s east coast, Alverstone Mead Nature Reserve is one of the Trust’s newest and most exciting reserves.
It is home to one of the best red squirrel populations on the Isle of Wight and boasts a precious mix of important wetland, tranquil woodland, low-lying grasslands and wildfl ower meadows.
The Trust was delighted and honoured to take on the management of Alverstone Mead in 2021 from Wight Nature Fund, an independent volunteer-run charity that had managed the reserve since 1995. Read more about Wight Nature Fund on page 30.
Rather than a single reserve, Alverstone Mead is made up of four nature reserves: Alverstone Mead, Bensteads Marsh, Bre s Meadow and Youngwoods Copse. The alluring complex of reserves, which covers an area of almost 30 hectares, sits within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
A crucial wildlife corridor
Located in the Eastern Yar valley, Alverstone Mead adjoins the Trust’s existing reserves at Sandown Meadows and Newchurch Moors to create a vital 4.5km-long wildlife corridor.
Too o en nature is forced into fewer and smaller pockets of wild space. Yet, creating connected spaces like this across our landscape gives wildlife a chance to recover and adapt to pressures such as climate change. The addition of new reserves like Alverstone represent a fantastic step towards achieving the Trust’s ambition to create an Island-wide Nature Recovery Network.
Beautiful woodland at Alverstone Mead supports red squirrels.
SIAN ADDISON
Like fi ing together pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, adding Alverstone Mead to the Trust’s established reserves on the eastern corner of the Isle of Wight will provide exciting opportunities to restore and enhance habitats for myriad species. Crucially, connecting diverse habitats gives wildlife a chance to thrive by allowing species to expand their range and disperse to new areas.
Wildlife haven
Alverstone Mead is well-loved for its wetland habitats, part of which is recognised as a Site of Special Scientifi c Interest (SSSI) due to the importance of the fl oodplains.
These special habitats support some wonderful species, including birds such as snipe, treecreeper and kingfi sher. Barn owls and marsh harriers are o en spo ed soaring through the Eastern Yar valley, while the suite of reserves is a stronghold for water voles and dormice on the Island.
A dedicated red squirrel viewing hide is located in the centre of Alverstone Mead and aff ords fantastic opportunities to catch a glimpse of the distinctive russet mammals leaping from tree to tree.
Alverstone Mead is also an important site for several bat species, waders, wildfowl, dragonfl ies and damselfl ies. Bensteads Marsh hosts a patchwork of critical wetland habitats, including fen and reedbeds, which support a variety of warbler species, like sedge and Ce i’s and reed warblers.
Youngwoods Copse features seminatural ancient woodland with an enticing mix of tree species that are important for woodland birds and red squirrels, while Bre s Meadow supports a range of rare fl ora, including orchids and populations of bu erfl ies, dragonfl ies and damselfl ies.
Plans for a wilder future
Looking ahead, the Trust aspires to introduce one of nature’s great ecosystem engineers, the beaver, in the Eastern Yar valley (read more on page 18). The introduction of this charismatic mammal would help to restore the wetland systems surrounding Alverstone Mead and further create thriving natural spaces that abound with biodiversity.
In the coming months and years, our dedicated teams of reserves staff intend to further enhance Alverstone Mead’s habitats for wildlife and restore areas of fen by managing scrubland. We are also keen to restore the natural form of the Eastern Yar river and reconnect it to the fl oodplain, which will help reduce fl ood risk and boost biodiversity.
The Trust looks forward to continuing Wight Nature Fund’s excellent stewardship of Alverstone Mead and safeguard it as a paradise for nature and a place to cherish for the people of the Isle of Wight.
DID YOU KNOW?
The old track bed of the disused Newport to Sandown railway line, which was closed in 1956, runs through Alverstone Mead and now serves as a cycle path.
NOW YOU DO IT
Visit Alverstone Mead Nature Reserve
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Location: Alverstone Mead, Burnt House Lane, Alverstone, Sandown, Isle of Wight, PO36 0HB OS Maps grid reference: SZ 580 852 Parking: Limited on-street parking on Alverstone Road. No parking on reserve or on Burnt House Lane. Nearest train station: Sandown (2 miles) Nearest bus stop: Winford, #8 bus, 22-minute walk to Alverstone Getting around: The reserve features a mix of gently sloping unsurfaced paths and boardwalks. Low lying areas can become very wet over the winter and are liable to seasonal ooding across the oodplain. There are boardwalks throughout the reserve with some steps. Access to the squirrel hide is possible year-round.
TOP WILDLIFE TO SPOT
Red squirrel: Alverstone Mead is one of the best places on the Isle of Wight for our native red squirrel and a dedicated hide in the centre of the reserve o ers a prime chance to spot one. King sher: Watch out for a ash of electric blue as a king sher skims over the lakes and meadows. Dragon ies: The reserve’s wetland habitats provide an ideal environment for dragon ies, including the banded demoiselle, emperor and common hawker.
THINGS TO DO
Walk the length of the disused Newport to Sandown railway line. The old rail track runs for 10 miles along almost entirely well-graded cycle paths and passes through Alverstone Mead. Visit the UK’s rst purpose-built dinosaur museum in Sandown. ‘Dinosaur Isle’ contains over 1,000 fossils dating back to the Cretaceous period, as well as animatronic and life-sized dinosaur reconstructions. Enjoy the golden sand and clean waters of Sandown Beach. Water sports enthusiasts can hire kayaks, surfboards and paddleboards.
