NATURE RESERVE SPOTLIGHT
Discover... Southmoor This coastal nature reserve near Portsmouth is changing with the tides – quite literally. Since its sea wall was breached in 2020, the habitats at Southmoor have begun a fascinating transformation which is offering new opportunities for wildlife and visitors.
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wo years ago, a summer visit to Southmoor Nature Reserve in Havant would mean strolling through a coastal marshland prolific with flowering orchids, wading birds and grazing cattle. Since then, a dramatic and irreversible transformation has taken place. The waders happily remain but, sadly, the orchids are no more and the cattle are yet to return. In August 2020, the deteriorating sea wall that defended Southmoor against the tides of Langstone Harbour succumbed to a series of fierce storms and was breached. The nature reserve was completely flooded. Initially, there was real concern the entire site would be lost to the sea forever. Mercifully, those fears receded thanks to an outlet that allows some floodwater to drain away. However, the sea wall was so badly damaged that parts of the reserve are now completely underwater at each high tide. Trust staff have even found seaweed hanging from the top strands of barbed wire that was previously Southmoor’s cattle fencing.
CHRIS LYCETT
Opportunities for wildlife
The deteriorating sea wall before it was breached...
CHRIS LYCETT
...sea water floods into the nature reserve after the wall’s defences fail. 8
All is not lost at Southmoor. The sea wall’s failing has resulted in a remarkable shift in habitat and opportunity has arisen from the change. What used to be coastal grazing marshland is now in the process of becoming saltmarsh, which is attracting new wildlife. Joe Rackstraw, the Trust’s reserves officer at Southmoor, says: “The reserve was already an important site for nature, but it has become even more special because of the sea wall breach and the potential for new wildlife it could bring. “It was sad losing the orchids but these flowers, plus others that were killed off, are slowly being replaced by saltwater specialist plants like glassworts (also known as marsh samphire). “As a saltmarsh, Southmoor will attract wading birds like lapwing, avocet, redshank, greenshank, godwit, curlew and plover, as well as ducks like gadwall, wigeon and shelduck.”
“Trust staff have found seaweed hanging from the top strands of barbed wire that was previously cattle fencing.”
Wild Life | Summer 2022
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04/07/2022 11:55
