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The River Wey Embankment Project
Garden Management for Wildlife

There is an increasing trend towards the support for wild species and naturalistic design in gardens. In the mid 1990s a proposal to establish an area for wildlife in RHS Garden Wisley was developed to emphasise native plant and animal habitats along the banks of the River Wey.

The site covers about 1.2 hectares (3 acres) and is owned and managed by the RHS. Work on the River Wey Embankment project started in 1997 and by 2002 sufficient progress in the development of this area allowed the first two of a regular series of planned open days to be held. These demonstrated the opportunities for encouraging wildlife in small areas of land by its careful management.

The management and maintenance of the site is carried out by the Woody Ornamental Department and they liaise closely with laboratory staff and outside organisations who are involved with the project, monitoring the fauna and flora of the site. Recording should demonstrate changes in species composition over time and gives an indication of the effects of management practices. All records of native and naturalised fauna and flora are added to the Society's copy of the Recorder 2002 database.

Habitat creation

The area was previously a wooded floodplain before it was redeveloped. With the help of the Environment Agency, an oxbow lake with three islands was constructed following a previous course of the river. The spoil from this operation was relocated on site, creating new distinct habitats. These include a mixture of open water, light woodland and a tall herb community.

Flora

The flora on the site is monitored once a month from February to October. We have recorded over 350 species, but the usual annual total is nearer 250 as a significant proportion are transient or ephemeral. There are also 50 non-native plant species. The River Wey itself supports yellow waterlily (Nuphar lutea) and bulrush (Schoenoplectus lacustris), whilst on the pond and lake margins can be found large bittercress (Cardamine amara), brooklime (Veronica beccabunga), marsh marigold (Caltha palustris) and purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria). In the drier woodland there are plenty of bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) and a possibly native population of Solomon's seal (Polygonatum multiflorum). The drier areas contain plants typical of the habitat such as climbing corydalis (Ceratocapnos claviculata) and silver hair-grass (Aira caryophyllea). The two rarest plants, by national standards, are greater dodder (Cuscuta europaea) and narrow-leaved bittercress (Cardamine impatiens).

Fungi

Fungi are currently monitored twice a year, in spring and autumn. Dr Brian Spooner from the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew leads the collection and identification of specimens. It is intended that in future recording will take place four times a year. Over 100 species of fungi have been recorded; most of these are microscopic including several rusts, powdery mildews and leaf spots. Some of the larger and more familiar species include the bracket fungi Ganoderma adspersum, Daedaleopsis confragosa and Coriolus versicolor and a few toadstools such as Armillaria gallica, Laccaria laccata, Marasmius species and Mycena species.

Invertebrates

Techniques used for recording invertebrates include monitoring at weekly intervals with pitfall traps for ground beetles and a mercury vapour light trap for moths, as well as more general methods such as sweep netting, beating trays and pond dipping. By the end of 2002 over 1,400 species of invertebrates had been recorded in the wildlife area, over 80 of which are considered to be nationally notable, rare or vulnerable to extinction. Many of these are associated with dead wood or mature trees; these include two beetles which are classified by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, as vulnerable to extinction; Lymexylon navale (L.) a wood-boring beetle, and Nephus quadrimaculatus (Herbst) a tiny ladybird associated with ivy-clad trees.

Birds and other vertebrates

To date 55 species of bird have been recorded at the site. These are mainly species associated with aquatic habitats, such as the mute swan, grey heron, and most notably the kingfisher. Also recorded are woodland species including the lesser spotted woodpecker and treecreeper. Birds nesting at the site include kestrel, mandarin duck and tawny owl. Various mammals, reptiles and amphibians have also been recorded. The river supplies the most interesting records with ten species of fish. There is also evidence that an otter visits the area.

Maintenance

The site continues to develop in species diversity. It requires periodic intervention to maintain the habitat types, particularly preventing silting up of the oxbow lake and shrub encroachment in the meadow area.

 

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