On this page you will find some newsy information about developments in the conservation of habitats or species in and around Portsmouth and Havant. If you have news or questions I would be pleased to here of them. E mail me. Click on any of the following buttons to take you to a particular item.
Updated: 05/02/2010
people have visited this page since 1st August 2006.
There is a long term plan to build (Do you build reservoirs?) a reservoir north of Leigh Park and West of Rowlands castle - see map below - on land marked on OS maps as Gypsy Plain but Portsmouth Water are calling it Havant Thicket Reservoir. It is being built to meet long term needs for water arising from population, housing and industrial growth in Hampshire and Sussex.
The picture (right) shows about a quarter of the land that will be flooded. It will be a huge reservoir. Most of the land is unattractive grassland but there are orchid patches, some nice woodland and significant wet patches and ponds that will be lost.
On the other hand the water company is already working out mitigation measures and the Wildlife Trust view, I believe, is that the balance of pros and cons results in significant opportunities to enhance the wildlife habitats of the area.
Some of the water will be dedicated to leisure activities (boating etc) but there will plenty of space for wildlife and the northern shallower edges may be particularly attractive.
This is a long term project and the reservoir is around 20 years away but it is good to be consulted so early. The Wildlife Trust and Hampshire Ornithological Society are included in a stakeholder group being consulted by the water company.
Notes:
The green areas within the blue are patches of woods which will be flooded
The pictures referred to are not reproduced here.
In a briefing at the beginning of august 2004 we were told that the site is a great area for bats with both sorts of pipistrelles, noctules, natterers and serotines. There is also a healthy grass snake (c50 animals), lizard and slow worm population. Lapwings have been breeding and already in 2009 birds are moving in.
No evidence so far of dormice, water voles or great
crested newts. Some signs of mink along a stream and of badgers along the northern edge of the fields.
Whimbrel and curlews have been seen on site but these were opportunistic landings where the fields are usually unsatisfactory for such birds.
There are some significant invertebrates - details were not given but some hoverflies are involved.
Progress
The planning is currently (Feb 2010) stalled while the water company seek to convince OFWAT it is needed. bearing in mid that their original submissions were ruled out of order because they included provision for the effects of global warming expect the plans to come good in due course.
See the Portsmouth water web page for a lot more information. http://havantthicketreservoir.co.uk/
