Visitor Guidelines

Access around the reserve is straightforward but please avoid trampling the vegetation in the wet areas, and use the bridges to cross streams and ditches. Conditions underfoot can be wet even in summer so boots are advised.

Description

The Sturts South reserve lies in the flood-plain of the River Wye at the western edge of a low-lying basin known as Letton Lakes, thought to have been formed by ice-damming during the last Ice Age. The Lakes area comprises an extensive series of wet grasslands, both unimproved and semi-improved , with an associated pattern of drainage ditches, streams and ponds. The area is noted for its biodiversity, and the Sturts reserves, together with our nearby reserve at Waterloo, comprise one of the largest areas of species-rich unimproved grassland in Herefordshire. During winter when water levels rise in the nearby river, the entire area becomes flooded for varying periods to a depth of several feet. Silt carried by the flood-water settles out and sinks in to enrich the grassland soils. Over many decades, this annual silt deposition has helped to produce a luxuriant pasture/hay crop, containing a rich mix of herbaceous and grass species. The plant communities at the Sturts are typical of seasonally flooded lowland grassland, which has not been "improved" by ploughing, re-seeding, or additions of fertiliser and herbicides. This is now a nationally scarce, fragmented and much threatened type of habitat.

The reserve consists of a block of three fields just west of the hamlet of Waterloo. They comprise a complex mosaic of grassland and wetland communities, with the lower ground semi-permanently water-logged and interspersed with areas of slightly higher, more freely drained land. The damper hollows are dominated by Meadow-sweet, Lesser Pond Rush and Lady's Smock, with occasional Great Burnet. On the drier ridges, Black Knapweed, Birds Foot Trefoil, Pepper Saxifrage, Devils Bit Scabious, Dyer's Greenweed and Quaking Grass are all frequent. Meadow grasses include Meadow Foxtail, Crested Dog’s-tail and clumps of Tufted Hair-grass occur together with Articulated Rush. Ant-hills made by Yellow Meadow Ants may be found on the drier ridges.

The fields in the Sturts South are drained by a complex network of wet ditches and streams, connecting to a number of seasonal and permanent ponds. There are three sizeable ponds on the reserve, providing habitats for a number of interesting wetland plants, including Skullcap, Flowering Sweet Grass, Reed Canary Grass, Ragged Robin, Lesser Spearwort, Common and Pond Water Crowfoots, Marsh Cudweed and Marsh Yellow cress. The invertebrate fauna of the ponds includes water boatmen, water beetles, together with the larval stages of Phantom midges and caddisflies, plus the nymphs of mayflies and damselflies. Both Common and Ruddy Darter dragonflies hawk over the pools in late summer. The field boundaries and some of the ditches are flanked by mature hedgerows containing a good variety of trees and shrubs, the diversity of which adds greatly to the wildlife interest of the reserve. Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Oak, Ash, Dogwood and Field Maple are all present. Mature standard trees in these hedges include Oaks, Ash and Willows. Many of the latter are ancient and have been pollarded over many decades; some have become split apart and are turning into rotting hulks, providing another important invertebrate habitat. Breeding birds to look out for in the hedgerows include Yellowhammer, Whitethroat and Lesser Whitethroat, Long-tailed Tit and at least one pair of Common Buzzards.

Snipe, Curlew and Lapwing have been recorded on the wet grassland in the past, and it is hoped that the preservation of these boggy feeding areas, together with lack of disturbance at the site, may help to attract these vulnerable wading birds back to breed in the future. Another nationally declining bird species, the Reed Bunting, is already breeding. It is hoped that numbers will increase when the habitat is improved by suitable management.

Present Management

Management aims to retain the character of these flood-plain meadows by maintaining appropriate water levels in the water courses, and continuing a traditional cutting/grazing regime, which will maintain species diversity while holding back succession. Boundary hedgerows will be maintained by regular cutting, while the willows and other ancient trees will continue to be selectively pollarded as in the past. A living willow hide was constructed in 2002 near the main pond using funds kindly donated by Mrs. P. Bishop. In 1997 Natural England designated the Sturts reserves and Smiths Meadow at nearby Waterloo as a Site of Special Scientific Interest in recognition of their biodiversity importance.

Acquisition Details

Freehold purchased from Mr. G.R. Davies in 1998, with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and a bequest from the family of the late Mr. D. Bishop of Hereford.

General Information

Best time to visit		Early spring to late summer.
Habitat		Unimproved wet neutral grassland with associated ponds, streams and drainage ditches, bounded by old hedgerows.
Size		16.1 hectares (38.7 acres).
Specialites		Great Burnet (6-9), Pepper Saxifrage (6-9), Nodding Bur Marigold (7-10), Dyer's Greenweed (6-8), Ragged Robin (5-8), Fine-leaved Water Dropwort (6-9), Pond Water Crowfoot (4-9), Yellow Iris (6-8), Skullcap (6-9), Devil’s-bit Scabious (6-10), Common Snipe, Lapwing, Curlew, Reed Bunting, Lesser Whitethroat (5-7), Yellowhammer, Common Darter and Ruddy Darter dragonflies (7-8). Brown Hare.
Parking		Parking is very limited - one car in front of the gate.
OS map		Explorer 201
Nearby Reserves		Sturts north , Waterloo, Davies Meadow, and Ernle Gilbert.

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