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Home > Case Examples > Castle Water, Rye Harbour Nature Reserve
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| Background and site description |
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Rye Harbour Nature Reserve is a 327 hectare complex of coastal shingle habitats designated as LNR, SSSI, and SPA, and part is SAC. There are four areas - Beach Reserve (101ha), Davis’ Fields (9ha), Castle Farm (139ha) and Castle Water (78ha).
The large gravel pit known as Castle Water was created by the extraction of shingle from 1930-1970. This created 25ha of wetland that became important for its aquatic invertebrates, but the pit was generally deep and steep-sided, and was disturbed by many recreational activities, so was not ideal for many wetland species. The site’s potential for improving wetland habitats was widely recognised. Improvements were made possible by the purchase of the site by Sussex Wildlife Trust in 1992 and its subsequent incorporation to the adjacent Rye Harbour Nature Reserve, managed by East Sussex County Council.
Castle Water has the following habitats:
- Open Freshwater
- Coastal Vegetated Shingle
- Reedbed
- Wet Grassland
- Woodland
- Scrub
It has important populations of:
- Aquatic invertebrates, including Medicinal Leech and Spangled Button Beetle
- Water Vole and Hare
- Clustered Clover, Lesser Water Plantain, Frogbit, Marsh Mallow, Black Poplar
- Wintering Bittern (up to 10) and Smew
- Breeding Common Tern, Black-headed Gull, Water Rail, Shoveler, Garganey, Lapwing, Little Grebe, Reed Bunting, Cormorant, and others
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| Initiative |
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Improvements since 1992 include:
- Protecting the remaining shingle features and removing overburden.
- Re-profiling the pit margins to create shallow margins.
- Reducing and controlling the grazing by sheep to encourage emergent vegetation.
- Excavation of adjacent improved grassland to create an area of reedbed.
- Zoning the public access to reduce disturbance.
- Provision of footpaths, wheelchair access and bird-watching hide.
- Planting trees to provide screening of local industry.
The most recent, and largest project, in autumn 2003 was the EU-Life Nature project ‘Reedbeds for Bitterns’. Castle Water was one of 19 sites across England and the project was co-ordinated by the RSPB – for project information, visit www.bitterns.org.uk
At Castle Water this project enabled an area of improved grassland to be excavated, creating wet areas suitable for the growth of reeds and the access of fish. By carefully depositing the material in deep water, there is now a network of islands and shallows that will also develop as habitat suitable for Bittern and other wetland wildlife.
Reed was transplanted by machine and by volunteers, and then fenced to reduce grazing by wildfowl. Mink are trapped regularly.
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| Costs |
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ALSF – restoration of shingle ridge features - £10,000
EU LIFE Nature project ‘Reedbeds for Bitterns’ - excavation £115,000
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| Benefits |
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The wildlife enhancement at Castle Water has taken account of both national and local Biodiversity Action Plans, and is intended to contribute to the following:
Habitat Action Plans
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Species Action Plans
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| Contribution to biodiversity |
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Site management has increased the area of wetland and the number and area of islands, which are important refuges for nesting and roosting birds:
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1992 |
2003 |
2010 |
| Wetland area (ha) |
25 |
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1 |
40 |
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4 |
45 |
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| Number of island |
9 |
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92 |
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120 |
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| Island area (ha) |
1 |
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0 |
6 |
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9 |
10 |
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| Reedbed (ha) |
1 |
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0 |
4 |
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0 |
20 |
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| Vegetated Shingle |
14 |
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0 |
14 |
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5 |
14 |
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5 |
The biodiversity improvements delivered by this management to date are considerable. Plans are being developed for a second phase of wetland creation in the next five years.
Monthly Wetland Bird Survey counts have clearly shown the increase in wildlfowl numbers. The number and variety of wetland birds has increased: Smew, for example, are now regular. Visitors now see Bittern regularly during winter, and there have been summering birds in the last two years. Other reed birds increasing are Marsh Harrier, Cetti’s Warbler, Water Rail, Reed Bunting and Reed Warblers, but Bearded Tit remain scarce.
Populations of Spangled Button Beetle and Medicinal Leech have increased.
Populations of Marsh Mallow and Black Poplar have been increased by planting.
Lesser Water Plantain was first noted in 2003 as two plants, increasing to 12 the next year - these are the first county records of this species for over 30 years.
The small area (0.5ha) of vegetated shingle restored by the removal of overburden, is recovering well and blending into the natural vegetation.
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| Threats |
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Despite the current success at this site and its national and international wildlife designations, there remains a large threat to its biodiversity. A hundred years of poor industrial practice has left an area of c.20ha of ground contamination at the northern end of the site. This is partly inside the site boundary, and the long-term prospects do not look good. At the moment the wildlife is coping well with oil, solvent, phenols, cadmium and arsenic, but the concentration of these pollutants may increase as they migrate through the sand and shingle substrate.
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| Photography |
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Before mineral extraction
During mineral extraction
After mineral extraction
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| Website links |
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| Contact |
Rye Harbour Nature Reserve
Dr Barry Yates
Rye Harbour Nature Reserve
2 Watch Cottages
Front Ridge
Winchelsea Beach
East Sussex TN36 4LU
yates@clara.net
01797 223862
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