MWHG Newsletter: 12th May 2025
- MWHG Team
- 6 days ago
- 8 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
Dear Volunteers and Supporters,
In the May edition of our newsletter, we are excited to announce the launch of a new project which aims to revitalise local ponds and boost biodiversity. Plus, we share plenty of news and updates from across our volunteering community and conservation projects.
First, a reminder of upcoming events to mark in your calendars.
A History of Sidlesham
An illustrated presentation by Dr Bill Martin on Wednesday 4th June in Sidlesham Memorial Hall: 6.30 for 7.00pm.
Family Wildlife Discovery Days
Saturday 7th June 2025, 10am - 1pm at St Mary's Churchyard, Sidlesham PO20 7RE
Saturday 14th June 2025, 10am - 1pm at St Nicholas Churchyard, West Itchenor PO20 7DA
Saturday 5th July 2025, 10am - 1pm at St Peter & St Paul Churchyard, West Wittering PO20 8AJ
Pond Power Project
By Jane Reeve | Pond Power Project
The new Portsmouth Water funded Pond Power project has just begun and initially we are going to be carrying out some species surveys and having a good look at the sites. The four chosen ponds have not had any habitat management work carried out on them since the end of the Fixing and Linking Our Wetlands (FLOW) project so there is about 4 years of vegetation growth and other possible changes.
The ponds we going to be working on are:
Church Lane pond, Hunston
Florence pond, Church Farm Lane, Sidlesham
Sheepwash Pond, Ham Road, Ham
Willow Glen, B2145, Selsey Road, Sidlesham
Our first job will be to get into these sites, cut back a bit of vegetation sensitively and get access to carry out some surveys. We can then come up with a plan for improvement work for the winter months. A key thing that we will be looking for is evidence of water voles as three of the ponds did support colonies in the past.
Regular emails will go out so please do keep an eye out and sign up if you fancy getting involved.
Wildlife Warriors
By Emma Horton | Wildlife Warriors
We have been welcomed into two new schools to deliver our 'Wildlife Warriors' sessions this half term. Pupils at East Wittering Primary School and Seal Primary Academy in Selsey have been experiencing wildlife and nature activities based on the theme of 'the growing season'. Spring has definitely sprung and the children have been enjoying planting sunflower seeds and making seed bombs. All out sessions have been outdoors in the fresh air, making use of the natural areas in the school grounds.
The children were delighted to find that their sunflower seeds had germinated in less than a week. They are looking after their seedlings carefully, watering them regularly and keeping them in a sunny position. The children are all keen to grow a champion, record breaking sunflower, with the variety 'Titon', estimated to grow over 3 metres tall!
Pupils are learning key words and concepts and taking a lot of interest in growing seeds and looking after plants. The children got stuck into making seed bombs, with hands in bowls mixing compost, clay powder and wildflower seeds with a little water. They enjoyed squishing the mixture into 6 balls, perfectly fitting into an empty egg box, ideal for transporting home.
We've sown wildflower seeds in areas at both schools and taken time to look closely at the environment and wildlife there. A group of children discovered a centipede whilst sowing seeds and it was a source of fascination for them for a while.
Don't forget our 'Family Wildlife Discovery Days'. Do come along or spread the word. We have even more activities than last year, and it's great for all ages, including grown-ups!
Family Wildlife Discovery Days
Saturday 7th June 2025, 10am - 1pm at St Mary's Churchyard, Sidlesham PO20 7RE
Saturday 14th June 2025, 10am - 1pm at St Nicholas Churchyard, West Itchenor PO20 7DA
Saturday 5th July 2025, 10am - 1pm at St Peter & St Paul Churchyard, West Wittering PO20 8AJ
Pollinator Highway
By David Wyatt | Pollinator Highway Project
The pollinator highway map has now been updated on the MWHG website with the latest survey information. There are now two volunteers updating the map - Chris Skelcher and myself. The online survey form has been created to gather information about established wildflower locations, e.g., grass verges, open spaces etc. Alternatively, you can submit your garden location by sending an email to pollinatorhighway@mwhg.org.uk Just enter your postcode in the email subject, and we’ll add the location to the map. (Please note, the exact locations collected through this survey are not identified on the map.)
The pollinator highway map now has over 150 data entries for established pollinator locations on the Manhood Peninsular, together with new opportunities. The map will be updated with new locations on a periodic basis.
Pollinating insects are emerging on a range of plants in the local area; these pictures were taken on a recent survey at the Vitacress nursery, Runcton and on the East Beach Walk estate, Selsey. One feature of this estate is the recently planted community orchard; this is now coming into blossom. Fingers crossed for some pollinating insects this year.
Pollinator surveys are being planned for Selsey verges in June and July. The surveys will include coverage of wildflowers and species diversity; more details to follow.
Heritage News
By Bill Martin | Selsey Tramway Project, Sidlesham Heritage Project
Selsey Tramway: The exhibition at The Novium continues until March 2026. Our film will be shown at the Annual Parish meeting in Sidlesham on Wednesday 21st May.
Land Settlement Association (LSA): I met with the new Director of the Weald and Downland Museum and the Head of Site Operations at the end of April and walked them around part of the LSA estate. They also visited Norman Dixon, now 96, who came to Sidlesham in 1939 as a 9 year old.
As 8 of the 10 former LSA tenants who took part in our film in 2015 are no longer with us there is a urgent need to record the oral history of other former tenants and staff.
A History of Sidlesham: An illustrated presentation by Dr Bill Martin on Wednesday 4th June in Sidlesham Memorial Hall: 6.30pm for 7.00pm.
MWHG Heritage Map: We have conducted an audit of heritage assets in all 11 Parishes on the Manhood Peninsula. These are now being added to the Parish maps.
Wittering Area Community Conservation Project
By Jane Reeve | Wittering Area Community Conservation Project
We have had a busy period between March and May, with Hemlock Water Dropwort (HWD) removal and seeding wildflower strips. Sometimes these activities are combined with the removal of large plants of HWD, which leave patches of bare soil - so we pop in a pinch of wildflowers seeds and stamp them in.
The sites where we have added some wildflower seeds could really benefit from some rain but it has already been a very hot and dry spring so our hoped-for flush of colour in early summer may not materialise. I am also a little concerned for our newly planted trees and just hope that they are putting down deep roots to tap into water sources under the clay.
Many people ask me why we remove HWD from our sites as it is a native species. If you look at the ditches and hedges as you pass them on the Manhood Peninsula, the vigorous and bright green plant that you see growing from about February and which can get to shoulder height is HWD. It also dominates the wide banks of the A27 and forms a dense and impenetrable cover on wet and ungrazed fields. It is toxic, when ingested, to most mammals and only seems palatable to water voles who, I have seen, choose it over a juicy iris or water mint. However, it grows very quickly and shades out all other plants, peaks with a lovely large white multi flowered head, which pollinating insects love, and then dies back quickly, spreading thousands of seeds on the bare soil.
Other native riparian plants don’t seem to be able to compete with this fast growing tall and luscious plant and so disappear from the banks of ponds and ditches. Where we remove HWD or don’t let it get a hold, we see sedges, figwort, yellow flag iris, purple loosestrife, all with a differing growing and flowering season, extending and varying the food opportunities for water voles and other species. Where we see HWD right by the water’s edge, for example at Kingfisher pond in Birdham, we leave it in place so that water voles have it available in late winter as the food offer at that site is small. At other sites like Hilton Park pond in East Wittering or Triangle pond in Birdham, we have tried to keep the HWD away as there is a large range of other plants available.
HWD can also be a contributing factor to flooding as the bare soil left in late July and August by the HWD can be vulnerable to erosion by rain and the blocking of culverts and the reduction in water quality with nutrients leaching in. It seems to have taken a real hold in this area in the last 15 to 20 years and that maybe due to the mild temperatures, the nutrient laden run off or some other unknown factor. There are a couple of micro moth caterpillars that eats the flower of this plant but unless it is in apocalyptic numbers, it probably won’t have a hugely limiting effect and I have only ever seen it on one site in 2021. Once this plant has flowered and all the pollinators have made the most of it as a food source, one way of limiting the spread is to cut the flower off the plant and bin it – do not compost as I think the seeds may survive. Any handling of this plant must be done with gloves as it is extremely poisonous and you must wash your hands afterwards.
Thank you to the volunteers that have helped with this quite physical task of removing the HWD, it is strangely rewarding and one of my favourite tasks.
Looking forwards we are going to start out species surveys of sites so that we can see what is living there and what changes have occurred. Later in the summer we will start our moth trapping again which will be amazing.
West Wittering Tree Nursery
By Alex Ainge | West Wittering Tree Nursery Project
The tree nursery is acting as a "holding" nursery for saplings that we were unable to plant into hedgerows (mid March is the cut off point for planting).These saplings will be watered regularly until being planted out in Autumn.
We are looking for local, enthusiastic people who want to help grow trees from seed, which will be planted up across the Peninsula to create valuable hedgerow habitats for wildlife.
Maybe you are a student working on an environment-focused project or someone who wants to get involved in a rewarding hobby. We provide the tools and the growing area. Please contact us if you'd like to get involved!
Wildlife Survey Results
By Nikki Timney | Find Wildlife From Home Survey
Throughout March and April, our survey received 68 wildlife records, including 87 individuals spotted, bringing the total number of records submitted for this survey to 1,761! See a selection of these survey results further below.
Wetlands and Wildlife Conservation Lead, Jane Reeve, is running lots of group wildlife surveying sessions running across the Peninsula throughout the spring and summer. To receive details of these sessions, in addition to other upcoming events and group volunteering activities, please subscribe to our Volunteer News emails.
Survey Results for March and April
11 Blackbirds | 1 Comma Butterfly | 11 Dunnocks |
4 Peacock Butterflies | 15 Robins | 2 Buff-tailed Bumblebees |
Tell us about the wildlife you've seen in your garden, neighbourhood and surrounding local area and we will also submit your records to the National Biological Records Centre on your behalf.
To take part in our wildlife survey, click on the button below.
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