~~ Z~ :::::iii> WE u..§ ..J- (/) C ..J 3: z o a..I- :i < :::J: I- ::J o (/J ) This booklet is dedicated to the memory of Pat Loxton, the secretary of Southampton Wildlife Link since its formation. She was a tireless worker for the Link, and a passionate conservationist. Her intention was to produce a comprehensive survey of Monk's Brook wildlife, but illness prevented her from completing her plan. I I 1 J 1 J 1 I Monk's Brook Greenway is a report by Southampton Wildlife Link, j a body comprised of representatives from the Natural History and Conservation groups in Southampton. I It was produced with the assistance of Southampton City Council. For further information contact: I Reg Russell 7 Nightingale Grove SOUTHAMPTON 1 50153HQ 1 Front cover: Branched Bur-reed (Sparganium erectum) I .I ! • ] 1 MONK'S BROOK GREENWAY an amenity and for nature acknowledging its importance as a conservation. valuable site, 'and, safeguarding its I The Monk's Brook Greenway is one of future. It is also referred to as the .' \' eight occuring in the City. The The Greenway extends from the City Wildlife Area (A). ~:1.-.... ' .'iJ. boundary to Monk's Bridge; the path ~? "'~f Greenways are unique features within I .. -"'~f< ·,>·:p follows Monk's Brook from North . *iiFil>i ,. '11· ~ 1~( the City's landscape, formed by (.,,- t'~ ..',. ribbons of open space which follow the Stoneham to South Stoneham. The ~~?t,: ~: '~~ ..,.': r:, _, ,t'! stream valleys through the urban Greenway contains seven distinct ~':).' ~t~ areas. They now constitute valuable ecological units. These include ;~i~ breaks in the built-up areas and, in amenity grassland, deciduous some cases, reach out into the open woodland, two areas of damp I. I ; countryside beyond. woodland, an area of marsh, four , areas of tall herbs and one young r . plantation. The Greenway begins below the City boundary in what was once old 1 meadow pasture. This part has a very rich flora and has been given the Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia status of a Site Alert, a special nummularia) I protection for those habitats that cannot be reproduced elsewhere in the Following the channelling of its water City. under the new motorway, the Brook is A common liverwort (Conocephalum enclosed by a thick field hedge to the Conium) North of the Fleming Arms, the west, and a strip of woodland to the Greenway opens up to an area of lush east, with willow species and alder Southampton City Council has meadows, and a large area of reeds.' predominating. Most of this old established a policy framework for the This part of the Greenway has been meadow in the Wildlife Area is wetter Greenways to enhance their value as designated a Site Alert in the City's than it once was, although there are Nature Conservation Strategy thereby still molehills in the drier places. .... f J j from the water even onto timber laid for the walkways. Further down, the Greenway becomes I drier, the wet meadow plants giving way to blackberry scrub and dry, I woody scrub. Snails are plentiful, and insect life abundant - butterflies, flies and 1 beetles. Bats are also to be found. The footpath from South Stoneham 1 crosses the Brook by the entrance to the Wildlife area and follows it to Purple Toothwort (Lathraea Swaythling. Here (Area B), the banks 1 clan destin a) are not so heavily shaded, and there is a greater variety of trees; Field Maple, This part of the Greenway is very rich Sycamore, Hazel, Ash, Oak, Beech, I in species. An area of bur-reed marsh Hawthorn and Alder. Where the occurs in the northern section, a canopy is not closed over, the flora is habitat unique within the Greenways. fairly rich. Typical specimens include Further down, spring flowers such as Indian Balsam, Common Comfrey, iris can soon be overtopped by the lush Rough Meadow-grass, Red Campion 1 summer growth of brambles, hogweed, and, on drier land, Ivy and False Oat- nettles, hemlock water dropwort, grass. Balsam, Codlins-and-cream and Gout- } weed. The Purple Toothwort (Lathraea I c/andestina), discovered in 1982 on the I far bank growing on the roots of Crack Willow and Alder, has now grown away Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum sa/icaria) J .'" with Celandines and patches of Purple I At Swaythling, the Brook passes under Toothwort. By high summer, On the other side of the Brook (Area the road to skirt one side of The Himalayan Balsam covers most of the E), away from the path, west of Edwina Grange Open Space. Here, there is an area, crowding out most other plants House, is a small area of Sallow Carr J immediate change of character as the except nettles, hemlock water- with Alder. This habitat is at an early stream-bed becomes wider with muddy Dropwort and Convolvulus. The successional stage being dominated shallows and patches of gravel in mid- Balsam overflows onto the path. This by Sallow with young Alder present 1 stream. These are as yet, bare of invasive alien has spread very rapidly which will grow and cut out the light. vegetation, but the banks, being more of late. Only where there is a clear The Sallow will then be reduced in open, now support more water plants patch beside the bridge is there an cover. Yellow Iris, Hemlock, Water- 1 typical of the River Itchen, Purple indication of the more usual riparian dropwort, Cleavers and Rough Loosestrife, Fleabane, Brooklime and flora - a few patches of Forget-me-not. Meadow Grass form a large proportion 1 Water Figwort. of the vegetation. Kingfishers are often seen along this stretch of the Brook. On the other side of the path (Area C) grows the hedgerow and meadow The Greenway finishes at the flowers of the Grange; Herb Robert, footbridge carrying the Monk's Path Herb Bennet, Mugwort, Knapweed, east and west. Below the bridge there Musk Mallow, Lesser Periwinkle and has been some clearance of willow, Red Campion. Spring flowers are leaving a stand of mature ash trees. plentiful; Lesser Celandine, Red and The ground cover of the muddy soil is White Deadnettle, Ground-ivy and sparse, mainly nettles and more Dog's-mercury. Himalayan Balsam. The Purple Toothwort has now colonised the tree- ] Where the Brook reaches the bridge roots here, on its progress connecting Brookside Way and downstream. Wessex Lane (Area D), the path 1 becomes only a few metres in width. To reach Mansbridge in the east, the In recent years a considerable number path can be followed through a stretch of old trees have been removed and; in of mixed woodland with patches of ] the early spring, the muddy ground, open ground as far as the houses on which is subject to flooding, is carpeted Forget-me-not (Myosotis scorpioides) one side, and the recreation ground on 1 1 the other (Area F). Monk's Brook runs Amongst the trees, one can pick up a 1 around two sides of this, skirting well trodden path to the field which is Woodmill and the Salmon Pool, on its separated from the recreation way to the River Itchen. The woodland grassland by a thicket of trees and 1 here, above the Willows along the shrubs along a drainage line. Brook, supports Oak, Ash, Elm, Horse ] chestnut, Grey Poplar, Sycamore, The recreation grassland is cut, leaving Hazel, Hawthorn, Guelder-rose and a fringe of long grass interspersed with Apple (domesticated). apple trees and hawthorn along the 1 woodland by the River Itchen. The rough meadow bears a greater variety of wild flowers in profusion, 1 showing what can be regained by careful management. Here there is an abundance of Ragwort, St. John's- wort, Bartsia, Common Mallow, English Stone-crop, Burdock, Thistle, Ox-eye Daisies, Clovers and Buttercups. Himalayan balsam (Impatiens Monk's Path ends at Mansbridge Glandulifera) Road. Going over the Packhorse Bridge and descending to Riverside Park, offers a very different walk on the 1 other side of the River Itchen. ] Great Hairy Willow-herb (Epilobium ] hirsotum) 1 I r ] MONK'S BROOK GREENWAY Butterflies Birds J (The following is courtesy of Philip Speckled Wood Budd) Gatekeeper Blackbird Meadow brown Blackcap J Red Admiral Collared Dove Small Tortoiseshell Dunnock ] Mammals Peacock Goldfinch Comma Greenfinch Bank Vole Large white Green Woodpecker Bats Small white House Sparrow 1 Frog Holly blue Jay Harvest Mouse Small Skipper Kingfisher J Mole Large Skipper Linnet Water Shrew Essex Skipper Magpie Brimstone Mallard The proximity of the Itchen Valley Orange tip Mute Swan Country Park and the Itchen Valley, Painted lady Nightingale allows for the movement of species Small copper Robin into the Greenway. Wren Moths 51 species recorded by Philip Budd at the Grange Dragonflies 1 Seen passing through. There is no part of Monk's Brook in this stretch with aquatic vegetation (or sloping banks 1 wifh reeds etc.), suitable for dragonflies or damselflies. They abound in the nearby reaches of the River Itchen. I 1 FLORA SPECIES Bromus ramosus Hairy-brome Epilobium montanum Broad-leaved Acer campestre Field Maple Caltha palustris Marsh marigold Willowherb Acer pseudoplatanus Sycamore Calystegia ~epium Hedge Equisetum arvense Field Horsetail Achillea millefolium Yarrow Bindweed Fagus sylvatica Beech Aegopodium Ground Elder Cardamine flexuosa Wavy Bitter- Filipendula ulmaria Meadowsweet podagraria cress Fraxinus excelsior Ash Aesculus Horse Chestnut Cardamine pratense Lady's smock Frangula alnus Alder Carex pendula Pendulous Buckthorn .\t~:1 hippocastanum I ,~~. ";r,l Agrimonia eupatoria Agrimoney sedge Galega officinalis Goat's-rue ":: t'~ Alliaria petiolata Garlic Mustard Carex remota Remote Sedge Galeopsis tetrahit Common Allium ursinum Ramsons Centaurea nigra Common Hemp-nettle i ~. ~. Knapweed Galium