FLEET POND NATURE RESERVE MANAGEMENT PLAN 2015 - 2021 1 Site Name Fleet Pond Nature Reserve Location Fleet, North Hampshire Head of Service John Elson Departmental Manager Adam Green Site Ranger Samantha Kerr Plan prepared by N/A Samantha Kerr, Katy Sherman and Nicky Plan updated by Williamson Samantha Kerr, Katy Sherman and Nicky Plan edited by Williamson Date of draft N/A Date of final copy 2015 Reviewed December 2020 Next Review Date Summer 2021 2 Content Table SECTION 1 – INTRODUCTION & SITE INFORMATION .................................................... 5 1. Preamble ............................................................................................................... 5 2. General Information .............................................................................................. 6 2.1. Location ........................................................................................................ 6 2.2. Land Tenure ................................................................................................. 7 2.3. Management Infrastructure & Resources ..................................................... 7 2.4. Health, Safety & Security .............................................................................. 8 3. Site Information ................................................................................................... 11 3.1. MAP 1 – Fleet Pond Nature Reserve ......................................................... 11 3.2. Access & Structures ................................................................................... 11 3.3. Physical ...................................................................................................... 15 3.4. Biological .................................................................................................... 17 3.5. Cultural ....................................................................................................... 17 3.6. The Restoration Project .............................................................................. 21 3.7. Ecological Enhancements Project .............................................................. 22 SECTION 2 – MANAGEMENT & SITE FEATURES ......................................................... 23 1. Management Aims .............................................................................................. 23 1.1. Management Rationale .............................................................................. 23 1.2. Management Options ................................................................................. 23 1.3. Vision .......................................................................................................... 24 2. Site Features ....................................................................................................... 24 2.1. Overview Of Site Features .......................................................................... 24 2.1.1. Rarity Of Features ............................................................................ 25 2.1.2. Fragility Of Features ......................................................................... 25 2.2. Factors Affecting The Management Of The Features ................................. 26 2.2.1. On Site Natural Factors .................................................................... 26 2.2.2. On Site Man-Induced Factors .......................................................... 27 2.2.3. External Factors ............................................................................... 27 2.2.4. Factors Arising From Legislation Or Tradition .................................. 28 2.3. Site Features Information ........................................................................... 30 FEATURE 1: MAP 2 – The Lake ................................................................. 30 FEATURE 2: MAP 3 – The Islands .............................................................. 34 FEATURE 3: MAP 4 – Streams & Ditches .................................................. 38 FEATURE 4: MAP 5 – Reedbeds ................................................................ 42 FEATURE 5: MAP 6 – Marshes & Fens ...................................................... 47 FEATURE 6: MAP 7 – Wet Heathland ........................................................ 52 FEATURE 7: MAP 8 – Dry Heathland ......................................................... 57 FEATURE 8: MAP 9 – Wet Woodland ........................................................ 61 FEATURE 9: MAP 10 - Dry Mixed Woodland .............................................. 65 FEATURE 10: Invasive Species .................................................................. 69 SECTION 3 – ACTION PLAN ........................................................................................... 71 3. Work Plan Maps .................................................................................................. 76 3.1. Five Year Work Plan: MAP 11 – Reedbeds & Marshes .............................. 76 3.2. Five Year Work Plan: MAP 12 – Woodland Thinning ................................. 77 SECTION 4 – SUSTAINABILITY ...................................................................................... 78 SECTION 5 – PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT ............................................................................ 80 1. Fleet Pond Visitor Strategy ................................................................................. 80 2. Health & Wellbeing.............................................................................................. 81 3. Community Involvement ...................................................................................... 82 3.1. Volunteering ............................................................................................... 82 3 3.1.1. The Fleet Pond Society .................................................................... 82 3.1.2. Corporate Volunteering .................................................................... 82 3.1.3. Young Volunteers ............................................................................. 82 3.2. Partnership Working ................................................................................... 83 3.2.1. Other Conservation Organisations ................................................... 83 3.2.2. Other Local Organisations ................................................................ 84 4. Marketing ............................................................................................................ 84 4.1. Website ....................................................................................................... 84 4.2. Social Media ............................................................................................... 85 4.3. Events & Activities ...................................................................................... 85 4.4. Press Releases .......................................................................................... 85 4.5. Interpretation .............................................................................................. 86 4.6. Education .................................................................................................... 86 SECTION 6 – APPENDICES ............................................................................................. 88 1. Site Byelaws ....................................................................................................... 88 2. MAP 13 – Walking Routes .................................................................................. 92 3. MAP 14 – Illustration of the Fleet Pond catchment area ..................................... 93 4. MAP 15 – Loddon Catchment Area .................................................................... 94 5. MAP 16 – Dipwell Locations ............................................................................... 95 6. Biological Records, Surveys Undertaken & Species Lists ................................... 97 7. MAP 17 – Vegetation Communities .................................................................. 101 8. Methods Of Habitat Management ..................................................................... 105 9. Table Of Red & Amber Listed Birds Recorded At Fleet Pond ........................... 108 10. Rare & Notable Species .................................................................................... 110 11. Reedbed Work Plan 2015 To 2021 ................................................................... 125 12. MAP 18 – Invasive Species .............................................................................. 128 MAP 19 – Extent of New Zealand Pygmy Weed ............................................... 129 13. Financial Summary – Prediction Only Resources For Work Within This Plan ... 130 14. Photo Credits .................................................................................................... 130 LIST OF MAPS MAP 1 – Fleet Pond Nature Reserve ................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. MAP 2 – The Lake ............................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. MAP 3 – The Islands ........................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. MAP 4 – Streams & Ditches ................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined. MAP 5 – Reedbeds .............................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined. MAP 6 – Marshes & Fens ...................................................