Alverstone Mead

Alverstone Mead - Wetland focal Nature Reserve

On 7 March 1997, the Isle of Wight Council declared a new Local Nature Reserve (LNR) at Alverstone.

The Reserve is called "Alverstone Mead" after the largest field in the area shown on the 1823 tithe map.

This is the County's seventh LNR and gives statutory protection to 18 hectares (44 acres) of ancient woodland, alder carr, hay meadows, wet meadows and ditches. It reinforces the Council's commitment to conserving this area in the long-term, following on from the successful work of the East Yar Valley Project.

The importance of the site for nature conservation cannot be understated with thirteen species of sedge and uncommon plants such as marsh violet and marsh cinquefoil found growing here. Wetlands like these are declining, not only on the Island but nationally too. It is estimated that 95% of Britain's lowland wetlands such as these have disappeared since the end of the last war.

The Reserve's woods are home to the red squirrel and dormouse and the ditches hold good populations of water vole and some species of dragonfly.

Alverstone Mead was once part of Lower Borthwood Farm which was leased to the Island-based conservation group, Wight Nature Fund (WNF), in 1994. This enabled WNF members to progress with the conservation of the site whilst the Council was able to retain a legal interest, allowing statutory protection at a later date. WNF has successfully attracted funding from the Countryside Commission, Rural Action and the Worldwide Fund for Nature as well as from local sponsorship and donations.

The site is easily accessible by footpaths and, on-site interpretation currently being produced by the Countryside Section, will be installed shortly. Care should be taken in the summer months as cattle graze the fields and electric fencing is required across the wet meadows. A nature trail leaflet published by the WNF is also available.

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