Sandwich Bay KTW Nature Reserve

INTRODUCTION

The Kent Trust for Wildlife's reserve at Sandwich Bay now extends both north and south of the estuary of the River Stour, 2 miles north of Sandwich town on the East Kent coast near Ramsgate. The reserve includes about 100 acres of dune pasture, a similar area of saltmarsh and another 900 acres of beach and tidal mudflats, all in the private ownership of the KTW, the National Trust and the Royal Society for the Protection of  Birds. The reserve is managed by KTW on behalf of the owners.

The first KTW reserve was established in 1970 by the lease of the '100 acre field' and shore from the National Trust. The protected land area has now increased four‑fold and in­cludes areas of sand dunes, saltmarsh, tidal mudflats and dune pasture ‑ the naturally developed grassland which has colonised the old dune system and has not been 'improved' for modern agri­culture.

Sandwich Bay Nature Reserve is the last remaining complex of these habitats left in Kent and is recognised as of national importance by the Nature Conservancy Council who have designated it as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (Grade I)

The dunes system has been formed from the accretion of sand and shingle which has taken place gradually isolating Sandwich town from the sea. Both the old dune systems and man‑made seawalls can still be located inland from the present coastline. In 1550 the Shellness spit was located as far back as Back Sand Point with all of the present reserve under the sea. In recent years two new spits have developed and are slowly becoming colonised with vegetation, in this way the land area of the re­serve is increasing and the process of natural reclamation con­tinues.

The soils formed from the sand and shells are rich in lime and this accounts for much of the botanical interest of the reserve. The dune flora includes sea holly, with its associated broom­rape, sea sandwort and a range of unusual clover species. While on the older pasture in the wet slacks, southern marsh orchid, the giant sharp rush, ragged robin and species of sedge and reed occur. Wild asparagus, of uncertain origin, is found on the drier pasture with pyramidal orchid, lady's bed­straw, sand catchfly and many small ephemeral plants. The presence of this range of species including adder's tongue fem and yellow rattle, indicate the primary nature of this pas­ture, which has never been ploughed or treated with chemical fertilisers or herbicides.

Because of the exposed nature of the site and the shallow, freely drained soils which become very dry in summer, few trees and shrubs are able to survive.

The saltmarshes of Pegwell Bay and Shellness reflect a stage in the natural colonisation of the mudflats by vegetation. Plant species able to tolerate inundation by salt water establish on the higher parts of the mudflats. These include sea blite, sea lavender, sea aster with cord grass dominant in some areas and sea purslane bordering the creeks.

Many of the plants found at Sandwich Bay are of very restricted distribution in Great Britain; e.g. sea holly with only eight other Kent locations; sharp rush, found only in the Sandwich area in Kent.

The variety of habitat provides ideal conditions not only for a wide range of plant species but also for thriving populations of

invertebrates, mammals and birds, including once again national rari­ties, such as the spider Agroeca lusatica and rest‑harrow moth. The little tern, ringed plover, shelduck and redshank breed on the reserve, while over winter, the tidal estuary rich in invertebrate life, supports a good number of gulls and waders including in particular, sanderling and grey plover.

Snow bunting and hen harrier are also present throughout each winter. Good numbers of migrant common sandpiper, whimbrel, greenshank, terns and short‑eared owls are to be found in the autumn.

As the reserve is a convenient landfall in close proximity to the Continent, butterflies like the clouded yellow and painted lady are amongst the species of migrant insects.

Both migrant and resident birds are monitored by the Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory whose members watch and record many birds in the course of a season.

THE RESERVE 

Management

The reserve is managed according to habitat to maintain and in­crease the diversity of wildlife on the reserve. The beach and foreshore are left to develop naturally. At present, Shellness Point is accreting and a new spit has been formed in recent nears. This process is likely to continue and will add to the area of beach on the reserve. The dunes are slowly colonised by vegetation; initially by annual plants such as sea rocket and later by sea couch, marram grass, sea convolvulus and sea holly, all species adapted to tolerate high levels of salt in their environment.

The saltmarsh of the nature reserve. is at present ungrazed, although saltings do provide good feeding for cattle in the early part of the year. A detailed botanical survey of the saltmarsh has been undertaken and allows us to monitor changes in the marsh and to adjust the magagement accordingly.

The dune pasture is managed in two units. Cattle graze the '100 acre field' each winter so that coarse grasses do not become dominant. This favours the sand sedge and fine grasses on the old dune ridges, while marsh bedstraw and southern marsh orchid thrive in the damp slacks. In the northern field, known as Redshank Marsh, there is no grazing at present, providing a control with which to compare the effect of grazing the '100 acre field'. The ungrazed vegetation gives suitable dense cover for a wide range of invertebrate species and breeding habitat for shelduck. A regular record of the changes in vegetation is kept by the monitoring of a fixed transact running across the reserve.

There is considerable concern about the use of the tidal mud­flats for bait digging and wherever possible, this activity is dis­couraged as it causes disturbance to the wader flocks and depletes the invertebrate life of the estuary.

Special management for individual species is often undertaken. For example the provision of old drain pipes embedded in the dune pas­ture as potential nesting sites for wheatears: the removal of annual vegetation growth in small areas of the foreshore to encourage the little tern to choose nesting sites unlikely to be inundated at high tide: the retention of driftwood on the shore to provide protection for invertebrates including snails. Provision for public access is minimal so that visitors can enjoy the open and unspoiled aspects of the nature reserve.

Stonelees

In 1985 the 8ha (20 acre) site at Stonelees adjacent to Pegwell Bay, was purchased by KTW. The area consists of old sand dunes with a variety of soils derived from landfill which was brought in to raise the level of the land above the original saltmarsh. The site was used by the army during both World Wars as an embarkation camp and construction site, but since being abandoned, a rich variety of wildlife habitats has developed.

Where the water table is high enough, there are reed beds and marshy areas which supports the marsh helleborine, and several rare species of moth, such as the silver‑barred and the dotted fanfoot.

In drier, sandy or chalky areas, the vegetation is characteristic of dune pasture, with trefoils, restharrow and various orchid species. Scrub vegetation ranging from the low growing dewberry and young blackthorn bushes through to mature hawthorn and trees such as sycamore, ash and a variety of willows. The mature scrub provides a valuable resting place for migrant birds, and nest sites for residents and summer visitors, such as reed, sedge and grasshopper warblers, spotted fly-catchers, nightingales and redpoll.

The establishment of the scrub in open areas is part of the continuing process of natural succession, which with the falling water table resulting from the drainage of adjacent areas of land is changing the vegetation. For example as the water levels fall the reed beds are colonised by tall herbs such as rosebay willowherb and hemp agrimony, and scrub growth is encouraged. If left unchecked, scrub is likely to dominate the whole reserve, and many of the more unusual species of plants and animals will be lost.

Management

Stonelees is being managed to retain its mosiac of habitats with their range of unusual and sensitive plants and animals. By raising the water table and controlling the spread of scrub, the areas of reed bed, dune pasture, marsh and a variety of ages of scrub will be maintained.

VISITING

Location

Lying on the south side of Pegwell Bay either side of the estuary of the River Stour.

Access

Access to the reserve south of the River Stour is through the Sandwich Bay Estate via the toll. Parking is available at the end of Prince's Drive on the seaward side of the beach road. Access to the reserve is then by foot along the beach until you are requested to walk behind the dunes in the '100 acre field'.

An alternative route is from Sandwich quay along the River Stour footpath and across New Downs Farm. Park­ing is available for members at New Downs Farm (please have your membership cards with you). Access is then along the waymarked route. Please respect the farm and golf club land, close all gates, use the stiles where pos­sible and keep to the indicated route.

From March to September a warden is employed by KTW to patrol the area, advise visitors and undertake species protection and maintenance work. During this period visitors are asked to avoid walking along the fore­shore south of Shellness as this is the breeding ground of terns and ringed plover. A path to Shellness is indi­cated just behind the dunes. Access to the remainder of the reserve is unrestricted but visitors are asked to keep disturbance to a minimum. Dogs must be kept on leads. During the summer, parties wishing to visit are asked to arrange this with the Conservation Officer at the KTW office several weeks beforehand.

Access to Stonelees

Access is through the Kent County Council picnic site where there is ample parking (for which a fee may be charged). The picnic site has good views of Pegwell Bay and Shellness Point from the coast path; and is recom­mended for watching the waders, terns and gulls, seen at their best just before and after high tide. The picnic site is well suited to the disabled, the elderly, and children, who wish to view the bird life, without the long walk neces­sary to visit the southern parts of the Sandwich Bay reserve.

Members of the public are welcome to walk around Stonelees on the paths. It is important to keep to the paths to avoid disturbance, especially during the bird breeding season.

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