Riseley Brook — bank opposite the Fox & Hounds,

adjacent to the playing fields.

 

A brief study on 15th June 2000 recorded the following species of higher plants on the attached sheet. This list is not comprehensive - this would require longer visits several times during a season - but gives a good impression of the nature of the grassland.

There are large stands of Meadowsweet, Fleabane and Germander Speedwell all of which are attractive if allowed to flower. Similar vegetation occurs intermittently along the length of Riseley Brook, in most cases adjacent to arable land where the invertebrates associated with this habitat are potentially always under threat from spray drift.

Strimming this habitat during mid-summer will not significantly affect the flora but will have a fundamental impact on invertebrates including butterflies and moths whose larvae will be feeding on the variety of herb and grass species.

Ecological best practice would probably involve a single cut in early autumn, This habitat has no special statutory protection so there is no obligation for the Parish Council to adopt ecological best practice.

There is a feeling among some parishioners that the obsession with regular strimming every piece of semi-natural grassland habitat within the village compromises the potential ecology and creates a suburban appearance. Practical considerations may mean that most grass verges adjacent to pavements and close to buildings need to be regularly mown, but cutting the brook bank seems to be a case of tidiness for its own sake. During the Parish Council meeting of 14th June it was stated that this bank contained nothing of interest. While I am happy for the Parish Council to decide whether tidiness or ecology takes precedent, I provide these notes so that a more informed decision can be made.

Mark Powell — 17th June 2000

Species list for brook bank at map reference TL 039 627. (OS Landranger sheet 153) List compiled on a site visit by M Powell, 15th June 2000.

Anthriscus sylvesiris

Cow Parsley

Poa trivialis

Rough Meadow grass

Arrhenatherum elatius

False Oat grass

Urtica dioica

Stinging Nettle

Calystegia sepium

Greater Bindweed

Elytrigia repens

Common Couch

Rumex sanguineus

Wood Dock

Glechoma hederacea

Ground Ivy

Geum urbanum

Wood Avens

Rubus caesius

Dewberry

Galium mollugo

Hedge Bedstraw*

Phalaris arundinacea

Reed Canary-grass

Epilobium hirsutum

Great Hairy Willowherb

Filipendula ulmaria

Meadowsweet*

Holcus lanatus

Yorkshire Fog

Lapsana communis

Nipplewort

Eguisetum arvense

Field Horsetail           -

Lamium album

White Dead-nettle

Galium aparine

Cleavers

Lactuca serriola

Wall lettuce

Geranium robertianum

Herb Robert*

Veronica chamaedrys

Gemander Speedwell*

Pulicaria dysentenca

Fleabane*

Alopecurus pratensis

Meadow Foxtail

Sonchus oleraceus

Smooth Sow-thistle

Crepis capillaris

Smooth Hawkbit

Festuca rubra

Red Fescue

Heracleum sphondylium

Hogweed

Geranium dissectum

Cut-leaved Cranesbill

Rumex crispus

Curled Dock

Senecio jacobaea

Common Ragwort

Scrophularia auriculata

Water Figwort

Poa angustifolia

Narrow-leaved Meadow grass*

Alliaria petiolata

Hedge Mustard

Elymus caninus

Bearded Couch

Aegopodium podagraria

Ground Elder

Sinapis arvensis

Charlock

 

* = My own subject selection of the most colourful or less common species.