Hatch Warren and Beggarwood Biodiversity Improvement Zone

The project covers the areas below:

a) Verges along Beggarwood Lane
b) Verges along Woodbury Road from the roundabout with Cliddesden Lane to the roundabout with Hatch Warren Lane
c) Part of open space to north of Danebury Road/Inglewood Drive
d) Part of open space to the east of Constantine Way
e) Area to the south of Gershwin Road around Hatch Warren School
f) Central ‘X’ shaped open space within the Beggarwood estate
g) Part of Open Space east of Woodgarston Drive (behind Hatch Warren Community Centre)
h) Verges along north side of Gershwin Road, opposite Hatch Warren schools

Location Plan of all sites

These locations were chosen as the chalky soil conditions here are favourable for encouraging and establishing wildflowers.

The areas link to a wider network of other sites with nature conservation interests, such as Beggarwood Park Local Nature Reserve, Old Down and Down Grange. This is useful for insects and helps species such as birds, bats and hedgehogs by providing food supplies in urban areas and ‘stepping stones’ between the larger sites. It also helps to bring wildlife to surrounding gardens, supporting pollinators such as bees that are spread throughout the area.

The most recent site surveys show a 56% increase in species diversity, compared to 2020, with rare insects and 85 additional plant species now flourishing in Hatch Warren and Beggarwood.

In total, over 237 different plants including rare species like bee orchids and yellow rattle have taken root, up from 152 when the project began. Insects are also thriving, such as the rare small blue butterfly that has spread to several new locations.

Given this success, we’ve submitted the pilot project to the Big Chalk Partnership as a model for urban chalk grassland restoration.

Aiming to share the results as widely as possible, our natural environment team has produced a summary document covering an introduction, background, the management methodology, survey methodology, results, operational costs, issues and appraisal, and a conclusion.

You can request a copy of the full report on the Hatch Warren and Beggarwood biodiversity improvement zone by emailing our Natural Environment team.

Meadow Brown

Marbled White

Small Blue

Small Skipper

Sites were managed as wildflower meadows to provide vital habitat for pollinators and other invertebrates as well as birds and small mammals. Annual mowing was an essential part of this management.

Wildflower plants thrive in areas with low nutrient levels where faster-growing plants such as grasses and thistles are unable to dominate. To create the right conditions, we mowed the grass and removed all the cuttings, which reduced the amount of nutrients returned to the soil. Sites were mowed late in the summer to give the wildflowers time to produce and set seed for the following year.

The cuttings were left on site in a designated area so that they could decompose over time. This allowed any bugs that were accidentally collected during mowing to escape. The cuttings also served as a habitat for many animal species.

For more information contact WildlifeConservation@basingstoke.gov.uk

St Marks meadow

During 2020, the areas within the project were allowed to grow with no cutting and set seed from April onwards.

A total of 153 species of herbaceous plant and grasses were found - an excellent variety for a town location. Species included favourites such as creeping buttercups in the spring and dandelions and daisies. Forget-me-not and Speedwell were also common as were clovers and the white flowers of wild carrot and yarrow.

The grassland structure became more varied and species of butterflies, bees, grasshoppers and spiders all benefited from increased food sources and places to live.

Kidney Vetch

Yellowrattle

In 2021, the areas were cut in spring to help retain the grassland and prevent woody species from establishing. Following this the grassland was uncut and allowed to flower throughout the summer and autumn, before being cut again in the autumn.

The survey in late 2021 showed the following results:

• Plant species increased in 26 out of the 28 areas of the BIZ project
  
• The number of plant species (grasses and wildflowers) throughout the whole BIZ increased from 152 in 2020 to 194 in 2021, which is an increase of 42 species or 28%.
• The total number of species (including grasses, wildflowers, spiders, bees and wasps) recorded across the 2 year period increased from 152 species in 2020 to 213 species in 2021. This represents an increase of 51 species or 34%.
• Over 25 chalk related species were found within the area including rarities such as clustered bellflower, dropwort, maiden pink and small scabious
• Six species of orchids were found within the area: bee orchid, white helleborine, violet helleborine, broad leaved helleborine, pyramidal orchid and common spotted orchid.

Pyramidal Orchid

Common Spotted Orchid

The spring cut occurred again during 2022, followed by another survey later that year.

In 2023, the area saw a total contrast to 2022 when we had a drought and extreme temperatures, which was bad for wildflower and insect species. The changeable days with rain and sunshine in 2023 led to an abundance in both. Important species have continued to spread through the area with an amazing total of over 215 wildflower and grass species recorded by July 2023.

Bumblebee on Field Scabious

Bee Orchid