Wensum Local Nature Reserve
Encyclopedia
Wensum Local Nature Reserve is a Local Nature Reserve
located in Norwich
in the English
county
of Norfolk
. The reserve consists of two sites; Mile Cross Marsh 52.6419°N 1.2657°E and Sycamore Crescent Wood which are linked by the Riverside Path a public footpath via the Sycamore Crecent footbridge
Waterworks Road forms the site's southern boundary. A housing estate lies to the east with the Norwich waterworks on its western edge. The wood is bounded by the River Wensum
to the north.
, wood anemone
, lily of the valley
, red campion
, winter aconite, snowdrop
and crocus
. The narrow strip of woodland supports many mature trees including beech
, horse chestnut, lime and a small stand of elm
close to the Waterworks Road entrance. Contained within the reserve is approximately 400 metres (1,312.3 ft) of tree-lined riverside frontage.
The marsh is bounded by two public footpaths: The Riverside Walk to the south and the Railway Path NCR1 on its northern boundary. Sweetbriar Road Meadows
SSSI adjoin the marsh on the west and mostly industrial land lie to the east.
and damp grassland
. A small man-made pond in the reserve is used by breeding amphibians and provides a hunting ground for damselflies and is home to several species of dragonfly
. During spells of prolonged drought the pond is prone to dry out. Wildflowers including meadowsweet
, marsh marigold, and purple loosestrife
have been recorded.
Local Nature Reserve
Local nature reserve or LNR is a designation for nature reserves in the United Kingdom. The designation has its origin in the recommendations of the Wild Life Conservation Special Committee which established the framework for nature conservation in the United Kingdom and suggested a national suite...
located in Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
in the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
county
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
of Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
. The reserve consists of two sites; Mile Cross Marsh 52.6419°N 1.2657°E and Sycamore Crescent Wood which are linked by the Riverside Path a public footpath via the Sycamore Crecent footbridge
Location
- Sycamore Crescent Wood
Waterworks Road forms the site's southern boundary. A housing estate lies to the east with the Norwich waterworks on its western edge. The wood is bounded by the River Wensum
River Wensum
The River Wensum is a chalk fed river in Norfolk, England and a tributary of the River Yare despite being the larger of the two rivers. The complete river is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest and Special Area of Conservation ....
to the north.
Description
The wood is located on a north facing slope adjoining the River Wensum. Wildflowers recorded in the reserve include bluebellBluebell
-Plants:* genus Hyacinthoides** Common Bluebell ** Spanish Bluebell * genus Mertensia** Virginia Bluebell * Scottish Bluebell...
, wood anemone
Anemone nemorosa
Anemone nemorosa is an early-spring flowering plant in the genus Anemone in the family Ranunculaceae, native to Europe. Common names include wood anemone, windflower, thimbleweed and smell fox, an allusion to the musky smell of the leaves...
, lily of the valley
Lily of the Valley
Convallaria majalis , commonly known as the lily-of-the-valley, is a poisonous woodland flowering plant native throughout the cool temperate Northern Hemisphere in Asia and Europe....
, red campion
Red Campion
Red campion is a flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae, native throughout central, western and northern Europe, and locally in southern Europe....
, winter aconite, snowdrop
Snowdrop
Galanthus is a small genus of about 20 species of bulbous herbaceous plants in the Amaryllis family, subfamily Amaryllidoideae...
and crocus
Crocus
Crocus is a genus in the iris family comprising about 80 species of perennials growing from corms. Many are cultivated for their flowers appearing in autumn, winter, or spring...
. The narrow strip of woodland supports many mature trees including beech
Beech
Beech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:...
, horse chestnut, lime and a small stand of elm
Elm
Elms are deciduous and semi-deciduous trees comprising the genus Ulmus in the plant family Ulmaceae. The dozens of species are found in temperate and tropical-montane regions of North America and Eurasia, ranging southward into Indonesia. Elms are components of many kinds of natural forests...
close to the Waterworks Road entrance. Contained within the reserve is approximately 400 metres (1,312.3 ft) of tree-lined riverside frontage.
Location
- Mile Cross Marsh
The marsh is bounded by two public footpaths: The Riverside Walk to the south and the Railway Path NCR1 on its northern boundary. Sweetbriar Road Meadows
Sweetbriar Road Meadows, Norwich
The Sweet Briar Road Meadows, Norwich is a Site of Special Scientific Interest SSSI located in the Wensum Valley within the boundary of Norwich in the English county of Norfolk. The site which was designated a SSSI in 1986 covers is privately owned with no public access. But can be viewed from...
SSSI adjoin the marsh on the west and mostly industrial land lie to the east.
Description
The marsh consists of an area of fenFen
A fen is a type of wetland fed by mineral-rich surface water or groundwater. Fens are characterised by their water chemistry, which is neutral or alkaline, with relatively high dissolved mineral levels but few other plant nutrients...
and damp grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
. A small man-made pond in the reserve is used by breeding amphibians and provides a hunting ground for damselflies and is home to several species of dragonfly
Dragonfly
A dragonfly is a winged insect belonging to the order Odonata, the suborder Epiprocta or, in the strict sense, the infraorder Anisoptera . It is characterized by large multifaceted eyes, two pairs of strong transparent wings, and an elongated body...
. During spells of prolonged drought the pond is prone to dry out. Wildflowers including meadowsweet
Meadowsweet
Filipendula ulmaria, commonly known as Meadowsweet, is a perennial herb in the family Rosaceae that grows in damp meadows. It is native throughout most of Europe and Western Asia...
, marsh marigold, and purple loosestrife
Purple loosestrife
Lythrum salicaria is a flowering plant belonging to the family Lythraceae, native to Europe, Asia, northwest Africa, and southeastern Australia. It should not be confused with other plants sharing the name loosestrife that are members of the family Primulaceae...
have been recorded.