Historically, Mapledurwell Fen is regarded as one of the most botanically rich fen-meadow sites in Hampshire, characterised by the unique community of plants that make this habitat, and therefore the site, so special. A 2019 survey recorded 110 species on the reserve. 11 of these are indicator species for old meadows and 9 have specific notable status attached to them.

Some of the most beautiful flowering plants found on the site are orchids, and there are a wide variety found at Mapledurwell. This includes two different colour forms of Marsh Helleborine, a significant population of Marsh Fragrant-orchid and Southern Marsh-orchid and many more.

Mapledurwell Fen is a truly exceptional site despite its tiny size - under three hectares. The early recognition of the importance of the diversity found here meant it survived the construction of the M3 when so much of the neighbouring fenland did not. Many of the surrounding fens were lost forever, infilled with spoil from construction sites. Being the last remaining fragment of this important wildlife habitat poses its own management challenges for the reserve. Luckily, dedicated volunteers who love and protect the site is nothing new for Mapledurwell. In the early days of the Trust, Francis Rose and Lady Anne Brewis, botanists who co-wrote the definitive guide to flora in Hampshire, were joined by a small band of Trust volunteers who went to great lengths to protect the flora of the fen. They even cut vegetation with kitchen scissors and garden shears in order to maintain the fen's condition!

Today the reserve is managed by a combination of cutting and conservation grazing, carefully reviewed and altered depending on conditions in and around the site. A recent increase in the deposition of atmospheric nitrogen means it is possible that the levels of both cutting and grazing may need to be increased in the near future. This will help to control the dense, rank vegetation in the fen and swamp. The dedication of generations of naturalists, volunteers and staff has ensured the site has survived for so long and in such good condition, and the Trust conducts regular surveys to ensure it stays that way.

Mapledurwell is one of the most enchanting sites in Hampshire, both for its history and all it represents for conservation in the county. That it has survived at all is wonder enough, and this tiny gem remains a safe haven for biodiversity in the wider countryside and a beacon of hope for declining species.

If you visit the nearby Hatch nature reserve (another small part of the original fen with very similar species and open to the public), and if you kneel to inspect the petals of some of these rare orchids, perhaps you will feel the gaze of past naturalists upon you.

In the quiet, listen for a whisper. It is undoubtedly those naturalists of the past, still arguing over the taxonomy of those very plants.

^{With thanks to Ian Ralphs for his words and photography.}