St Lawrence Field Nature Reserve

St Lawrence Field six spotted burnet moth

St Lawrence Field six spotted burnet moth

A small arable field managed with wildlife in mind.

Location

Seven Sisters Road
Ventnor
Isle of Wight
PO38 1XA

OS Map Reference

SZ536768
A static map of St Lawrence Field Nature Reserve

Know before you go

Size
5 hectares
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Entry fee

Donations welcome

Walking trails

Small section of public access footpath crosses the south-east corner of the reserve. This is linked to the coast path running just outside the southern boundary to the site, the best way to view the reserve.

Access

Contact the Trust for disabled access information.

Dogs

Assistance dogs only

Guide dogs and Assistance dogs only

When to visit

Opening times

Open at all times

Best time to visit

In spring swallows, warblers and finches. Wildflowers in field and margins in spring and summer. Winter finches and buntings on winter stubble.

About the reserve

This small arable field is managed with wildlife in mind. Here you will find rare cornfield flowers which were once plentiful in our countryside, a beetle bank and flocks of farmland birds.

In spring, swallow, warblers and finches gather together among the thick margins of wildflowers.

The site is now managed for arable weeds with cereals sown every autumn. With many arable weed species declining, this work provides valuable foraging opportunities for wildlife.

During the winter, when food stores run low, some of the cropped areas are left  as stubble. This provides rich pickings  for linnet, yellowhammer and other farmland birds, which have all suffered national declines due to intensive  farming methods.

 

Special Features: 

In summer, rare field cow-wheat,  locally known as ‘poverty weed’, is in  full flower. This plant was once so common that men were employed to  pull it out and burn it, to prevent its seeds from tainting the crop. Now this is the only remaining site in the UK for this striking arable weed.

Contact us

Emma Hunt
Contact number: 07741 312892
Contact email: Emma.Hunt@hiwwt.org.uk

Environmental designation

Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)

Location map

Map key

Map Key