Outside the New Forest 90% of heathland in Hampshire has been lost to housing, agriculture, and other development, so Hamble Common really is very special.

Among the Bell Heather and Purple Moor-grass that cover much of the common you may find Stonechats and Linnets, known for their striking colours and melodious song. The pond bordered by Reedmace and Willow scrub provides nesting cover for Mallards and Moorhens, while the mudflats provide Oystercatchers, Curlew, Turnstones, and Ringed Plovers with shell fish and worms. Herons and Redshanks are also often a familiar site along with mammals such as Foxes and Deer.

However this interesting and diverse environment is only semi-natural, being the product of thousands of years of low intensity grazing and the removal of turf and scrub for fuel. The disappearance of these traditional ways means that without suitable management the Common will revert to Gorse, Willow, Birch and Oak scrub land or dense woodland with the loss of many of our plants and wildlife.

A recognised method of preserving such common land is grazing, and from May to October it is planned to see livestock on various parts of the Common. In addition, the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV) and the Hamble Conservation Volunteers are replicating the harvesting of traditional building and fuel materials by scrub clearing. This is not done in the summer months to avoid disturbing breeding wildlife, so the group concentrates on Beach cleans and footpath repairs so everyone can enjoy our area.

The Hamble Conservation Volunteers conduct much of this work with advice from the Countryside Services of Eastleigh Borough Council

and as you can see it's not all hard work all of the time!...