Winnall Moors

Winnall Moors is an area of the flood plain of the River Itchen, immediately to the north of Winchester city centre.

The area is managed as a nature reserve by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust. The southern section is owned by Winchester City Council and has been managed by HIWWT since the 1980s. The northern part was formerly farmed as low-intensity grazing, but has recently been purchased by HIWWT following a public appeal, with assistance from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The site lies within the western end of the Countryside Agency’s plan for a South Downs National Park.

Habitats on the site include chalk stream, tall fen, hay meadow and wet pasture. Plant life includes green-flowered helleborine, water crowfoot and lesser water-parsnip, purple loosestrife, yellow flag, various sedges, common reed and reed canary grass, fleabane, meadowsweet and fen bedstraw, southern marsh-orchid, yellow rattle and eyebright. Birds include little grebe, mute swan and mallard, reed and sedge warblers, gadwall, wigeon and snipe.

There are many different species of breeding dragonfly and damselfly including the broad-bodied chaser, common darter and banded demoiselle.

External links

• Hampshire Wildlife Trust - Winnall Moors