the wildlife of Barn Meadow

“The Wildlife Trust supports opportunities to secure Barn Meadow for nature recovery and further protection of the River Itchen catchment and its floodplain.

With the emerging Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS), Barn Meadow on the River Arle floodplain represents a location of not insignificant importance to local nature recovery, and mitigation to climate change.

Aspirations to expand the urban conurbation further into the floodplain should carefully consider the impact on biodiversity, river water quality and resources, exacerbation to flood risk and conflict with other priorities such as the LNRS.

The River Arle is one of the most biodiverse and sensitive reaches within the Itchen catchment, an internationally renowned chalk river and Special Area of Conservation. Future land use changes should prioritise protection and recovery of this rich natural heritage.”