By the Riverside

All over the world natural wetlands are vanishing making those at Gloucester even more important. The Oxleaze, Town Ham and Castlemeads often still flood in winter. The River deposits the rich alluvial soils that give such a wealth of biological diversity. Especially important are the marshlands and pools at Over Ponds, now managed as a nature reserve.

Life: Secret, Rare, Unique and even Alien

Cattle and horses have been eating the luscious grass on the hams and meadows for centuries. Their grazing has kept away the broadleaf plants. Amongst the vegetation secretive creatures hide. Newts hunt and water voles feed off young shoots. Even old twigs are food for cricket larvae, while the many willows provide a home for musk beetle eggs.

Unusually at Gloucester there are both freshwater and occasionally saltwater plants. Some species such as "Beggar's Tricks" were transported here accidentally in ships. Others such as "osier" were encouraged for local industries. A few, such as "deadly nightshade" may even be survivals from Medieval monastic herb gardens. While others, such as "calex pseudocyperus" have evolved naturally to become almost unique to Gloucestershire.

Search the database to discover some of what biologists have collected at Gloucester over the last 200 years.