Adoption of the nature reserve

Our statement re the adoption of the nature reserve

The Friends of Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve broadly welcome North Somerset Council’s (NSC) adoption of Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve. We have been waiting a long time for the transfer of ownership from the developers, Persimmon to NSC. The adoption of the nature reserve ends the state of limbo which the reserve has been in for over 6 years. We hope this important wetland reserve is now entering a period of stability. However this is only the beginning and there are significant challenges as well as opportunities ahead.

We are of course a long way from where we expected to be following the inception of the reserve. There have been many controversial twists and turns in its short history, leaving many angry and frustrated.  However, this is a new starting point and plenty of work still to do.   It is paramount to ensure the future security of the reserve and its wildlife. The reserve will also need to evolve and adapt to meet future demands.

Points relating to the adoption of the nature reserve

We would like to make the following points about NSC’s Adoption Statement (21/22 DP 247)

1. We welcome the long-delayed handover of the reserve to NSC as it finally removes ownership from the developers, Persimmon, and any responsibility for the reserve from Port Marine Management Limited (PMML).
2. It is a significant concern that the £400,000 reserves that PMML held in 2015 seem to have disappeared in less than 6 years when they were expected to fund the reserve management for about 10 years.
3. The proposed changes to the maintenance of the reserve, including a reduction from 3.5 to 1.5 days per week, must be considered no more than a temporary stopgap. We think that this reduced regime will lead to a reduction in biodiversity in the long-term and a probable deterioration of visitor facilities in the short term. It is also a major concern that the volunteer work-days seem to have disappeared from the new plan. 
4. Whilst we fully appreciate that the present NSC have been left with a serious funding and management problem that is not of their making, we believe that the long-term success and development of the reserve require the following:
   • a) an alternative source of funding to provide an income sufficient to properly manage the reserve in a way that improves its biodiversity and the quality and variety of its habitats. We are hopeful that the discussions with local councils will be able to find a solution to this. 
   • b) significant input from an established conservation body with experience of wetland management in the future running of the reserve, at the very least in an advisory capacity. This was the stated intention of the original s106 agreement.
   • c) a significant community input to the running and development of the reserve. A volunteer workforce is essential for many routine practical management tasks and the goodwill of the local population towards the reserve should provide further opportunities for greater involvement in areas such as education, project funding and monitoring.
   • d) a proper plan to prepare the reserve for the expected failure of the old sea wall and the ingress of salt water from the estuary. This will clearly change the ecology of the reserve, but if properly managed, it has great potential to enhance the reserve’s habitats. WWT’s expertise and experience at the Steart Marshes (although on a different scale) should be drawn on to help manage this transition. This is an opportunity to be grasped, not a threat.

Wetlands are disappearing three times faster than forests and yet 40% of the world’s wildlife live or breed on wetlands. Coastal wetlands especially are among the most biological diverse. So the importance of our coastal reserve should not be underestimated. 

The Friends of Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve

27 November 2021