Portbury Ashlands facts for kids
Portbury Ashlands, now known as Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve, is a special place for wildlife. It's located between Portishead and the Royal Portbury Dock in Somerset, England. This nature reserve was created on land that used to be a dumping ground for waste from old power stations. For over 50 years, this area, known as "the Ashlands," held power station waste in big lagoons.
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From Power Station to Nature Haven
This amazing nature reserve was once a very different place. It used to be a site for large power stations and a dumping ground for their waste.
The Old Power Stations
Long ago, two big power stations stood near Portishead. They were called Portishead "A" and Portishead "B." These stations burned coal to make electricity. Construction of Portishead "A" started in 1926 and it began making power in 1929. Portishead "B" started being built in 1949 and was ready by 1955.
The power stations got their coal from different places. Some coal came from the Somerset Coalfield by train. Most of the coal, however, came from South Wales. It was brought by boat from Newport and Ely, Cardiff right into the dock.
Creating the Nature Reserve
After the power stations closed, the land needed a new purpose. The Avon Wildlife Trust now helps manage this area, which is about 100 acres (40 hectares) in size. This nature reserve was created as a way to protect local wildlife. It also includes paths so people can visit and enjoy the outdoors.
In 2015, the North Somerset council decided to take over managing the reserve. This meant that local residents living nearby would no longer have to pay a yearly fee for its upkeep.
Habitats and Wildlife
Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve is home to many different types of habitats. These include large pools, smaller ponds, rhynes (drainage ditches), grassy areas for grazing, hay meadows, and hedgerows. All these different areas provide homes for a wide variety of plants and animals.
Amazing Animals
Many interesting animals have been seen living here. Some of these include:
- Great crested newts (Triturus cristatus)
- Water voles (Arvicola amphibius)
- Grass snakes (Natrix natrix)
- Brown hares (Lepus europaeus)
There is also evidence that otters (Lutra lutra) are starting to move into the area.
Birds of the Reserve
A wide variety of birds also make their homes at the reserve. Barn owls (Tyto alba) are among the residents. The reserve is also visited by many migratory birds. These birds use the nearby Severn Estuary as a resting stop on their long journeys. Some of these visitors include:
- Curlew (Numenius arquata)
- Dunlin (Calidris alpina)
- Redshank (Tringa totanus)
- Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)
The Important Severn Estuary
The Severn Estuary is a very important natural area. It has one of the largest intertidal wildlife habitats in the UK. This means that huge areas of mudflats, sandflats, and rocky platforms are exposed at low tide. These areas are perfect for many plant and animal communities that can live in the challenging conditions of mud and strong tides.
The estuary is so important that it is recognized internationally as a wetland area. It is known as a Ramsar site. Parts of the estuary are also designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). This SSSI includes most of the foreshore upstream from Cardiff and Brean Down, and much of the upper estuary.
The Ashlands area also acts as a "green link." It connects the estuary to the Gordano Valley, which is itself a national nature reserve. This connection helps wildlife move safely between these important natural spaces.
