Slapton Ley facts for kids
Slapton Ley is a large freshwater lake located on the south coast of Devon, England. It's special because it's separated from the sea, Start Bay, by a long shingle beach called Slapton Sands.
This lake is the biggest natural freshwater lake in south-west England. It stretches for about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) and is divided into two parts: the Lower Ley and the Higher Ley. Streams and a small river called The Gara feed water into the Higher Ley. Slapton Ley is a very important place for nature. It is protected as a National Nature Reserve, a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and a Geological Conservation Review site. The entire nature reserve covers more than 200 hectares (490 acres), which is a huge area!
The A379 runs right along the shingle beach, between the lake and the sea. This road had to be rebuilt in the early 2000s because of damage from coastal erosion. This means the sea was slowly washing away parts of the coast.
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Protecting Slapton Ley's Nature
The Slapton Ley nature reserve is owned by the Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust. It is managed by the Field Studies Council, which helps people learn about nature. The beaches at Slapton Ley are made of special sediment. This sediment is non-replaceable, meaning once it's moved by erosion, it's gone forever.
Why Erosion Matters
When the beach sediment is lost, the beach gets smaller. This is a big problem because the beach protects the land behind it from the sea. If the beaches disappear, large amounts of water could damage the mainland. This would threaten the nature reserve and cause the loss of this important scientific site. Protecting the beach helps protect the amazing wildlife and plants that live here.
Amazing Wildlife at Slapton Ley
Slapton Ley is home to many interesting animals and plants. You can find a large number of Cetti's warblers (Cettia cetti) here. These are small, shy birds known for their loud songs. Eurasian bitterns (Botaurus stellaris), which are a type of heron, also live at the site. They are very good at hiding in the reeds.
The Rare Strapwort Plant
One of the most unique plants at Slapton Ley is called strapwort (Corrigiola litoralis). This plant is incredibly rare. In fact, Slapton Ley is the only place in the entire United Kingdom where it grows naturally! Natural England identified strapwort as being at high risk of disappearing by 2020.
To help save this plant, seeds were collected from Slapton Ley and grown at Paignton Zoo. In May 2015, these young strapwort plants were successfully replanted at Loe Pool in Cornwall. Strapwort had been seen at Loe Pool before, but not since 1915, so this was a great step to help it grow in more places.
