Brympton Enhancement & Restoration Project

Preston Brook, Lawrence Way

A stretch of Preston Brook that is enjoyed by the local community, Yeo Rivers Community Trust is working to:

• Manage tree canopy to reduce shading along the brook and allow a wider variety of vegetation to grow.
• Create new habitats along the brook, including backwaters that are ideal for aquatic plants and invertebrates.
• Survey and manage an area of unimproved grassland. Identified as the only one of its kind in Yeovil and home to over 30 different plant species.
• Establish new wildflower areas.
• Plant and manage native bulbs, including snowdrops, snake’s head fritillary, autumn crocus, winter aconites & wood anemone.

In 2023 we also installed an interpretation board at Lawrence Way to help share our work with the local community. 

Alvington Pond

A spring-fed pond that no longer retained water has been restored by the Yeo Rivers Community Trust and continues to be enhanced. As part of our objectives, we have recently:

• Created a hibernaculum as a refuge for reptiles, amphibians and mammals.
• Built a water vole bund and additional stick piles to be used by wildlife as shelter.
• Sown native wildflower seed around the pond edge.
• Planted native spring bulbs along the pond edge, including snowdrops, snakes head fritillary. lesser celandine, lily of the valley, bluebells, winter aconite and wood anemone.
• Planted a selection of native wild orchids including early purple, green-winged and bee orchids.
• Enhanced the aquatic and marginal plantlife with native species, including water plantain, yellow flag iris, water lily and water crowfoot.

As part of this project, we now manage the site's vegetation on an annual basis and also have an ongoing survey and monitoring programme for both plants and wildlife on the site.

Foxglove Way

An attenuation basin that was identified as having a limited species diversity of flora, with willowherbs, common nettle and bulrush dominating.

As part of our enhancement programme, Yeo Rivers Community Trust has worked with SSDC to cut back the vegetation and carry out a series of shallow scrapes across the bed of the basin. After monitoring these for hydrological performance, Able2Achieve helped us sow a variety of native wet meadow seed and aquatic marginal species including, sweet flag, marsh marigold and purple loosestrife.

As part of our ongoing plan for this site, the basin requires management twice a year to prevent domination by ruderal herbs while the wet meadow plants establish.

Preston Primary

Yeo Rivers Community Trust has enjoyed collaborating with Preston Primary and their Eco Warriors to complete a botany survey of the unimproved grassland at Preston Brook.

We are also working with the children to help restore and enhance their school pond area by:

• Introducing a wider variety of aquatic plants.
• Providing local wildlife with easier and safer access to the pond.
• Creating new habitats around the pond for wildlife to enjoy.

Oak Tree Park Ponds

We know from historical maps that there have been ponds at Oak Tree Park since at least the 17^th century. The land once formed part of Preston Great Farm, of which records date back to 1085. A possible theory is that they were originally dew ponds for livestock.

In 2023, we installed an interpretation board to inform the local community about our work at the ponds.

A wide variety of wildlife enjoys the two ponds at Oak Tree Park, including badgers, frogs, waterfowl and invertebrates. As part of our enhancement work, we have completed the following works at pond 1.

• Undertaken some light tree canopy management to let in more light to the pond area.
• Built a small island in the centre of the pond as a refuge for wildlife.
• Reprofiled areas of the pond to feature some shallow scrapes that will collect and hold water for longer.
• Planted a selection of native aquatic marginal plants to increase the species diversity.
• Built a hibernaculum (complex habitat bank) to provide refuge for amphibians, reptiles, mammals and invertebrates during the winter months.
• Installed a dipping platform and outdoor classroom area to allow for ongoing educational and volunteering activities.

In 2023 enhancement work commenced at pond 2 and we are pleased to have completed:

• Clearing the pond of historical litter that had built up over the years.
• Repositioning the fence with thanks to Somerset Council to allow for a larger enclosed area.
• Reprofiled areas of the pond to feature some shallow scrapes that will collect and hold water for longer.
• Built a hibernaculum (complex habitat bank) to provide refuge for amphibians, reptiles, mammals and invertebrates during the winter months.

We also plan to undertake some light canopy management to let in more light to the pond area, help to manage the duck weed in the pond and plant a selection of native aquatic marginal plants. We will also be seeding the grassland surrounding the hibernaculum with a mix of native wildflower species.

We are excited to continue habitat management across all the sites we've been working at across Brympton in collaboration with the Parish Council and Somerset Council. 

We also plan to carry out regular surveys across all sites to continue monitoring local wildlife and will be inviting member of the local community to join us for these. 

"I had a lovely morning at Lawrence Way grassland - thanks for organising it. It was fascinating to take a closer look at so many different flowers and grasses, especially in an area that I'm familiar with from my daily walks."

YRCT volunteer speaking about our Lawrence Way Grassland BioBlitz in Jul 2023

YRCT welcomes the involvement of all members of the community in all our activities. 

If you would like to volunteer with us across the Brympton Parish area and get updates about our upcoming activity events as part of this project, including habitat management, surveys and planting, please get in touch.