Emer Bog SSSI and cSAC - Autumn/Winter 2002
Article taken from Wildlife, Autumn/Winter 2002. Newsletter of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust.
Understanding Emer Bog
Emer Bog, situated near Romsey, was designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest in 1979 for its unusual habitats ranging from ancient semi-natural woodland to wet heathland and older alder carr to acid grassland. In 2000, English Nature proposed the reserve as a candidate Special Area for Conservation, this designation recognising the bog as being an important habitat in a European Context.
English Nature and the Environment Agency have funding to identify the specific features that make up the Special Area of Conservation on and around the reserve. Ron Allen, from The Environmental Project Consulting Group, has put in a draft of a number of measures to establish how the water relations have shaped the bog. Once agreed, this work could include hydrochemistry, pH and nutrient concentrations, ascertaining any possible influence from nearby water inflows.
If all proceeds to plan, Emer should be one of the most understood wetland habitats in Britain. It will also identify whether the Bog is in favourable condition or not and what steps the Trust has to take with regard to management. This work will provide a blueprint for similar studies within the New Forest valley mire system.
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