Farlington Marshes is one of the Trust’s oldest nature reserves. A site steeped in history since its establishment in the late 18th Century when a series of small islands in Langstone Harbour were enclosed by a basic sea wall. Over the past 250 years, the site has had many and varied uses: grazing land, oyster fishery, racecourse (including a train station), ammunition dump and notably a major role during the Second World War in Operation Starfish as a diversionary bombing area to protect Portsmouth. In 1970, the site was acquired by the Portsmouth Corporation and after an application from the Hants & Isle of Wight Naturalists Trust the site became a nature reserve. In 1974, it became a Local Nature Reserve (LNR) and was designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest in 1985. Today, it is still owned by Portsmouth City Council and leased to Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust.  

Vital habitat 

The Trust, since its origins in the 1960’s, has been managing the site for its wildlife for over 60 years. Early conservation pioneers like Dave Billet and his wife Rosemary helped shape the site, a mantle which has been passed on over the decades with conservation management gradually improving the site into the vitally important habitat it is today. A haven for wildlife and people that is an exemplar of one of the country’s great coastal wetland sites.  

Its success lies in its scale and infrastructure as well as its location. The seawall is multi-functional, protecting the site from inundation by the sea and providing an amazing walking route around the site, offering fantastic views across the reserve and into Langstone Harbour. Public access is limited to the seawall, a connected access track to the site building and cycle way and to some of the smaller field units, the Bushes and Point Field. This means that the majority of the site is left undisturbed, purely for wildlife. A closer look will reveal a mix of habitats across the site that includes, coastal grassland, saltmarsh, fen, reedbed, scrub, freshwater ponds and a saline lagoon. This combination of habitats provides a huge range of niches for wildlife to utilise.  

Internationally important site for birds 

Farlington is renowned for its bird life and is a go-to destination for seeing a huge array of species throughout the year. Through the spring and summer, it is a vital breeding ground for waders including lapwing and redshank and more recently avocet. These species, all ground nesters, utilise the grasslands around the water bodies. Lapwing favour short grassland close to water bodies and taller vegetation. The redshank likes more tussocky grassland close to water whilst avocet like islands in shallow waterbodies. The success of the breeding waders is testament to the huge amount of effort that has gone into the management creating their desired favourable habitats. The marshes are also hugely important for some of the other iconic and once common species such as skylark and meadow pipit, the vast open undisturbed grazing areas providing ideal nesting areas. The reedbed areas thrive with breeding reed and Cetti’s warbler, who nest alongside reed bunting and the hugely popular bearded reedlings. Occasionally, a rarer visitor can be heard calling from the midst of the reeds such as Savi’s warbler or the shrieking call of the water rail. A small flavour of the many species that utilise the site.  

In the late summer, a shift in species begins with the return of waders from Northern breeding grounds. Grey plover and black tailed godwits are a sight to behold in their stunning breeding plumage. Wader species start to increase in number so alongside redshank, lapwing, curlew and dunlin, fewer common visitors drop in, species such as spotted redshank, curlew sandpiper, little stint and Temminck’s stint. There is always the chance of something a little rarer turning up, and over the years Farlington has hosted many rarities from faraway lands, drawing people from far afield trying to get a view. Highlights in recent years have been Eastern olivaceous warbler, least sandpiper and stilt sandpiper.  

In winter, Farlington comes alive with the return of the wildfowl. Like the waders, numbers begin to build up from the autumn and the site plays host to an array of species utilising the coastal grassland and wetlands. The deeps area is a place favoured by teal and wigeon who feed on the grass around the edges of the waterbodies. Other wildfowl species including shelduck, pintail, shoveler, gadwall and mallard can also be seen. One of the most iconic and important species for the site though is the dark bellied brent goose. The Solent hosts around 10% of the world population (~30,000 geese) and Farlington in a good year can have over 3,000 individuals utilising the site for feeding, bathing and as a high tide roost. They favour the site due to its large open grasslands with good sight lines, water bodies and proximity to the extensive mudflats of Langstone Harbour. Like many species of wildfowl and waders, brent geese are long lived and site faithful, returning as family groups each winter to the same site, behaviour which they pass on to their offspring.  

The huge numbers of birds and other species that use the site also attract in predators. The winter provides a great opportunity to view marsh harrier, short-eared owl, merlin and peregrine, all utilising the wide range of habitats to find prey.  

Vast array of flora and fauna 

It is easy to focus on the bird life of Farlington but there is so much more that the site has to offer, the range of habitats mean that the site is botanically rich. The saltmarsh areas put on a fantastic summer display of glasswort, a species that as it matures changes colour to deep hues of red, purple and brown. Southern marsh and early marsh orchids thrive in the wet grasslands, whilst specialist grasses like annual beard grass can be found on the grazing marsh. Invertebrate life is rich and varied with butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies numerous across the site as well as a range of specialist flies, beetles and other insects. Small mammals utilise the grasslands while rabbits graze the grasslands keeping a wary eye for an opportunistic fox. Bats frequent the open habitats with pipistrelle, noctule, serotine and daubenton’s bat common on the site.  

This is just a mere snapshot of what the site has to offer, there is so much more. Farlington is truly a special place and quite rightly one of the most important sites for wildlife on the south coast.  

Farlington Marshes at risk

Whilst this all sounds amazing and it is clear that Farlington is vital for nature and people, the site is at risk. The sea wall around the site is failing. This current wall built in the 1960’s acts as a flood defence structure protecting the A27, railway and property in Farlington. The reserve provides flood storage for water flowing from springs and streams as well as surface water from the Farlington area. However, the wall needs serious work to maintain its functionality. This is a hugely expensive and complicated process and coinciding with a time when the realities of climate change are becoming all too apparent.   

Farlington was claimed from the sea and now nature is trying to claim it back. In a natural system, this would not be an issue as the habitats would migrate inland. As sea levels rise, the saline influence would favour saltmarsh development and grazing animals would be pushed further inland which would create new grazing marsh. However, our coast is far from a natural system. The Solent coast is one of the most developed coastal areas in the country. There is simply no room for the habitats to move and we are faced with the issue of coastal squeeze. This occurs as sea levels rise and habitats are unable to move due to hard engineering and coastal defence infrastructure. Of course, it is important to defend housing, industry and infrastructure from sea level rise but what value do we assign to our natural environment? How much are we prepared to defend our nature reserves as well?  

Farlington Marshes must be protected 

Given the designations (national, European and international) there is a duty to protect Farlington Marshes and compensate for any loss. If the sea wall around Farlington is breached, then the loss of the habitats and their function will need to be replaced. A new Farlington Marshes will need to be created. In theory, this can be done but it would take time, resource and most importantly the right site would need to be found. There is similar habitat scattered throughout the local area, but this is either itself threatened by sea level rise or is too small to provide the same functionality that Farlington does. Due to economic growth, and development (housing, industry, infrastructure) opportunities have been missed and the authorities are struggling to find any suitable compensation sites in the local area. We now find ourselves in a situation where we are working with statutory bodies, consultants and our landlord, Portsmouth City Council, to try and forge a way forward.  

It is our view that Farlington Marshes must be protected for as long as possible until suitable compensatory habitat can be found and developed to replicate the scale and habitat complexity that Farlington Marshes currently offers. We accept that one day the site will be lost to the sea, that is inevitable, but we need to ensure that the wildlife the site supports is not. The role Farlington plays in supporting avian life for Langstone, Portsmouth and Chichester cannot be overstated. If the nature reserve is lost, the impact on wildlife would be enormous and to the detriment of all three harbours. The local community will have also lost a vital green space, an area steeped in history, a place to connect with nature and be inspired by.  

It is not too late 

The situation here highlights a stark reality and modern challenge – what value do we put on nature? In today’s world where finances are constrained and other priorities such as protecting homes, business and infrastructure take precedent, it is easy for wildlife to lose out. But we also know that the UK is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world and that we must do all we can to save it. If Farlington is lost, the impact on wildlife will be huge and irreparable. It is not too late to protect the site. If we act now and push for maintenance of the sea wall for the foreseeable future until such a time when compensatory habitat can be secured, the habitats established and a new Farlington created, then we will be able to safeguard the wildlife of Langstone Harbour and the wider area into the future.  

Thank you to everyone that completed the Environment Agency's Farlington Marshes Project Survey questionnaire earlier this year to have your say in the future of Farlington Marshes Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve. To view the full results of the survey click here.