This unique site, located between the Trust’s Testwood Lakes and Lower Test Nature Reserves along the Solent coast, is transforming into a critical refuge for wading birds and overwintering wildfowl, while also increasing the site’s resilience to the impacts of sea-level rise. 

The Environment Agency identified the site as potentially enabling floodplain and coastal grazing to compensate for the natural loss of habitats over the next 100 years. Creating this environment will protect communities and wildlife across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. 

Managed by the Trust since 2019 with funding from the Environment Agency, Manor House Farm now plays a key role as a natural floodplain. The site recently experienced its first seasonal flooding as newly installed sluice gates were operated for the first time directing water onto the floodplain which in turn created essential niches for overwintering waders, migratory wildfowl, southern damselflies, and local fish species. 

"Manor House Farm demonstrates our commitment to creating and expanding sustainable, interconnected habitats across our two counties, enhancing resilience for both nature and people," says John Durnell, Director of Nature-Based Solutions at Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust.  

"We are thrilled to see wildlife thriving here, as the floodplain offers new opportunities for species to adapt to environmental change." 

This habitat restoration supports the Trust’s vision for a Wilder Hampshire - a resilient, thriving network of interconnected habitats that enhance biodiversity and foster climate adaptation across the region. Over time, as saline levels increase, the floodplain will transition naturally into a coastal grazing marsh, offering a critical buffer against flooding and other climate impacts. 

Claire Francis, the Environment Agency’s flood-risk manager for the south coast said, “This project showcases the power of collaboration. By combining flood-risk management with habitat restoration, we’ve used our expertise to manage the effect of climate change to better protect people and wildlife. 

“The Environment Agency contributed £2.4m, including a long-term lease of the land and towards running costs for the project.”    

With the Trust overseeing a connected 310 hectares from the M27 to the River Test’s mouth, this project makes a major contribution to the charities’ goal of seeing 30% of land and sea protected for nature recovery by 2030. Through collaboration with the Environment Agency, the Trust is expanding a wildlife-rich corridor and demonstrating the value of investing in nature-based solutions.