Robertsbridge

Meeting date: 26 July 2003

(Leader: Rachel Nicholson)

A select band of six met to record the area north of the village. Since the disastrous floods in 2000 much flood defence work is still taking place, with consequential disturbance of the soil, and beside the mill several arable weeds were found, including Thlaspi arvense (Field Penny-cress), Chenopodium ficifolium (Fig-leaved Goosefoot) and Chaenorhinum minus (Small Toadflax). The banks upstream from the mill were at their lush best with colourful clumps of Lythrum salicaria (Purple Loosestrife), Impatiens capensis (Orange Balsam), Scutellaria galericulata (Skullcap) and Myosoton aquaticum (Water Chickweed). In the water there was Lemna minuta (Least Duckweed) – and a dead sheep.

Part of the area had come under new ownership, with plans for change of use (to a theme park); fortunately these were turned down. However, a new lake had been excavated, and now has large clumps of Nuphar lutea (Yellow Water-lily) and Nymphaea alba (White Water-lily) on it, with accompanying swans.