The team at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve have put in additional wildfire prevention measures because of the heatwave. Water levels in the sluices are being managed more carefully and animals have been moved to areas with better water reserves.
This weekend The Sunday Times described Rye Harbour Nature Reserve as “one of the largest and most important wildlife sites in England.” So how is the Reserve coping during the heatwave? Louisa Mamalis from Sussex Wildlife Trust also has advice on how to help nature in our own gardens.
July was incredibly dry and hot, and with the heatwave continuing into August what does the drought mean for the wildlife on Rye Harbour Nature Reserve?
One challenge on site due to the high temperatures is the evaporation of water from the saline lagoons. The evaporation increases the salinity which can impact the ability of the invertebrates to survive within the saline lagoons. These invertebrates are vital food sources for breeding seabirds and waders therefore any impact on their food source will make it harder for them to survive.
Drought can have significant impacts throughout the food chain. Many plants become water-stressed during prolonged dry periods, producing fewer flowers and less nectar as they prioritise survival over growth and reproduction. Nectar is an important food source for pollinators such as bees, butterflies, hoverflies and beetles, so reduced nectar availability can lead to declines in these species or force them to expend more energy searching for food.
These impacts can then cascade through the ecosystem. Insect-eating birds, for example, may struggle to find enough food for themselves and their chicks if insect populations decline.
Wetlands such as Rye Harbour play a particularly important role during droughts because they retain moisture for longer than surrounding habitats. Ditches, scrapes, reedbeds and other wetland features can provide vital refuges for plants, pollinators and other wildlife during extreme weather events. From a Sussex perspective, this highlights the importance of wetland restoration as a climate adaptation measure. By helping wildlife survive periods of drought, these habitats can support wider ecosystem resilience and even contribute to food security by sustaining pollinator populations that are essential for crop production.
What do the reserve team have to do to adapt to the conditions?
We’ve been busy implementing additional wildfire prevention and response measures, managing water availability for grazing livestock, moving animals to areas with more reliable water sources or better grazing conditions.
We’re also monitoring sensitive habitats more closely to identify signs of environmental stress and managing water levels on site more carefully using the sluices.
Does the hot weather mean different wildlife?
Over the past decade or more there is increased evidence of a gradual northward shift in the range of some species as the climate warms. Birds such as the cattle egret, once considered rare visitors to the UK, are becoming increasingly established – they can even be spotted at Rye Harbour. Other species more typically associated with southern Europe or Africa, such as the striped hawk-moth, are also appearing more regularly in southern Britain.
When it does rain, the ground is going to be so hard. Are you ready for that?
Long periods without rain can leave soils dry, compacted and less able to absorb water. As a result, heavy rainfall is more likely to run off the land rather than soak into the ground. This can increase the risk of localised flooding while reducing the amount of water available to recharge soils and groundwater. It may also mean that plants receive less benefit from rainfall than might be expected, despite a sudden increase in water.
Is there anything visitors to the reserve can do to help?
Continue to visit and support this unique site and the species and habitats that we manage. Follow reserve guidance to minimise disturbance to wildlife, particularly during periods of environmental stress. You can support our work further through donations or volunteering with us. If you are interested in recording species, please do record anything you see and upload it to iRecord, a national database where you can submit a species record (photo, date, time and location) and contribute to tracking species present on site and how they are changing over time.
Avoid activities that increase wildfire risk, such as using disposable barbecues or discarding cigarettes. More widely you can support the end to fossil fuel usage! Getting involved in environmental campaigns and lobbying local MPs around certain environmental challenges can also really help. These actions can help protect both the reserve and the species that depend on it as droughts become more frequent and severe.
Our gardens are also facing the challenges brought on by the heatwave, what’s your advice?
You can support wildlife in your garden/yard no matter how small. Providing some water even just in a shallow dish will be a huge help. Remember to place a rock or two in the dish to help animals get in and out. Or if you have space for a bird bath this can be a great addition. Make sure to top up and clean out these water sources. Providing shade using plants or even small piles of wood and rocks can help support species, keeping them cooler in the hot weather. Planting a range of plants in your garden that no only provide shade but also food for species during these extreme temperatures is also great. Preferably native wildflowers that can support a range of invertebrate species.
Image Credits: Carolyn Gould , James Stewart .