NATURE CONSERVATION: ESSEX
89
which have been able to flower for the first time for many years
although, on the other hand, some species have been lost in
competition with the more vigorously-growing plants. This
change in ground cover must, in its turn, be having a profound
effect on the soil fauna, but there is little recorded in this sphere.
The changes just referred to are due to what one might call a
natural interference factor. What of the truly man-made inter-
ference factors, such as changes in agricultural techniques and
practices—the use of the combine harvester and of weedkillers
and seed-dressings?
In the Norfolk Broads there is an interesting example of the
extent of vegetation change following the cessation of exploitation
by man of an area of fenland. This area, for which there is an old
estate map available, is five hundred and ten acres in extent. Its
story is told in the following figures: —
1845 1880 1958
Open water .................................... 114 15 15
Open fen, mowing and grazing marshes 345 409 190
Woodland and carr ........................ 51 86 305
It will be seen that by 1880, most of the shallow water areas
had been invaded by reed swamp and alder carr was beginning
to develop. During the present century, more and more marshes
were abandoned, dykes began to fill in and woody growth spread
rapidly—this following the falling off in demand for reed, sedge
and litter.
After this brief survey of nature conservation in the country in
general, how does this apply to our own county in particular and
what work has already been done ? For one with time and energy
for research, there is scope in the writing of the full history and
development of conservation in Essex. Among the early records
would be those relating to the sporting reserves of the Royal
Forests and of the duck decoys. Much of the work of private
landowners in this field will have gone unrecorded but there must
be many instances of the preservation of woodlands and the
establishment of bird sanctuaries—and of the preservation of
commons.
One of the finest nature reserves, though not designated as
such and not originally set up as a nature reserve, is surely Epping
Forest. This area, now only about six thousand acres in extent,
formed part of the Royal Forest of Essex. It is uncertain whether
or not it existed as such before the Norman Conquest; the essential
character of such an area was not the wooded nature of the land
but the fact that it was subject to the Forest laws, which had as
their objective the preservation in that area, for the royal pleasure,
of all wild animals, especially the deer.
The history of the Forest during the past few centuries is
recorded in various papers presented to this Club and published
in The Essex Naturalist. Suffice it to say that it is now vested in
the Corporation of the City of London and is controlled by the
provisions of the Epping Forest Act, 1878. The Corporation were