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Moving from the transient vegetation to the
more settled communities along the footpath,
south of the reserve, the first signs of
constructive management work became evident.
This has been undertaken by the Manpower
Services Commission, under Wildlife Society
guidance. Earlier in the year the path
was lined with Garlic Mustard (Alliaria
petiolata), and orange-tip butterflies took
advantage of this. The succession that
followed included a fine show of Rough
Chervil (Chaerophyllum temulentum) all the
way along. There is a substantial elm
hedge here, which effectively screens off
the development.
At the start of the reserve proper, there
has been drastic scrub clearance around the
perimeter path, at the top of the east and
north cliff faces. Birdsfoot Trefoil (Lotus
corniculatus) has increased, as has Red
Bartsia (Odontites verna), and the extent of
the spread of Grass Vetchling (Lathyrus
nissolia)is remarkable. From only three
plants recorded in 1984, it now numbers
thousands along the open grassy parts of the
upper reserve.
The orchids, for which the Quarry is renowned,
began to appear in ones and twos as soon as
we entered the S.S.S.I. Pyramidal and Man
Orchids (Anacamptis pyramidalis and Aceras
anthropophorum) seem to have spread south as
a result of the clearance, and, in one or two
places, the latter have established colonies
of twenty +. A species to take advantage
of the new conditions for the first time this
year has been Kidney Vetch (Anthyllis vulner-
aria), which is now prolific on some of