The Atlas 2000 Survey - a review of TL60
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managed, either by angling clubs, the parish council or individual landowners. In addition, a further
sixteen farm reservoirs or large ponds have been created in recent years to meet the increasing
demand from fishermen and these have proved to be the saviour of much of the parish's wetland
flora, a scenario which holds good for the rest of TL60 and probably for Essex as a whole. In
addition to a wide range of common waterside plants these new ponds have provided the only
records in the square for a large number of species, among which are Trifid Bur Marigold Bidens
tripartita, Thread-leaved Ranunculus trichophyllus, Pond R.peltatus and Fan-leaved R.circinatus
Water Crowfoots, Orange Foxtail Alopecurus aequalis. Water Equisetum fluviatile and Marsh
E. palustre Horsetails, Small Pondweed Potamogeton berchtoldii, Soft Hornwort Ceratophyllum
submersum. One-rowed Watercress Rorippa microphylla, Marsh Yellow Cress R.palustris and
Panicled Carex paniculata. Carnation Cpanicea Hop Carex pseudocyperus and Bottle erostrata
Sedges the last of which occurs nowhere else in the County.
Reading through what I have written it would seem that a sense of optimism is not one of my more
endearing characteristics. That would be unfair as I have enjoyed many a memorable day in the field
during this survey. Days that have included perilous dawn cycle rides along the A12 and (even
nastier) the A414 in order to tick off salt splash zone colonists such as Danish Scurvy Grass Cochlearia
danica, Grass-leaved Orache Atriplex littoralis, Buck's Horn Plantain Plantago coronopus and
Narrow-leaved Pepperwort Lepidium ruderale. Scrabbling around on rubbish tips has also been
great fun, not necessarily the huge council run dumps such as that at Chignal St James (although that
produced both Golden Rumex maritimus and Fiddle R. pulchra Docks but small, unofficial heaps in
woodland. Whereas birds that may have escaped from captivity are given a variety of disparaging
names by birdwatchers (of which "plastic" is the most popular at the moment) so many of our best
loved plants are long-established aliens that the discovery of new escapees is very much part of the
fun of botanising. A small tip at Ingatestone yielded a marvellous array of species, among which
were Common Amaranthus retroflexus, Greeni, hybridus and White A. albus Amaranths, Ragweed
Ambrosia artemisifolia, Bullwort Ammi majus. Hairy Bindweed Calystegia pulchra, Chinese Mustard
Brassica juncea and Yellow Bristle Grass Setaria pumillo while a chalky spoil heap at another, in
Great Edney Wood, produced the only records for the square of both Common Fiddleneck Amsinckia
micrantha and Dense-flowered Fumitory Fumaria densiflora. In a similar vein, secondary woodland
close to houses can also be rewarding. One such area at Ingatestone supports not only Common
Hyacinthoides non-scripta and Spanish ILhispanica Bluebells but also the hybrid between the two
while in addition the likes of Cyclamen Cyclamen hederifolium, Snowdrop Galanthus nivalis and
Three-cornered Leek Allium triquetrum are well established at this site. Landscape features from
our Georgian and Victorian past are also a rich source of old introductions - Dropwort Filipendula
vulgaris, Royal Fera Osmunda regalis, Flowering Rush Butomus umbellatus, Russell's Lupin Lupinus
x regalis. Sweet Flag Acorus calamus, Stinking Iris Iris foetidissima and Perfoliate Honeysuckle
Lonicera caprifolium being among the species that spring to mind in this category. My favourite,
though, is the relic of a Victorian bathing tank situated in a field pond alongside Furze Hall, Fryerning,
the banks of which are carpeted in Persian Ivy Hedera colchica. No such luxuries as heated indoor
swimming pools in those days - even the aristocracy were tough!
Overall, the survey work revealed a situation where many plants and their habitats are just about
hanging on. Given a respite from our relentless economic obsessions with efficiency and its corollary,
tidiness, many could yet make a comeback but it would need a radical rethink of the way we farm for
that to happen and despite the best efforts of various conservation bodies there is as yet little sign
that the tide is turning. Still, we discovered a few special sites during our survey where, now that the
work is complete, it will be good to return for a more leisurely look, complete with book, flask and
packed lunch; there to sit in the shade of some convenient tree and to read, doze, watch the bumblebees
at work and simply enjoy being al ive.
Essex Naturalist (New Series) 17 (2000)