All in a Whorl

Denham Lock Woods SSSI comprises a mosaic of wet woodland and fen, and is home to the rare Desmoulins whorl snail. The site’s sluices no longer keep the water level high, and need to be replaced. Maintaining a high water table is necessary for the maintenance of open fen and mire habitats found within the wet woodland, which the snails depend on. We will carry out hydrological and invertebrate surveys of the site, and use these to inform habitat enhancements. We will install sluices and improve ditches to maintain the flow of water, clear scrub encroaching onto the fen, and clear leaf litter (in order to maintain the nutrient-poor soil).