Past Projects

Botany

The BSBI 'Local Change' project. 2003/4

The project was part of a National scheme to check the flora of squares sampled in 1987 - 88 and called then the 'Monitoring Scheme'. A regular pattern of OS National grid squares were surveyed by BSBI recorders all over the country. Further information is available from the BSBI website.

We surveyed a single two kilometre square on the Island (SZ57J). An area between the village of Whitwell, which is in a valley of the Southern Downs, and the summit of Stenbury Down. A largely west facing valley side with varied stratigraphy and an interesting range of habitats.

Farming is mostly arable/grass ley and some interesting plants turned up here, an arable subspecies of Fool's Parsley (Aethusa cynapium ssp agrestis) proved quite common. Small Quaking-grass (Briza minor) was something of a surprise, in a field corner, and Corn Parsley (Petroselinum segetum) which is an uncommon arable weed was found on the chalk at the crumbling edge of a footpath with other scarce plants, in a probably relict habitat. Mousetail (Myosurus minimus), a buttercup though not looking like one, on calcareous wet clay in a field entrance, was a particularly good find. The record extends to the south and east its known range on the Island.

Stenbury Manor's ponds and the damp field below Nettlecombe gave us most of the aquatic and wetland species, like Blinks (Montia fontana), and Water Whorl-grass (Catabrosa aquatica). Hedgerows and small copses had a good suite of typical woodland species and a farm materials storage enclosure and the lane to it were the source of most of our 'alien' records.

Roving onto the rich sheepwalks of Stenbury and Appuldurcombe Downs many characteristic chalkland flowers were seen, but Squinancywort (Asperula cynanchica ssp cynanchica) eluded us. It was last recorded on Stenbury Down in 1998.

An interesting record from the rather acid clay-with-flints Downs top was Spring Vetch (Vicia lathyroides) a very uncommon and easily overlooked species.

Total number of species recorded = 427
of which:-
192 were refound
213 were gains
22 were lost
of which real losses might amount to 14 species, 12 of these native.

Margaret Black made 59 records, including
Wilson's Honeysuckle (Lonicera nitida)
Sowbread (Cyclamen hederifolium)
Garden Grape-hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum)

Anne Marston made 415 records, including
Scented Mayweed (Matricaria recutita)
Yellow Archangel (Lamiastrum galeobdolon ssp montanum)
Hairy Buttercup (Ranunculus sardous)
Corn Parsley (Petroselinum segetum)
Spring Vetch (Vicia lathyroides)

Colin and Jillie Pope made 120 records, including
Mousetail (Myosurus minimus)
Water Whorlgrass (Catabrosa aquatica)
Long-stalked Cranesbill (Geranium columbinum)
White Mustard (Sinapis alba)

The Botany Section made 462 records, including
Small-flowered Buttercup (Ranunculus parviflorus)
Blinks (Montia fontana)
Early Purple Orchid (Orchis mascula)

Chris Lipscombe's Access Section made 28 records, including
Sea Mayweed (Tripleurospermum maritimum s.l.)

The BSBI Hybrids project - 2006

The vice-county census catalogue, published recently, listed all the hybrids recorded from the Island. Some of these we would still like to know more about.

To see the VCCC list please click here

Over the course of the project a number of records were made of Willow, Willowherb, Orache and Mint hybrids, some of them new to the Island.

A list of hybrids about which we need more information:-

Centaurea x moncktonii
Cirsium x forsteri
Epilobium x subhirsutum
Euphorbia x pseudovirgata
Festuca arundinacea x Lolium multiflorum
Larix x marschlinsii
Mimulus x robertsii
Petunia x hybrida
Populus x jackii
Ranunculus x segretii
Rosa x andrzejowskii
Rumex x ogulinensis
Rumex x schulzei
Rumex x weberi
Salicornia pusilla x ramosissima
Sorbus aucuparia x intermedia
Ulmus x vegeta
Viola canina x lactea
Viola x bavarica

Archaeology

Neolithic Farming - [Aug 2005]

The Society was invited to join an exciting project called "The Island's First Farmers". This was the brainchild of Joy Verrinder, Museum Projects Education Officer based at Carisbrooke Castle Museum. The project aimed to cultivate a small area of land, grow a primitive wheat and ultimately bake a loaf of bread - using only Neolithic-type tools and technology!

A full set of replica flint farming tools (based on actual Isle of Wight finds) were produced and an early type of plough constructed, and 'human oxen' then used this "ard" to plough a field which was subsequently planted with ancient wheat and flax, and the crop in due course harvested using an ancient sickle. Other activities included making clay pots and firing them in a primitive-style kiln, and weaving coppiced hazel to make a hurdle fence. We also experimented with making rope from nettles, antler carving, and dyeing wool with lichen.