Virtual Field Trips
Solar Boat
2. Shoreline West of Itchenor
The shoreline located on the west side of Itchenor Village is on the sheltered side of the Harbour. Although some of the oak trees lining the shoreline are suffering the results of erosion, their pattern of growth shows that they have not been exposed to strong winds during their growing period. The saltmarsh that has formed along this part of the harbour is dense and has a wide range of saltmarsh plants.
Harbour Oaks
Saltmarsh
Chaldock Marsh
Creating New Saltmarsh Habitat
Chaldock Marsh, part of Itchenor Park Farm, is an example of a saltmarsh creation scheme rather than a fully-fledged managed realignment project as there has been no reshaping of the coastal landscape.
The area was once reclaimed from the sea and turned into grazing land. A tidal flap allowed freshwater to drain from the site, while preventing the inflow of seawater at high tide. In order to create new saltmarsh habitat, this flap was lifted to allow the sea access at high tide.
The area is gradually changing from a terrestrial to a saltmarsh habitat and careful monitoring of the vegetation is taking place.
Wheelchair Path
Wheelchair Path
A wheelchair path gives access to beautiful views over the saltmarsh and harbour.
Click here to find out more about wheelchair access around the harbour.
West Itchenor oak and saltmarsh with
Brent Geese
Saltmarsh
The shoreline west of Itchenor is relatively sheltered. This provides ideal conditions for saltmarsh habitat to thrive.
At low tide, in particular, it is possible to see the dense Spartina vegetation binding the sediment together by its roots in the form of a platform between the lower mudflats and higher shoreline.
Find out more about the saltmarsh grass Spartina
Click here to discover more about saltmarshes.
Click here to see a map showing the distribution of Spartina in the harbour
Tree Gall
Tree planting
Chichester Harbour Conservancy has an ongoing project of tree planting in the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), to maintain the landscape of shoreline fringed with woodland. Volunteers from the Friends of Chichester Harbour and the Chichester Conservation Volunteers have been helping with the planting.
This beech tree has an impressive gall on its trunk, probably caused by insects.
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