Les Maltieres

Les Maltières (named after a malting which once existed nearby), is a complex of marshland, wet meadows and carr (wet woodland), in the Parish of Grouville. It is Jersey’s second most important wetland site after St. Ouen’s, and is a proposed Site of Special Interest (SSI). The National Trust for Jersey owns 21 vergees (3.8 hectares) of the marsh.

The holding consists of reed-bed, carr and wet meadow, with a small area of drier grassland. The remainder of the marsh, which is in several ownerships, consists mostly of willow carr and grazed and mown grassland. Water from a wide surrounding area drains into the marsh, and a stream, the Gorey Brook, flows alongside the eastern boundary of the Trust’s land.

History

The habitats present at Les Maltières have changed dramatically over time. About 6,000 years ago, when much of Jersey would have been covered in woodland, the site was dominated by willow and alder carr. At least part of the area then turned into saltmarsh as sea levels rose, and it remained as such for a further 2,000 years. Freshwater conditions returned as sea levels fell again, and it is likely that at least parts of the site were used for grazing domestic cattle and for making hay.

After 1900, grazing slowly began to decline, and parts of the marsh reverted to carr woodland. Hay was still being made on part of what are now National Trust for Jersey owned reed-beds as late as 1949, but this practice ceased shortly afterwards. The land presumably became wetter as drainage was neglected, and the reeds took over. Trees, mainly willows, rapidly grew up on other parts of the site.

During the German Occupation of Jersey (1940-45), extensive rock quarrying and sand excavation took place in the area, and the remains of a German-built shed are still visible within the National Trust’s part of the marsh. Peat was also dug for fuel. After the Occupation, parts of the marsh were used as the Parish refuse dump, and attempts were made to drain some other areas. The Trust purchased the land in 1979.

Flora and Fauna

The Trust’s holding was originally farmed as four fields, three of which now consist mainly of reed-bed, giving way to carr along the eastern edges near the brook. A track flanked by Lombardy Poplars divides these from the remaining field, which is wet pastureland grazed by cattle. Some of the site’s original hedgerows can still be identified, although these are now very overgrown. Apart from the brook, there is little permanent open water on the site, although much of the area may be flooded for long periods over the winter months.

Besides Common Reed, a good variety of other wetland plants occur at the site, including Water Mint, Hemp Agrimony, Great Hairy Willowherb, Gypsywort, Yellow Flag and Pendulous and Cyperus Sedges, the last species occurring at only one other site on Jersey. The main trees that can be seen in Les Maltieres are Crack Willow, Goat Willow (Salix caprea), Osier, Alder and Grey and Black Italian Poplars, all of which are associated with wet conditions.

Grouville Marsh also supports a rich insect fauna; no less than 282 beetle species (25% of the Jersey total), have been recorded here, for example. The abundance of willows attracts a wide range of moths, such as the Pink-barred Sallow, and butterflies are also numerous on sunny summer days; 9 different species were observed on one visit in 2002. Dragonflies seen in 2002 included the Emperor and the Broad-bodied Chaser. The site is also notable for crickets; 5 species are known to occur, including the Great Green Bush Cricket and the Long-winged Conehead. Small mammals, such as the Jersey Vole, are abundant at Grouville Marsh, although the site is undoubtedly best known for its birdlife.

Extensive bird-ringing has been undertaken at the site by Mr Eddie Buxton and his sons since 1974, during which time 112 species have been recorded. Honey Buzzard, Hoopoe, Corncrake, Hen Harrier, Little Bittern and Thrush Nightingale are just a selection of the more notable birds recorded at Grouville Marsh over this period. Breeding species include the Reed Bunting, Cetti’s, Reed and Garden Warblers (Acrocephalus scirpaceus), Blackcap, Short-toed Treecreeper, Long-tailed Tit and Moorhen. During the winter months, a Woodcock may be flushed from the dense, tangled carr woodland, the elusive Water Rail skulks within the reed-beds and Snipe may be seen feeding on the wet pastureland.

Site Management

Wetland areas like Grouville Marsh need regular management if they are to retain their value for wildlife. If left unmanaged, reed-beds, for example, will eventually be colonised by willow and turn into carr, which may itself, in time, be replaced by trees typical of drier environments.

A management plan for Grouville Marsh is currently in preparation, and a key objective of this will be the maintenance of a varied mosaic of different habitats at the site, to include reed-bed, carr woodland and wet grassland.

At present, the reed-beds are cut or deliberately burnt in autumn on a three-year cycle, which maintains their vigour and prevents willow scrub from colonising them. Parts of the carr woodland are coppiced, which is very beneficial to a wide range of plants in that it allows light in, as well as creating a more varied age structure for insects and birds. It is intended to bring more of the carr into a coppice rotation, if resources permit. The wet pastureland is grazed by cattle, and the small area of dry grassland is mown annually. Selective clearance is undertaken during the growing season to maintain access for management purposes, as well as the ongoing bird-ringing programme.

Management at Grouville Marsh is very labour-intensive, and it is complicated by the poor access and often difficult working conditions. Access alone to much of the site may be almost impossible during the winter months due to high water levels. This is when most management work would normally be undertaken to minimise disturbance to wildlife.

Visitor Access and Facilities

Grouville Marsh is primarily a wildlife reserve, and it is not normally open to visitors. Furthermore, access to the site is poor, and the terrain is hazardous, especially in winter when much of the area may be flooded. Visits for scientific purposes, such as recording or photographing flora and fauna, may be permitted provided the National Trust for Jersey is notified beforehand. Any information gleaned on such visits must also be made available to the Trust upon request.