Natural Environment
Nature
For nature lovers, the South Downs Way passes through an extraordinary range of diverse habitats from ancient woodlands, river valleys, chalk grassland to mixed farmland and coastal habitats. The floodplain of the River Arun forms part of the Arun Valley Special Protection Area (SPA) for its wintering wildfowl, particularly large numbers of wigeon and teal. It also has important breeding populations of lapwings, redshanks, and in particular snipe, for which this is the only reliable Sussex population. There is considerable biodiversity interest - there are more than 150 species of plant, including the Pride of Sussex Rampion.
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The Wildbrooks
As it is one of the most important floodplain grazing marshes in southern England, Amberley Wildbrooks is designated as a Site Of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Its significance comes from a combination of ecological, hydrological and ornithological values:
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- Wetland Habitat: The Wildbrooks lie on the floodplain of the river Arun. Seasonal flooding creates a mosaic of wet meadows, ditches, scrapes and permanent water channels that support a rich variety of plant and animal life.
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- Birdlife: It is an internationally important site for wintering wildfowl, including teal, wigeon and pintail. It also provides breeding habitat for species such as lapwing, snipe, redshank and yellow wagtail. This makes it a key site for both resident and migratory birds.
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- Botanical diversity: The marshes support a range of rare and specialist wetland plants including diverse rushes, sedges and wet meadow flowers adapted to seasonal flooding.
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- Hydrology and Landscape Value: The site represents a classic example of the Arun valley floodplain, where natural hydrological processes are still functioning and underpin the ecology.
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Because of these features, the Wildbrooks is not only a SSSI and a SPA, but also a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and part of the Ramsar site (wetlands designated as being of international importance).
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See RSPB centres and local walks
Hollyhocks
Rampion
Changing landscapes
Nestled at the foothills of the new South Downs National Park, the approach to Amberley is stunning and the colours of the landscape change constantly.
The tidal plain of the River Arun extends to the north of the village and is known as Amberley Wildbrooks. It is a broad sweep of undisturbed wet grassland, intersected with wildlife-rich ditches, surrounded by woodlands, and overlooked by the South Downs. This wetland site, which often floods in the winter, is of special scientific interest and over half of all the British species of aquatic plants, wildfowl and invertebrates can be found here.
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John Ireland, composer, wrote this piece called Amberley Wild Brooks in 1921. Listen
Wild deer roam on the brooks
The Wildbrooks in summer
The Wildbrooks in winter
For other visitor information click on the images
