A few more bits and pieces on broom
20th February 2008, WednesdayBroom scrub habitats at Dungeness supports a nationally important assemblage of insects.*
Shingle communities dominated by broom scrub in Britain are unique to the RX area.**
60% of the shingle on Dungeness that would have supported this community had been destroyed by 1990.**
Hopefully we can keep what we have left!
If you want to see broom scrub on the shingle it is pretty common on Dungeness, but is most dominant to the landward side of the road across Dungeness Estate to the Old Lighthouse, and alongside Kerton Road (from Lydd pass the Nuclear Power Station access road, and the Long Pits on your right, Kerton Road is the first turn on the left). Here you can admire the plants without having to leave your car and disturb the shingle! May is the best time of year to view it while it is in flower.
* Philp, E. G. and McLean, I. F. G. (1985) The invertebrate fauna of Dungeness. in Focus on nature conservation No 12. Dungeness Ecology and Conservation. Nature Conservancy Council report
** Ferry, B., Lodge, N, and Waters, S. (1990) Dungeness: A vegetation survey of a shingle beach. Research and Survey in Nature Conservation No 26 Nature Conservancy Council Report