Bembridge Silt Lagoon

Bembridge Silt Lagoon is part of a Special Protection Area (SPA), Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a wetland of international importance (Ramsar), which is managed by Gift to Nature on behalf of Bembridge Harbour Authority. 

Harbour history

In times gone by, the site of the lagoon would have been under water. The area was once part of a large haven, which continued for another two and a half miles inland to Brading and Yaverland. As the estuary of the River Yar, it had a winding channel, creeks and mud flats.

In the past, Bembridge was only connected to the rest of the Island by boat from St. Helens or via marshland in Yaverland. Strong currents and flooding in winter meant neither route was ideal. Over the centuries, various developments began to reclaim land but it wasn’t until work began on an embankment in 1874 that Brading Haven was permanently cut off from the sea. The completion of the embankment linked Bembridge to St. Helens not only by road but also by rail.

What remained of the estuary became Bembridge Harbour, surrounded by wildlife-rich habitats, such as the lagoon.

Life in the Lagoon

Brackish lagoons are very important for their wildlife. Not only do they attract a range of wintering ducks but they also hold an eclectic group of rather obscure plants and invertebrates which can only survive in the very specialized half fresh, half salty water that the lagoons provide.

Bembridge Silt Lagoon attracts birds using the harbour as well as a rare variety of invertebrates, mammals and flora in the nearby grassland, brackish pools and marshland. It is vegetating with saltmarsh species, including an extensive mat of sea milkwort (Glaux maritima) and widespread patches of Spergularia. It also provides a great habitat for invertebrates, such as Forficula lesnei (Lesne’s earwig) and Sibinia primita, a beetle whose lava feed on the Spergularia.

Managing the site

Bembridge Silt Lagoon covers an area of three hectares and creates a stepping stone connecting Bembridge Harbour with the RSPB Brading Marshes reserve. The site is managed by Gift to Nature in a way that supports wildlife; reducing the height of trees to ease the flight paths of migratory birds and mowing to create a short sward with seasonal ponding to attract roosting, feeding and potentially breeding waders and wildfowl.