Stubbers Green, Aldridge
Description
This is a large area comprising a set of unimproved fields, which are grazed by horses, open water, marsh, wet grassland and acid grassland. Old hedgerows with mature trees make up some of the filed boundaries. Marginal vegetation has grown in the pool leaving little open water. Many interesting botanical species are to be found in widespread patches throughout the site. Great burnet, common cotton-grass, common spotted orchid, early marsh and southern marsh-orchid, sneezewort, ragged robin, yellow rattle, red bartsia, hemlock water-dropwort and tubular water-water dropwort have been recorded making this a particularly botanically species rich area.
The ornithological value of the site is also considerable, with species such as the snipe, reed warbler, and little grebe. Pintail and jack snipe are frequently recorded.
Management Recommendations
The fields are overgrazed by horses and might benefit form less intense pressure. The wet grassland around the marsh should not be allowed to be colonised by sallow and oak as this will lower the water level of the area.
Reedmace around the pool should be cleared to maintain the area of open water. Any action that leads to changing (especially lowering) of the water table should be avoided.