Thank you for your interest in our Fields reserve nature trail.
points of interestIf you start at the entrance nearest to the Observatory the first point of interest you come to is the Hoverfly lagoon.
This lagoon is fondly thought of as "smelly pond" by members of our conservation team, who installed it, and others. Like other flies, hoverflies go through all stages of insect life: egg-larva-pupa-imago. The larvae of hoverflies are remarkably diverse for just one family of flies. Some have adapted to aquatic life in extremely dirty water (including stagnant), eating all kinds of decaying materials. In order to breathe they developed a long pipe at the rear end of the body, which they stick into the air. Examples include the rat-tailed maggots (about 40 species). Other larvae hunt for plant lice or aphids. Over one third of hoverflies have larvae that eat aphids (over 110 species). Some live in decaying wood, or sap runs on live trees (33 species).
Next you come to an area where you might spot the Divided 
Sedge which although rare in Kent is actually well distributed in the UK. Marsh is a type of wetland which is an example of habitat which is not that well represented in the UK. Wetlands are vital for human survival. They are among the world’s most productive environments; cradles of biological diversity that provide the water and productivity upon which countless species of plants and animals depend for survival. This area is adjacent to the Ramsar site Thanet Coast and Sandwich Bay. Ramsar Sites are wetlands of international importance designated under the Ramsar Convention. You can find out more about Ramsar here
More information will appear here over time