A former council tip is fast becoming a key site for nature.
Havoc Meadows attracted a team of expert botanists recently to chart the rare plants and insects there.
Members of the Glasgow Natural History Society joined with Friends of Havoc Meadows on this Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
There are thought to be in excess of 300 plant species at Havoc, including six types of orchid, as well as rare bryophytes such as the royal fern which thrive on Brucehill’s wet sandstone cliffs.
Due to the site’s location on the Clyde estuary, it is also home to important coastal species such as eel-grass, a flowering plant that grows very low on the shoreline and provides habitat for marine wildlife.
The site’s rich plant variety supports a huge number of insects and invertebrates, including 17 different species of butterfly. Rare invertebrates newly-discovered earlier this year include the six-spot combfoot spider, as previously reported in the Lennox Herald and the wet flat-backed millipede.
Friends of Havoc Meadows organiser, Zoe Weir explained the evolution of the location.
She said: “Locals will remember that Havoc was used as a council tip between 1955 and 1980, and after that became sports pitches. It’s also been used for hen runs, piggeries and greyhounds, and before 1955, it was old-fashioned cattle-grazed meadow.”
In recent years, many wildflowers have returned, only for the site to be threatened by an invasion of Himalayan Balsam, a non-native flower brought to Britain by Victorian plant-collectors.
But thanks to local litter-pickers and conservation volunteers, as well as enhanced management from West Dunbartonshire Council’s Greenspace team, the site is now a thriving attraction for both wildlife and humans.
GNHS bio-convener Richard Weddle added: “Flowery meadows such as Havoc are very important in supporting declining pollinator species such as butterflies and moths, bees and hoverflies. The grasses and trees support caterpillars of these and other species groups, together forming an important part of Central Scotland’s green network”.
Zoe added: “Havoc’s remarkable recovery is a great example of how ex-brownfield sites can become hidden gems of high conservation value.
“It’s a great extension to a walk around Levengrove Park, adding natural history to the long list of things Dumbarton has to offer."
To find out more about nature events in Havoc Meadows, email Zoe Weir at havocmeadows@gmail.com
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