As rivers approach the sea they often create large flat areas that are prone to flooding. These floodplains, as they are called, are rich areas to farm because of the high quality of the river silt that is deposited when the rivers flood. Traditionally, they were valued as grasslands for grazing animals in summer when the floods abated and the first rich `bite’ of grass was available.

In winter the floods are home to huge numbers of waterfowl (ducks, geese and swans) as well as wading birds, like lapwing. In summer as the floods recede the wildlife interest concentrates on the animal and plant life of the ditches and the birds, such as redshank and lapwing, that nest among the grazing cattle.

The grazing marshes of the South West form some of its most dramatic lowland landscapes and are valuable both because of their wildlife and their place in our history. They are largely concentrated in the Somerset Levels, along the Avon and Upper Thames river valleys, and along the margins of the River Severn.

Nationally the exact extent of this habitat is not known, but it is estimated there may be 300,000 ha. The South West total of c76,339 ha represents about 25% of this national total. This is a maximum estimate.

The length of ditch system within each site varies; Exminster Marsh supports 26 km of ditches within 180 ha; Nailsea Moor (North Somerset) supports an average 7.5 km of water-filled ditches. Together they form a regionally important wetland habitat in their own right. The following table lists key grazing marshes in the region.

The following are examples of species that depend on coastal and floodplain grazing marsh, some of which are of conservation concern:

Much grazing marsh and floodplain was lost between 1960 and 1990 but exact figures are not available.

The key problem that has led to the loss of floodplains is the increasing intensification of the way our land is farmed. Since the war there have been greater and greater demands on farmers to produce more food. On floodplains land that was once wet has now been drained in order that food can be produced throughout the year. In other words, land has been brought into use at times of the year when traditionally it was under water. In Somerset an additional problem has been the digging up of traditional wetlands for peat.

Alongside the drainage, increased use of chemicals, such as fertilisers, has resulted in ditches being polluted and wildlife being lost.

Approximately 10,500 ha of floodplain and grazing marsh are specially protected by law, which offers some protection. Many sites are managed as nature reserves by local authorities and/or voluntary conservation organisations, such as the RSPB, Wildlife Trusts, and the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust.

In other areas special payments are available to farmers to help them manage the land appropriately to produce both food and find a place for wildlife.

Conservationists are also working hard with the land drainage authorities to work out better ways of protecting the remaining wetlands from pressure of drainage in surrounding areas.

Some restoration work is already ongoing in the region, eg creation of raised-water level areas within the Somerset levels and Moors and the Avon Valley and wetland restoration on privately-owned land through government-run schemes, such as Countryside Stewardship and the Habitat scheme.