Papercourt Marshes

There is restricted access on this reserve. Please contact  the Trust for permit to visit on 01483 795440.

Though relatively small, Papercourt Marsh is an important part of the Papercourt SSSI complex, which covers 69.4 hectares in total and lies between the village of Send and the River Wey. The name Papercourt has Anglo Saxon associations deriving from Pappeworth meaning Pappe’s Farm.

The site and surrounding land were originally worked for minerals then restored to nature conservation use during 1995/6. Given the site has been only recently restored the communities on site are still evolving, although the habitats found within the reserve consist of a mixture of open standing water, shallow scrapes, reed-beds, marsh and wet woodland (willow carr) as well as a network of grassy rides.

Papercourt Marshes is particularly important for the ornithological interest and at least 100 bird species have been recorded here including water rail, turtle dove, great crested and little crested grebe and reed and sedge warblers. Hobbies regularly use the site and waders such as wood sandpiper have been recorded.

The mix of open water, marsh scrub, short herbage and bare ground make it s good site for aquatic plants and invertebrates.

Management of the reserve concentrates on maintaining the wet habitats for wetland species.