Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve
Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve
The Reserve covers 369 acres of the Meon Valley, encompassing a mosaic of natural habitats. River, fen, pools, reedbed and meadow are carefully managed, giving protection to a range of special wildlife.
Educational Visits
The varied habitats and abundant wildlife of our Nature Reserve can be used to teach a host of subjects linked to the national curriculum. A visit to the nature reserve also offers children a multi-sensory experience beyond the curriculum and helps to meet PSHE objectives. We can tailor each activity to meet the learning objectives of your visit.
Due to the size of our site and facilities we can only accommodate a maximum of 32 children per visit. We welcome people with disabilities or additional needs and are happy to tailor our activities to your needs.
River Study
Titchfield Haven covers the lower reaches of the River Meon. Groups will walk the length of the reserve visiting each hide, following the route of the river from the flood plains to the sea. Children can observe the various features of the river and will be encouraged to discuss and think about what they see. Whilst walking through the reserve, time can be spent looking at typical wetland habitats such as reedbeds.
Pond Dipping
We have a specially built dipping platform over a pond that is a 10-minute walk into the reserve. This gives children the chance to see a pond in a natural setting and relate it to other wetland features such as reedbeds. Keys and worksheets can be help children identify the creatures they have found. A summary talk at the end of the activity highlights some of the animals found. Food chains and adaptations are key themes.
Solent Shore Study
Our Visitor Centre is located right on the beach at Hill Head. The beach is gently shelving and is a mixture of shingle and sand with extensive mudflats at low tide. Pools created at the foot of groins and around boulders on the beach support sea life associated with rocky shores. Children work in small groups studying the different zones of the beach. Nets and trays can be used to catch and observe fish, invertebrates, shells, seaweed and other articles. A summarising talk highlights key facts about the creatures found. A food chain game can also be used to help the children think about the beach as a habitat.
Wildlife Walk
On this guided walk children can look for field signs of small mammals including foxes, badgers, otters, deer, voles, shrews, and mice. Longworth Traps (traps that capture but do not harm small mammals) can be set prior to the activity and these can be opened with the children to see if anything has been found. If something has been caught the children can have a close look at the small mammal and identify it using the I.D. charts. Additional props including snake skins, mammal skulls, and bird nests are also used.
Bird Watching
Children can visit the bird hides on the reserve either as part of a general guided tour of the reserve or part of a wider activity such as a river study. Alternatively they can have an extended study in one hide. By spending 30-45 minutes in a single hide, greater time can be spent on specific subjects. Topics that can be covered include: species identification, bird adaptations, migration, colour, behaviour, use of binoculars and telescope.
Invertebrate Study
There are a great variety of terrestrial invertebrates at Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve and the study of these can form the basis of a mini-beast safari or bug hunt. Keys and identification sheets can be provided to help children identify the creatures themselves. A summary talk at the end highlights some of the animals found.