COUNTRYSIDE between Bordon and Kingsley contains nine of the United Kingdom's rare species of spider, according to a survey. Instructed by the Whitehill and Bordon Environment Conservation Group, arachnid expert Dick Jones found 89 of the UK's 646 known species of spider during several visits to The Meadows. The results of his arachnological survey show that nine of the species formally identified are "nationally scarce", while one of a further nine species not absolutely identified may also be deemed rare. The survey, funded by Whitehill Town Council, concluded that these figures should be considered "provisional" as "further visits in the spring and summer of 2007 would produce more species". Mr Jones said that he had not experienced so many distinct habitats or such high numbers of some species at any other survey sites, two of which were national nature reserves. He estimated that the land around the Oxney Stream "must be one of the last remaining examples of rough grassland in southern Eng- land", and noted that the orb web spider is more common at The Meadows than anywhere else he had seen it. Mr Jones wrote: "Alth-ough the site has no biodiversity status, it contains a considerable range of habitats. "There is undisturbed grassland in the meadow, adjacent marsh, oak woodland, well established field and track-edge scrub, broadleaved woodland arou-nd the ponds, and the ponds themselves, each of which have distinct habitats. Their different orientations with respect to the sun, and thus different temperature ranges, provide a very varied range of niches which can be colonised by many organisms. The large number of invertebrates found made this a very rewarding survey." The Conservation Group, part of the Town Partnership, has asked the town council for more funding in 2007 for further surveys of an "important, varied site".
