We will visit a site on the Chester Zoo estate which is a mosaic of habitats in a narrow strip bordering the Shropshire Union Canal. It is a mixture of meadows, species-rich hedges, ephemeral water, pine wood bordered by mature deciduous trees, areas of blackthorn scrub and bramble, a small area of willow and a damp rushy meadow on lime-rich boulder clay crossed by ditches.

The wet meadows are a designated Local Wildlife Site. This is due to the marshy grassland plant communities which include species such as Ragged-robin, Devil’s-bit scabious, Marsh bedstraw, Bog stitchwort and Cuckoo flower.