Country parks and local nature reserves

This river valley corridor covering 48 acres constitutes an important urban wildlife area and comprises a wealth of habitats including pasture, grassland, marsh, fishing ponds and the brook itself which runs the entire length of the reserve.

Salary Brook site information (PDF, 8.94MB)

How to get there

By road: Salary Brook open space lies on the eastern edge of Greenstead. There are pedestrian entrances from Scarfe Way, Sherbourne Road, Titaina Close and Sandpiper Close. There is no formal car park. Limited roadside parking maybe available.

Postcode: CO4 3SE. 

Find on the map

By bike: Colchester by bike map

Opening times

All day, every day.

Facilities and access

• A public right of way runs east-west through the site linking Greenstead with the farmland to the west. A network of permissive paths provides many routes around the site and a cycle path runs adjacent to the site providing access and views across the whole site. 
• The three ponds, constructed during the 1970s. Swims are provided on two ponds for fishing. 
• One pond has disabled access. 
• Occasional guided walks and events.
• One play area near Buffet Way and one near Titania Close. 

History, vegetation and wildlife

Salary Brook Local Nature Reserve comprises rough grassland, scattered scrub, broadleaved woodland and emergent vegetation on the western side of the river. Marshy and wet grassland flora dominate the eastern areas. The drier parts of the brooks open space have probably been used for extensive grazing for many centuries and therefore retain areas of historic semi-natural vegetation. 

Salary Brook retains a distinctive community of plants and animals, many of which are associated with wetlands. The wealth of wildlife includes species not often encountered in the urban area including nightingale, reed warbler, lizard, water vole and four species of bat, including pipistrelle. 

At the heart of the site lies Berrimans pasture, home to over one hundred plant species, including many characteristic of damp unimproved grasslands. These include lady's smock, sneezewort, common sedge and devilsbit scabious. The latter three are all scarce in Essex. 

The site is of significant natural interest and of great value in the City as a place for informal recreation and learning opportunities. 

Our work

A range of cutting regimes is used across the grassland areas to maintain a diversity of grassland and wildflower habitats. Trees and scrub on site are selectively coppiced to maintain a diverse structure and age of woody habitats.  

The cycle route which runs the entire length of the site is kept cut back and weed free. Footpaths are kept clear and hard surfaced pathways and hedgerows maintained.  

The site is regularly litter picked and a spring tidy is held once a year in conjunction with the local community.