Slade Brook, Protected stream in Gloucestershire, England
Slade Brook is a protected stream within the Forest of Dean plateau covering roughly 3.6 hectares. The water flows over a sequence of tufa dams and pools created by natural limestone-building processes.
The site gained protected status in 2003 as a Site of Special Scientific Interest due to its geological formations and wildlife. This recognition acknowledged its importance as a rare example of active tufa-building processes in England.
Researchers come here to study how the water builds natural stone through plant interaction. These visits reveal how nature creates its own structures over time.
Access requires permission from Natural England since the site is strictly protected for all activities. Visitors should know this is not an open walking destination but a scientific reserve with restricted access.
The stream contains around 60 active tufa dams where limestone forms naturally through interaction with water and bank vegetation. This ongoing formation is rare in England and represents a process that occurs at very few locations.
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