The site is frequently used by the general public, approximately 40% of whom visit the meadow to walk their dogs (BMCG visitors’ surveys: July 2002, September 2004, and July 2005). The site is also a through route from residential areas to the main shopping area in Emsworth town centre. In addition, several natural history groups (e.g. ramblers group, HWT, Watch Group of HWT, the Brownies) use the meadow on a regular basis.
A local business (Tacktick Ltd) also uses the meadow to test the radio-controlled equipment it makes for the marine industry. The meadow is chosen because of the lack of interference from surrounding buildings.
BMCG has a large membership (in 2005 membership was 414), most of whom are local residents but some are from as far away as Australia. The number of active members is much lower, approx. 5% are active on a regular basis.
Guided walks used to be held on a regular basis with varying degrees of success. More recently, specific walks have been held as part of the Brook Meadow Through the Ages exhibition held at Emsworth Museum (March-April 2005) and as part of the Hampshire Water Festival (August 2005).
The group has run an annual Wildlife Funday in Brook Meadow for the last 4 years as part of Havant’s Arts Festival in May. Activities include willow weaving, animal sculpture, storytelling, singing, making musical instruments, wishing tree, nature hunt and nature trail. This annual event has become increasingly popular with more than 460 visitors in 2005.

Chichester Harbour of which Emsworth is a part is a popular tourist destination. Visitors are attracted to Emsworth for sailing and other water sports as well as for its wildlife. The site is well used by local people who use the area for informal recreation, such as dog walking. The site also attracts amateur naturalists, from botanists and bird watchers to moth experts. The local branch of HWT as well the local Ramblers Association organises regular walks through the meadow.

The site already has Interpretation boards at 2 entrances with a pictorial map painted by a local artist. In addition there are 3 signcases, which are updated regularly with information and photos of wildlife, current events and management activities.
An additional signcase is devoted to information about Water Voles and is sited on the western riverbank.

3.3.4    Current Educational Use

BMCG has made a concerted effort to improve access to the site and to encourage schools to use this educational resource. Now that the site is more accessible, it has become more popular with visitors, especially schools.
All three local schools (two Primary and one Special Needs school) are within walking distance of the site and visit on a regular basis. Some of these visits are organised by BMCG and some by the schools concerned. Two schools in Portsmouth also make regular visits, in fact one Junior school has been coming for the last 3 years.
Two other reasonably local junior schools have also paid visits to the meadow (Rowlands Castle and Southbourne) mainly to study the river and to see the Water Voles.
Other groups which use the site for educational purposes include HWT Watch group, Scouts and Guides e.g. for Brownies conservation badge activities, guided walks, visits by various HWT groups.   

A local herbalist gives guided herb walks and storytelling afternoons in the summer.

There are no research facilities on the site but several research projects have been carried out on the site especially during the last two years.
A number of wildlife surveys have been carried out between 2000 and 2005, namely:

A local herbalist collects fresh herbs, such as Cleavers, to treat leg ulcers as part of a research project initiated by Kew Botanical Gardens.
BMCG has carried out visitor surveys in July 2002, September 2004 and August 2005 to ascertain the number and type of visitor. The results are given in Appendix 3.

The main part of the site has an open aspect surrounded by trees and the River Ems in the west and the Lumley Stream in the east. The River Ems is a chalk stream and the area forms part of the Ems river valley. It is a green chain linking the countryside to the north with Chichester Harbour in the south. It is classified as being in the landscape character area of the Eastern Fringe of Emsworth (Havant Borough Landscape Assessment 1996) consisting of mixed costal farmland.