The below was recently posted through the Moor Meadows email exchange & I thought might be of interest to the Forum members:
"We have had a long term problem with bracken on some 20 acres of species rich pasture and annual cutting in July with a flail or topper is the only practical solution. It needs to be cut before it starts to transfer and accumulate food reserves in its extensive root system.
It will take 10 years or so of regular yearly cutting to weaken the bracken sufficiently that its not a liability, but there is usually some remaining which will need cutting every 2-3 years to prevent it re-establishing.
As for mulching, all the nutrients in the bracken will be broken down and become available to encourage the new growth of the bracken. Likewise, if its burned, all the phosphate and potash in the ashes will fertilise the recovering root system and stimulate new growth.
Bracken remioval
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David Crook
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Amy
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Re: Bracken remioval
Butterfly Conservation Advice leaflet:
-"The presence of Bracken in lowland habitats ranging from open hillside to woodland (below 300m) is important for many forms of wildlife, but is especially vital to four, highly threatened Fritillary butterflies"
- Discusses the different fritillary species
- How to identify suitable Bracken habitats for Fritillaries
- Management advice: grazing, cutting, bruising, spraying, burning
https://butterfly-conservation.org/site ... rflies.pdf
Bracken shades primrose and dog violet and helps them grow on exposed hillsides. Keeps the ground warmer for pearl-bordered fritillary butterfly. Bracken litter can be up to 20 degrees Celsius warmer than the surrounding grass. Helps caterpillars overwinter, and to digest their food in spring.
(Upland Wild Flowers for Butterflies and Moths, Butterfly Conservation video.)
A food plant for the Brown Silver-Line Moth. Seen in flight at dusk in May-June around bracken or often disturbed by walking through bracken in day time.
https://ukmoths.org.uk/species/petrophora-chlorosata/
An interesting article which discusses habitat, birds, reproduction, allelopathic chemicals, toxins, control measures
https://amenity.agrovista.co.uk/technic ... n-control/
Woodland Trust - an overview of bracken - mentions several moths which also use bracken as a caterpillar food plant
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees- ... s/bracken/
Moor Meadows.org.uk Members' meadows:
https://moormeadows.org.uk/me-and-my-me ... ll-millar/
https://moormeadows.org.uk/me-and-my-me ... e-pollard/
-"The presence of Bracken in lowland habitats ranging from open hillside to woodland (below 300m) is important for many forms of wildlife, but is especially vital to four, highly threatened Fritillary butterflies"
- Discusses the different fritillary species
- How to identify suitable Bracken habitats for Fritillaries
- Management advice: grazing, cutting, bruising, spraying, burning
https://butterfly-conservation.org/site ... rflies.pdf
Bracken shades primrose and dog violet and helps them grow on exposed hillsides. Keeps the ground warmer for pearl-bordered fritillary butterfly. Bracken litter can be up to 20 degrees Celsius warmer than the surrounding grass. Helps caterpillars overwinter, and to digest their food in spring.
(Upland Wild Flowers for Butterflies and Moths, Butterfly Conservation video.)
A food plant for the Brown Silver-Line Moth. Seen in flight at dusk in May-June around bracken or often disturbed by walking through bracken in day time.
https://ukmoths.org.uk/species/petrophora-chlorosata/
An interesting article which discusses habitat, birds, reproduction, allelopathic chemicals, toxins, control measures
https://amenity.agrovista.co.uk/technic ... n-control/
Woodland Trust - an overview of bracken - mentions several moths which also use bracken as a caterpillar food plant
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees- ... s/bracken/
Moor Meadows.org.uk Members' meadows:
https://moormeadows.org.uk/me-and-my-me ... ll-millar/
https://moormeadows.org.uk/me-and-my-me ... e-pollard/