Meadow Restoration Projects

[Alix Zelly]

As many of you may have been following, this summer Moor Meadows have been working with the charity Plantlife on an exciting meadow restoration project called Meadow Makers 2021. This project has been taking place both here in the South West as well as nationwide with the support of six partner organisations. In total over 1,000 acres of meadow restorations have taken place from Cumbria to Cornwall.

The project was funded by Defra’s Green Recovery Challenge Fund. The fund is being delivered by The National Lottery Heritage Fund in partnership with Natural England and the Environment Agency.

Here in the South West over 100 acres of grassland have begun the restoration journey towards being brilliant species-rich meadows! This process has included conducting baseline surveys, providing management advice and the spreading of local species-rich donor seed and green hay. In total over 130kg of local wildflower seed and 4 direct green hay transfers have been spread across 18 restoration sites. These sites will now continue to be managed for the benefit of wildflowers as hay meadows or grazed pastures and will hopefully become your species-rich donor sites of the future!

If you are thinking about starting the journey of your own meadow restoration here are a few initial points to think about. Please share your own advice in the comments below:

· What is already present in my meadow? Do I need additional seed or just a change in management?

· Where am I going to get my donor seed or green hay from?

· Do I have access to machinery (e.g. power harrow) to prepare the site and create bare ground? Or could I do smaller patches by upturning squares?

· How am I going to manage my meadow going forwards?

If you would be interested in taking part in a future meadow's project, if one became available, please send your expression of interest to donna.moormeadows@gmail.com.