Wild Meadow Conservation

In Spring, I spent a couple of months with a family in the Cotswolds. They have a 15-acre smallholding, predominantly consisting of wildflower meadows. The remaining land includes a recently planted orchard and a micro vineyard. They practice regenerative farming to enhance the land and use livestock for land management.

The region supports over 130 species of wildflowers, including rare frog orchids, bee orchids and early purple orchids. One of the ongoing projects was to enhance the biodiversity and wildflower population of the meadows.

Implement low-intensity grazing

Low-intensity grazing is essential for wild meadow management. To achieve this, the herd of sheep and goats is kept small and regularly rotated across the land. The sheep and goats are rare pedigree breeds and are kept for breeding purposes. The miniature Southdown sheep, originally developed in southeast England, are known for their compact build, dense fleece, and friendly nature.

Introduce Yellow Rattle

Another essential ingredient for wild meadow conservation is Rhinanthus minor, commonly known as Yellow Rattle. This hemiparasitic plant draws some of its nutrients from the roots of nearby grasses. By parasitizing grasses, it weakens them, reducing their vigor and allowing more space and resources for wildflowers to thrive. This results in a richer, more diverse plant community, benefiting pollinators and other wildlife.

Yellow rattle is an endemic species and can be sown from July to October. It can be sown in existing vegetation right after haying. After flowering, the plant develops seed pods that, when dry, contain loose seeds. When these seed pods are shaken by the wind or disturbed, they make a rattling sound.

Remove toxic and invasive plants

One of the primary tasks in August is to manually remove all the ragwort before haying, as it is toxic to most animals. Given the diverse plant population, the resulting hay contains a wide range of beneficial nutrients and trace elements for the animals.

Experiment with cutting and haying time

Experimenting with cutting and haying time can yield interesting findings (see picture): one part of the field (abundant in flowers) was cut two weeks earlier and the hay was removed immediately, compared to another part of the field (mostly grass).

Monitor and track

Monitor and track your wildflower population. Soil analysis helps to monitor nutrient levels.