Page 6 - Conservation Impact Report 2016
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Meadows
Conservation Status Conservation Strategy
Historically meadows were a major part of England’s Since 2004 BBOWT has carried out 78ha of meadow
landscape. However, between the 1930s and 1987, creation on land that was previously arable.
97% of England and Wales’ semi-natural grasslands
were lost14. This decline has continued apace with the Hay meadow communities have evolved and thrived
overall extent of UK meadows declining by 2-10% in over hundreds of years of traditional management, and
some parts of the UK per annum since 198415, making continuation of this is essential for the survival of the
this habitat particularly important. community. Hay meadows are particularly susceptible
to changes in hydrology, such as summer flooding,
13% of grassland and heathland species are threatened which can prevent traditional management. Hay
with extinction in Great Britain16. Meadows are meadow management usually consists of an annual
floristically diverse and support a range of threatened hay cut in mid-July, followed by aftermath grazing with
flora, including the nationally vulnerable true fox sedge cattle, or occasionally sheep, that graze the grassland
(Carex vulpina) and green-winged orchid (Anacamptis through until the autumn. These two strategies are
morio) (vulnerable in England). Both these species essential in removing nutrients from the system, which
are especially important within an English context if left, would encourage the dominance of coarser
as England supports a significant proportion of the grasses and weeds to the detriment of the more poorly
British population. Meadows also support birds of competitive wildflowers.
conservation concern such as the recently Red listed
curlew (Numenius arquata)17.
BBOWT manages 499 hectares of meadow, including 10% of the remaining floodplain meadows (MG4)
found within England. 94% of BBOWT meadows are classified as favourable or recovering.
Ridge and furrow at a hay meadow
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