GVCV showed that you can mix work and play at Hay Day on Saturday 3rd September 2022.
In the morning the group helped clear previously cut grass, racking back a limestone meadow to help maintain the low nutrient levels needed to sustain this scares type of habitat. Limestone meadow is a threatened habitat – 50% of the remaining limestone meadow habitat is found within the Cotswolds. Read more here: Wildflower Grassland – Cotswolds National Landscape (cotswoldsaonb.org.uk)
On many tasks we simply dump the cut grass but in this instance the cut grass, crammed full of wild flower seeds, was taken away to an adjacent field to be scattered to hopefully change a plain grass field into another wildflower meadow.
In the spring and summer, the meadow supports six species of orchid (so far), a broad range of butterflies and bats.
Trimming back over hanging tree canopy to increase light around the meadow edges and also the encroaching brambles help maintain this nationally scarce habitat.
Conservation grazing is also used onsite over the winter with the help of a local farmer.
The afternoon was spent enjoying a well earned BBQ next to the meadow so we could enjoying seeing the result of our mornings efforts.
The cows which were let onto the meadow the following morning also seemed pleased with result.
