Come and be part of a global voice for wild plants and fungi
Help wildlife, connect with nature and take part in No Mow May – straight from your garden by letting the wildflowers grow (in May and beyond!)
There are many different ways you can go the extra mile for Plantlife – from organising a bake sale, running the London Marathon or planning your own plant-themed event.
Our corporate partners benefit from 35 years of experience in nature restoration so they can achieve real impact.
Become a Plantlife member today and together we will rebuild a world rich in plants and fungi
Read in: EnglishCymraeg
Our mission is simply to ‘grow’ the area of semi-natural grasslands in Wales. These colourful meadows brimming with life now only cover 9% of Wales. They used to occupy 90% more land 50 years ago.
We are working to restore or enhance semi-natural grassland habitats in conjunction with farm businesses. We are meeting farmers at engagement events and raising awareness amongst students via sessions at agricultural colleges. We also advise farmers on how to manage their meadows after carrying out a survey and produce guides such as ‘Is that a good weed?’. Our training sessions on surveying techniques such as the Waxcap Watch are proving to be popular.
Why are we focussing on grasslands on farms? Doesn’t farmland mainly contain grassland? In Plantlife we’re passionate about semi-natural grasslands. These are grasslands which have been managed for grazing and hay over several years. They have not been improved in any way – no cultivation, re-seeding or fertiliser. The result is that they are full of flowering plants, fungi and a variety of different grass species.
Semi-natural grasslands in Wales are in crisis. They have reduced in area by 90% over the last 50 years and now only occupy 9% of land. The main threat comes from the drive to ‘improve’ land through ploughing, reseeding and applying fertiliser. Regularly cutting grass to produce silage to feed animals is also detrimental to hay meadows, since the plants don’t have the chance to flower and set seed.
• Meadows rich in wildflowers contain far more nutrients than fields with a small number of grass species.• 40% of wildflowers and fungi which are under threat in Wales depend on semi-natural grasslands.• Flower- rich meadows store far more carbon than grasslands which are regularly cut for silage.• Grasses and flowering plants which grow throughout the season stop water running off the land and so reduce the chance of flooding and drought.• Flower-rich fields have soil which is healthier and can keep stock healthy by naturally treating their ailments.• With the flowers come invertebrates including butterflies, bees and bugs many of which are pollinators.• Tall plants and grasses can act as cover from predators for chicks of ground-nesting birds such as curlew and lapwing.
We have developed a training programme for young farmers, alongside our partners Llysfasi agricultural college and Pasture for Life, to highlight the benefits of lower input land management and the return of species-rich grassland.
We taught students how to identify key plant species which can give an indication of the quality and type of grassland – and how best to manage it.
Certain wildflowers, now viewed as weeds by some farmers, were once recognised for their nutritional benefits to livestock. With their deep rooting systems these wildflowers also provide stability, aeration, and nutrients back into the soil they grow from.
Looking into soil health, we also took samples and measured the depth of topsoil to highlight the issues caused by compaction from overgrazing and the use of heavy machinery.
We are keen to hear from anyone who would like to know more – if you are a farmer, land manager or just an interested person.Please also get in touch if you’d like to receive training or to volunteer. The best way is to email: rachel.jarvis@plantlife.org.uk
If you would like to contribute to the funding of this project, please get in touch with Beth, our Senior Partnerships Officer at Beth.webb@plantlife.org.uk
The Nature Networks Fund (round two) is being delivered by the Heritage Fund, on behalf of the Welsh Government and in partnership with Natural Resources Wales.
We would like to thank all of the trusts and funders who support this project, including those listed below and the Mackintosh Foundation.
We will keep you updated by email about our work, news, campaigning, appeals and ways to get involved. We will never share your details and you can opt out at any time. Read our Privacy Notice.
