Why do Meadows Matter?

Meadows support a whole array of valuable wildlife. The unique interplay of geology, weather, and grazing animals have favoured particular communities of plants, which form relationships with mycorrhizal fungi in the soil.  

Layers and layers of soil have built over time in meadows, and are home to wiggling earthworms, busy insects, and a whole planet-worth of microbes.  

The complex relationships between wildlife in meadows are finely balanced. For example, the Adonis Blue butterfly only feeds on Horseshoe Vetch. If this plant disappeared in a local area, so too would the butterfly.

This would then impact ants which have a reciprocal relationship with the butterfly, thus reducing food sources for birds – and so on.  

These meadows are magnificent crucibles of life and cannot be recreated within a meaningful timeframe. 

Adding Meadows to the Irreplaceable Habitats List

To protect meadows, we’re calling for irreplaceable meadows to be added to the Irreplaceable Habitats List. But, what does this mean? 

The UK Government has classed some habitats, like ancient woodlands and blanket bogs, as irreplaceable habitats. This means that they should have more protection in planning policy, where they can’t be harmed by development unless in exceptional circumstances. 

In England, the UK Government is proposing sweeping changes to planning policy with the Planning and Infrastructure Bill which puts our most beloved habitats and wildlife at risk of inappropriate development.  

That’s why it’s more important than ever for these meadows to be recognised as irreplaceable habitats and get the protections they both deserve and need.  

The Skylark Meadows Rescue Group was Born

With a race against time on their hands, the community formed the Skylark Meadows Rescue Group. Local resident Pam Earnshaw was instrumental in heading up the campaign, hosting group meetings and working hard to raise the funds needed to secure its future.

When the appeal first launched, Bob Cornes from English Nature visited the site and was quoted as saying: “It was immediately obvious to me that this was a 50-species meadow. That puts it in the top echelon of conservation sites.”

The group had worked hard and raised a good sum, but they were still short. In 1999, they reached out to us at Plantlife and we stepped in to cover the additional costs and purchase Skylark Meadows. It has been officially protected as a nature reserve ever since.

Speaking of the success of the campaign, Donald said: “It provides a positive example of community achievement here and everywhere.”

What can You Find at Skylark Meadows?

The site is home to a range of plants, grasses and wildflowers. These include Yellow Rattle Rhinanthus minor, Common Knapweed Centaurea nigra, Oxeye Daisy Leucanthemum vulgare, Pepper Saxifrage Silaum silaus and the hay meadow speciality Corky-fruited Water-dropwort Oenanthe pimpinelloides.

As well as the rich variety of plants, the meadows provide a habitat for animal wildlife. The skylarks from which the meadows get their name, can still be seen and heard overhead. Old hedgerows provide a safe haven for birds like whitethroats and linnets as well as mammals including badgers and foxes. Barn owls nest in the owl boxes, brown hares and roe deer have both also been spotted in the meadows.

Finally, the variety in beautiful wildflowers every year attracts an array of pollinators, in particular butterflies.

The Community Looks After the Nature Reserve

Many of the locals who were involved in the original campaign have maintained strong connections to the site, including Donald.

“I help with the monitoring of the owl boxes with the HOT group [Hawk and Owl Trust], and try to keep the water trough clean when not in use etc,” he said.

Since taking ownership of the site, we have expanded the original two meadows by purchasing a third field to add to the nature reserve. We have been continuing to manage the whole site using traditional hay meadow methods.

Donald said: “It has increased from 18 acres to 24 acres by allowing the field to west to be obtained then managed in the same traditional hay meadow routine i.e. cut only [once a year] then grazed September to winter then left to regrow without any form of ‘artificial’ or natural growth aids. Thus protecting the needs of the meadow flora.”

Skylark Meadows 25 Years Later

The nature reserve now encompasses the original two unimproved grassland meadows that we purchased back in 1999, as well as a former silage field which we added to the reserve in 2003.

The original meadows have never had fertiliser or heavy machinery used on them and have always been maintained using traditional hay meadow methods. We have continued these methods and incorporated them into managing the third newer field as well – though it takes many years to restore meadowland.

We manage the meadows by cutting only once a year and then introducing grazing in the late summer and early autumn.

Old hedgerows of Hawthorn Crataegus and Blackthorn Prunus spinosa and lovely Crack Willow Salix fragilis trees have been managed with pollarding  (cut low on the trunk to harvest regenerating branches and encourage regrowth).