Wildlife Meadow
Our Meadow Project aims to support the recovery of plant and animal life, pollinators and birds by restoring a neglected area of traditional meadowland of the High Weald to its former species rich bio-diverse habitat; one which will provide an active learning environment for volunteers and local people.
Update: Sept 2021
Event:
1. Sunday 26th September 10am to 3pm - Scything Muriel's Meadow, Breadsell Lane TN38 8EB
Our Scything Demonstration and Working Group is taking place at Muriel’s Meadow, in Breadsell Lane. Will and Sonia attended a demonstration in Battle, and invited John French and others to show us how it’s done - with the added bonus of getting the meadow cut in the traditional way by experts!
Update: Sept 2019
Work on our new wildlife meadow in Swainham Lane (colloquially known by members as Muriel’s Meadow) is progressing well. As arranged, Ian Donovan cut the bottom half of the field early in September using a power-scythe (hired using our Sussex Lund grant money), and on a baking hot Saturday a week later a small group of intrepid volunteers raked up the arisings and burned them in little fires. Our semi-resident grazers, donkeys Boo and Eddie, watched on with interest from the other side of the electric fence!
This removal and burning operation is essential to prevent cut grass and flowers decomposing back into the ground and fertilizing it – wildflowers and herbs do best in poor soil.
Update: August 2019
Update: July 2019
Update: May 2019
Thanks to Ian Donovan and Lucy, there are two donkeys and two sheep eating the tussocky grass, which will help to expose the ground for smaller flowering plants to thrive in years to come. We have applied for a Sussex Lund Grant to pay for cutting later in the year, and other ongoing management. We have enlisted the help of Michael Wachter from Great Dixter to advise us on how to go about this. He has visited the meadow and the Nashes verge, and was very encouraging in his comments. He will continue to visit our sites and even help with the hard work, as well as providing seeds from Great Dixter.
