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CONSERVING GRASSLANDS
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The KSCP has been actively involved in
managing, restoring and raising awareness of the importance of grasslands and
their wildlife.
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Harebells in a meadow
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The grasslands most valued for wildlife are generally rich in
wild flowers and insect life, particularly butterflies. Unfortunately, such
areas have been lost across Britain, due largely to the modernisation of
agriculture. They have been agriculturally ‘improved’ - treated with
chemical fertilisers, re-seeded with fast growing grasses, or ploughed up and
replaced with arable crops. ‘Unimproved’ grasslands are those that have
escaped this fate, and are the best for wildlife, although few and far between.
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Unimproved chalk grassland at Wye Downs
Downland ploughed for arable crops - poor for wildlife
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Unimproved grasslands come in various types, depending on the
underlying soils and the way they are managed. On acidic soils, ‘acid
grassland’ has its own characteristic plants and grasses. The same is true of
‘neutral grassland’, although this habitat has all but disappeared from the
Stour Valley.
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Wet meadow, Egerton
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The most valued grasslands are on chalk soils (often called
‘chalk downlands’) because they contain so many plants, including rare
species. This ‘diversity’
of plants, and the lightness and warmth of the grassland encourages an equally
rich insect life. Once widespread, chalk downland is now scarce and reduced to
small scattered fragments. Its conservation is key in the Stour Valley.
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Marbled white and six spot burnet moth - typical chalk
downland species
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The way grasslands are managed also affects their character.
Grazing is often vital to maintaining their value, particularly on chalk
downland. Without it, thorny scrub would quickly take over, as has happened at
many sites. Meadows are, traditionally, cut for hay once or twice a year. Some
old meadows are extremely rich in wild flowers, but these are very scarce. ‘Rough
grassland’ is neither cut nor grazed, and is often valuable for insects and
ground nesting birds, because it is undisturbed.
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Sussex cattle on chalk downland at Down Bank
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The KSCP advises landowners on restoring and managing
grasslands. Scrub clearance and the re-introduction of grazing or cutting are
usually the most important steps to conserving their value.
Grants for landowners to
conserve grasslands |
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Wild Sites contents page
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