Tyler Hill Nature Reserve's had a hair
cut!
Tyler Hill Nature Reserve has had its summer make over.
Every summer the Kentish Stour Countryside Project helps local residents
to do the annual hay cut at the Local Nature Reserve. The Canterbury
Conservation volunteers were out in force last week, cutting, strimming
and raking the meadow areas of the site. The team uses a special mower
which can cut the long grass, so it can easily be cleared.
Volunteer Simon Houstoun said "visits to Tyler Hill
are always enjoyable, it’s a lovely site. The hay cut is a great task as
you get a great feeling of achievement, starting with lots of long grass
and ending with a cut meadow and a big pile of hay!"
The Local Nature Reserve which consists of meadows,
woodland, scrub and a small pond, is a refuge for all kinds of wildlife,
from reptiles such as slow worms to birds and butterflies. The meadow is
managed as a late hay meadow, this gives all the plants and flowers chance
to seed, before being cut. It also allows species like butterflies to
visit all the flowers over the summer. It is important that the meadow is
cut, as without the yearly cutting the area would soon turn to scrub and
the wonderful meadow habitat would be lost.
The Kentish Stour Countryside Project run regular
volunteer days every Thursday in the Canterbury area. If you would like to
get involved or for more information please contact
us.
