Hello,

Could anyone recommend a book which details the stages in biodiversity
improvement in an area of land in the UK.

In our specific case, we're in north Wales, the area has been cleared in
the last year or two, it now dominated by grasses. We are aiming for a
damp wildflower meadow. The Council biodiversity officer has seen the site
and has recommended species to introduce and outlined a method. The local
council are supportive and have already done some work. We have an offer
of some funding and we have some volunteers available.

The soil is shallow, sandy, prone to flooding in winter, but free draining
in summer. It'll be wet for six months of the year.

We are in a very good position, but the area is relatively large, so there
is the potential to waste a lot of money sowing expensive seeds across a
large area, for them not to establish.

If there is such a book, with step-by-step details of what to do when to
maximize the success of a similar scheme, I'd like to read it.

Thanks for any recommendations.

Best wishes,

--
David Entwistle

On 23/02/2024 10:42, David Entwistle wrote:
> Hello,
>
> Could anyone recommend a book which details the stages in biodiversity
> improvement in an area of land in the UK.
>
> In our specific case, we're in north Wales, the area has been cleared in
> the last year or two, it now dominated by grasses. We are aiming for a
> damp wildflower meadow. The Council biodiversity officer has seen the site
> and has recommended species to introduce and outlined a method. The local
> council are supportive and have already done some work. We have an offer
> of some funding and we have some volunteers available.
>
> The soil is shallow, sandy, prone to flooding in winter, but free draining
> in summer. It'll be wet for six months of the year.
>
> We are in a very good position, but the area is relatively large, so there
> is the potential to waste a lot of money sowing expensive seeds across a
> large area, for them not to establish.
>
> If there is such a book, with step-by-step details of what to do when to
> maximize the success of a similar scheme, I'd like to read it.
>
> Thanks for any recommendations.
>
> Best wishes,
>
Not a direct answer, but my practice is to plant all sorts of stuff, and
then plant more of what survives...

Poppies do well for me. And cowslips

--
Karl Marx said religion is the opium of the people.
But Marxism is the crack cocaine.

On 23/02/2024 10:42, David Entwistle wrote:
> Hello,
>
> Could anyone recommend a book which details the stages in biodiversity
> improvement in an area of land in the UK.
>
> In our specific case, we're in north Wales, the area has been cleared in
> the last year or two, it now dominated by grasses. We are aiming for a
> damp wildflower meadow. The Council biodiversity officer has seen the site
> and has recommended species to introduce and outlined a method. The local
> council are supportive and have already done some work. We have an offer
> of some funding and we have some volunteers available.
>
> The soil is shallow, sandy, prone to flooding in winter, but free draining
> in summer. It'll be wet for six months of the year.
>
> We are in a very good position, but the area is relatively large, so there
> is the potential to waste a lot of money sowing expensive seeds across a
> large area, for them not to establish.
>
> If there is such a book, with step-by-step details of what to do when to
> maximize the success of a similar scheme, I'd like to read it.
>
> Thanks for any recommendations.
>
> Best wishes,
>

Sorry unable to offer a single manual of instructions but probably just
as well. Like a lot of things in life a lot of people like to think they
_know_ and a lot of people will be very free with advice which will vary
from sensible to crazy. There is no one way to do what you are
describing and although it would be comforting to have written clear
instructions to follow it might be more rewarding to follow your own
principles.

When talking about a similar idea with just an acre of unwanted paddock
plenty of people told me I had to get in JCBs, strip the topsoil and
take it a way in a lorry, or spray it all off with chemicals then disk
and harrow. Some would insist sheep would do the job, some said to keep
livestock out and mow constantly, others to mow once only and very
late,others to be sure to leave grass long late in the year and into the
winter, cut the hedges, leave the hedges, pull the thistles, leave the
thistles etc etc.

You will need to make some judgements of your own, and my advice is to
always remember that doing nothing is never a bad option. In my case the
judgements were no heavy works, no to chemicals, no to livestock. Yes to
a little mowing and removal of hay/clippings yes to a little seeding of
only genuine meadow seed (not the ludicrous bright hybrid flower mixes)
in strips into existing grass, yes to variety (don't cut all the hedges
at once) Yes to leaving some seeding grass and thistles for birds and
as cover for mammals, reptiles etc late and into winter yes to (some)
nettles, that kind of thing.

The paddock isn't particularly pretty - this isn't gardening - but after
a few years it is teeming with wildlife of all sorts.

TW

The Natural Philosopher wrote:

> Poppies do well for me.

Poppy flowers last such a short time though, and the lower leaves are
usually dead and looking messy by then anyway ...

On 23/02/2024 13:43, Andy Burns wrote:
> The Natural Philosopher wrote:
>
>> Poppies do well for me.
>
> Poppy flowers last such a short time though, and the lower leaves are
> usually dead and looking messy by then anyway ...
>
Heck this is a wildflower meadow. Thistles are also pretty good

--
"I am inclined to tell the truth and dislike people who lie consistently.
This makes me unfit for the company of people of a Left persuasion, and
all women"

On 23/02/2024 10:42, David Entwistle wrote:
> Hello,
>
> Could anyone recommend a book which details the stages in biodiversity
> improvement in an area of land in the UK.
>
> In our specific case, we're in north Wales, the area has been cleared in
> the last year or two, it now dominated by grasses. We are aiming for a
> damp wildflower meadow. The Council biodiversity officer has seen the site
> and has recommended species to introduce and outlined a method. The local
> council are supportive and have already done some work. We have an offer
> of some funding and we have some volunteers available.
>
> The soil is shallow, sandy, prone to flooding in winter, but free draining
> in summer. It'll be wet for six months of the year.
>
> We are in a very good position, but the area is relatively large, so there
> is the potential to waste a lot of money sowing expensive seeds across a
> large area, for them not to establish.
>
> If there is such a book, with step-by-step details of what to do when to
> maximize the success of a similar scheme, I'd like to read it.
>
> Thanks for any recommendations.
>
> Best wishes,
>

Have you considered hay-strewing sourced from a similar habitat. (For
example,
https://farmwildlife.info/2018/10/10/using-hay-strewing-as-a-technique-to-create-species-rich-grassland/
- though you'd want a source nearer in location and substrate.)

If you can identify a similar site nearby you could visit it to see what
grows there.

Are there any wet flushes on the site? If there are targetted planting
of these with plants of perennially wet habits could be considered.

--
SRH

On 23/02/2024 13:53, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
> On 23/02/2024 13:43, Andy Burns wrote:
>> The Natural Philosopher wrote:
>>
>>> Poppies do well for me.
>>
>> Poppy flowers last such a short time though, and the lower leaves are
>> usually dead and looking messy by then anyway ...
>>
> Heck this is a wildflower meadow. Thistles are also pretty good
>

If it is to be mown once a year for animal feed it may be worth
considering some plants that are not suitable.

--
mailto : news {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

David Entwistle <qnivq.ragjvfgyr@ogvagrearg.pbz> wrote:
> If there is such a book, with step-by-step details of what to do when to
> maximize the success of a similar scheme, I'd like to read it.

.... and if you don't find such a book, remember to keep detailed
notes so you can write one once you're finished :-)

#Paul

On Fri, 23 Feb 2024 10:42:34 -0000 (UTC), David Entwistle wrote:

>
> Could anyone recommend a book which details the stages in biodiversity
> improvement in an area of land in the UK.
>

Thanks for all the the comments and advice. I have ordered a copy of:

Title: Making Wildflower Meadows
Author: Lewis, Pam

I understand it concentrates on hay field meadows, so isn't perfect, but I
hope it'll provide some useful guidance.

TimW's comment about advice received definitely rings true. I hope I'll be
using some common sense, experience, from across our team, and a degree of
experimentation. I'll try and avoid sowing all of one variety of seeds at
one time, with one preparation strategy. Mix it up a bit and, as Paul
says, keep some notes.

Thanks again,
--
David Entwistle