High Weald Landowner Event

This workshop will focus on how cutting techniques and hay making can restore and maintain your meadow for enhanced biodiversity.

Topics covered will include:

• site preparation and enhancement techniques; green hay spreading , plug planting and seed growing
• management programme: weed control and conservation grazing
• integrating habitat restoration
• management in a historic landscape
• monitoring and evaluating success

A representative from the High Weald AONB partnership will be available for half an hour at the end of the event to answer general questions about applying to the Farming in Protected Landscape Scheme.

Light refreshments will be provided.

The workshop will involve walking to meadows on site and we will spend the majority of the time outside unless there is torrential rain. The workshop will go ahead whatever the weather so please come prepared.

Meadows have declined rapidly over the past 50 years with only 1% of this precious species’ rich habitat surviving nationally. Unimproved, flower-rich grassland can support up to 50 grass and flower species. The current threat to the survival of wildflower grasslands is the lack of traditional management – grazing, if used as pasture, or hay-making if they are meadows. Unmanaged wildflower grassland, like heathland, soon reverts to scrub.

About Iain Parkinson

Iain Parkinson is the Conservation and Collections Manager at Wakehurst, Kew’s wild botanic garden. He is currently on secondment to the High Weald AONB Partnership. He has practical experience in using a range of techniques for creating, enhancing and restoring meadow grasslands.

About Wakehurst

Wakehurst Place is a house and botanic gardens in West Sussex. The Grade II listed garden covers 490 acres, and includes walled and water gardens, woodland and wetland conservation areas. The Coronation Meadow is part of a long term research project to measure and evaluate grassland restoration, and comprises of an enchanting array of native flowers and grasses.