Restoration of a floodplain meadow in Wiltshire, UK through application of green hay and conversion from pasture to meadow management.

Published online
10 May 2020
Content type
Journal article
Journal title
Conservation Evidence
URL
https://www.conservationevidence.com/individual-study/6954

Author(s)
Hosie, C. & Jones, E. & Rothero, E. C. & Wallace, H.
Contact email(s)
emma.rothero@open.ac.uk

Publication language
English
Location
UK

Abstract

In July 2010 green hay from a species-rich donor field was used to diversify a species-poor floodplain meadow (the receiver field), which had previously been managed as a pasture. The receiver site was prepared through harrowing. Green hay was then collected from the donor site and spread on the receiver site using a bale shredder and spreader. It was then managed as a hay meadow, with an annual hay cut in July or August, followed by aftermath grazing. The vegetation in the receiver field was monitored from 2010-2017, as was an adjacent species-rich meadow, which was used as a target reference site. Over this period, the receiver field moved towards a species-rich sward, similar to the target Alopecurus pratensis-Sansguisorba officinalis floodplain community. In 2011, 12 months after the green hay application and change of management, species richness had increased significantly, as had the goodness-of-fit to the target floodplain-meadow community. The transformation from species-poor eutrophicated grassland to a more herb-rich floodplain meadow continued over the following six years, with further increases in the frequency and cover of target species.

Key words