We are delighted to be working in partnership with Plantlife again this summer as part of the Pollinator Meadows 2020 project to restore and create flower rich meadows with funding from The Duke of Cornwall’s Benevolent Fund. We’d like to thank everyone who applied to take part this year and those who have agreed to donate seed for this exciting project alongside meadows being restored on the Duchy estate in Cornwall. Considering the effect of COVID restrictions on farm visits in the spring we are very pleased with the uptake in Herefordshire. Once again we have a really good range of sites and restoration methods being used across the County.

There’s floodplain meadow restoration at Brampton Abbotts with seed from Sturts SSSI reserve from Herefordshire Wildlife Trust. An arable field in the parkland landscape at Brockhampton is being reverted to meadow using seed from Emorsgate. Lowland meadow restoration at Woolhope will use seed harvested from Joan’s HIll Farm from Plantlife. Meadows at Wellington and Earsidley will have seed from Herefordshire meadows members at Bearwood and Walterstone and extra yellow rattle from a field near Leominster. Thanks to all the donors who are taking part and we hope you will enjoy visiting the “daughter meadows” next year.

Seed harvesting is now underway and we will keep you updated on progress.

We’ve had plant ID  and bumblebee ID training sessions on Zoom over the last 6 weeks which has worked very well; so that everyone involved in the 2019 Pilot and Pollinator Meadows 2020 can survey confidently.  The meadows we’ve visited and the photos sent in show such amazing change since this time last year.  Every site has thrown up different challenges and we are so impressed how each farmer has found ways to make it work.  Harrowing depth,  pre and post treatment weed control and when to cut and cart or mow and the intensity of winter grazing are the most common problems that needed solving and we’re working on case studies to share with the group and with those who want to make meadows in future. The most important thing we’ve learned is to try to see things from the wildflower seedling’s point of view.

Well done and a big thank you to everyone who’s been involved.