Fladbury Meadows grassland management for biodiversity

This two-year project will allow the continued management of Fladbury Meadows, a group of meadows in the Avon floodplain, to conserve and further enhance the biodiversity value of these grassland sites. The project will include funds towards the running costs of VLHT's tractors, mowers and other machines as well as our Land Rover essential for the management of our grasslands. It will fund the purchase of seed or green hay to increase floral diversity in the grasslands. The project will include some staff time for tractor use and to manage volunteers, a vital element of the Trust. Hedge cutting operations at appropriate times of year are important to prevent excessive encroachment of scrub into the grasslands. The Project will also fund the management of our other LCF funded grasslands linked by the river Avon valley as previously covered by Project 101. The project will ensure we will continue to conserve these vitally important wildlife corridors and stepping stones through an otherwise intensively managed farmed landscape.

A few of the species protected or conserved by this Project:
Birds – numerous including Lapwing, Skylark, Corn Bunting, Barn Owl
Mammals – Otter, Hare
Invertebrates – Brown Hairstreak and other butterflies. Short-winged Conehead and other grasshoppers and bush-crickets.
Plants – Great Burnet, Ladies’ Bedstraw, Meadow Rue, Pepper Saxifrage.