Improving the grazing management of scarce limestone grassland at Tuckmills Meadow Nature Reserve

Tuckmill Meadow is 5.5ha nature reserve 4 miles to the North East of Swindon.The Trust has used cattle to graze the whole site and their preference for the drier grassland area means that this area is being grazed more than is ideal and that the wetter areas are not being grazed sufficiently. As a result the diversity of the grassland and wetter areas could be improved.BBOWT wishes to fence off the higher chalk grassland area so that sheep can graze this area whilst cattle are directed onto the wetter ground. This will require 1000m of new fencing and additional gates. The improved grazing regime will result in a greater diversity of plant species and associated invertebrates.