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Rare Wildflower Meadow Donated for Restoration
13 Jul
Summary
- A six-hectare floodplain meadow was donated to a conservation charity.
- The site is one of England's rarest habitats, with only 2,000 hectares remaining.
- Restoration includes hay cuts and grazing livestock for habitat management.
White Mills Meadow, a rare floodplain habitat, has been gifted to the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire & Northamptonshire. Located on the banks of the River Nene near Northampton, this six-hectare (15-acre) site is now the trust's 34th reserve in the county. Conservation manager Matt Johnson highlighted the rarity of such meadows, noting only around 2,000 hectares remain in England. The trust expressed gratitude to the Thompson family for their generous donation and trust.
The charity plans to restore the meadow by reintroducing traditional hay cuts and bringing in grazing livestock. These traditional floodplain meadows once sustained grazing animals and stored rainwater. They also support hundreds of insect species through nectar-rich native flowers. This restoration effort aligns with the wildlife trust's broader strategy to combat biodiversity loss, which has seen a 19% decline in UK wildlife since 1970.
