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Wild About Meadows: Manifesto for the Wild Meadows of Wales
  Wild about Meadows: Manifesto for the WIld Meadows of Wales (pdf)
21 April 2008. Flora locale and The Grasslands Trust.
21 April 2008. An agenda for changing agri-environment schemes in Wales, that will improve the support available to farmers for maintaining and restoring Wild Meadows on their land.
Why save our meadows? (Powerpoint presentation)Flora locale, 2008. Link to the Wild Meadows powerpoint presentation uploaded on the Wales Biodiversity Partnership website. Feel free to use this to spread the word.
PRESS RELEASE
The Wild Meadows of Wales - a disappearing asset
Wildflower grasslands - Wild Meadows - are a source of great beauty and abundant wildlife, with untapped potential economic and agricultural benefits. They have been disappearing fast from the countryside. Today, less than 3.3% of the Welsh countryside is beautiful flower-filled fields full of butterflies and bird life. Most of the remaining examples are very small and found on smallholdings, or attached to residential property that is not part of a commercial farm. Now is the time to reverse this decline.
Wild About Meadows - A Manifesto for the Wild Meadows of Wales is published on 21 April, by Flora locale and The Grasslands Trust, to alert the Welsh Assembly Government, farmers, landowners, local authorities and conservation groups to this grave situation, and to take action to restore, conserve and expand these precious wildlife areas so that 5% of the countryside is covered by Wild Meadows by 2015.
Iolo Williams, television presenter and Patron of The Wild Meadows Initiative for Wales is leading the campaign: " Over 98% of our wildflower grasslands have disappeared in the past 60 years, and a fantastic array of wildlife has gone with them. The wildflower meadow - Wild Meadow - is an icon of the British countryside. We must act now to save these wonderful wildlife habitats."
Ivy Berkshire, the Wild Meadows Initiative for Wales project officer, and a member of a Carmarthenshire farming family, explains: " Wild Meadows are grasslands full of wild flowers with the abundant insect life that provides a fundamental life-support system for birds and other wild animals.
" Many Wild Meadows are legally protected as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), but the majority (four in every five) are in a poor condition and have lost many of their wild flowers and associated wildlife, such as the Curlew and Marsh Fritillary Butterfly. "
James Robertson, Anglesey organic farmer and an owner of flower-filled Wild Meadows (www.tyddynadda.org.uk) adds: " While some Wild Meadows are threatened because of intensive farming, many others are losing their wild flowers because they are no longer cut for hay or grazed. Nearer to towns, Wild Meadows are also threatened due to house building, new roads or use as overstocked pony paddocks. The Manifesto encourages action to restore these beautiful fields to their rightful place in the landscape of Wales, and prevent further loss and destruction."
Wild About Meadows - A Manifesto for the Wild Meadows of Wales calls for:
People to value, understand and appreciate the Wild Meadows of Wales as a major asset to Welsh farming and the countryside.
Better management of legally protected Wild Meadows (Sites of Special Scientific Interest/SSSI) and legal protection applied to the best of the rest.
Local Wildlife Site status applied to other locally-distinctive grasslands and pastures.
Improved agri-environment schemes that will provide better support to farmers, improving their ability to look after, restore and expand Wild Meadows on their land.
Greater recognition (and added value) to be given to the nutritious and tasty lamb and beef 'raised' on flower-rich meadows.
Planners and councillors to recognise the importance of Wild Meadows on the edges of towns and cities, as 'green lungs' and to ensure they are protected from development by houses, roads and business parks
More support to be given for local projects that help landowners look after, restore and expand Wild Meadows - such as the Gwent Wildlife Trust's project Gwent Grasslands Initiative (see page 14 of the manifesto for this and other examples).
Investment made in protecting and restoring Wild Meadows now will reap benefits for the Welsh economy, heritage and environment. If the measures developed in the Manifesto are fully implemented, it should be possible to achieve the aims of The Environment Strategy for Wales in relation to Wild Meadows.
Wild About Meadows - A Manifesto for the Wild Meadows of Wales is part of the three-year Wild Meadows of Wales Initiative led by Flora locale, the wild-plant restoration charity, working in partnership with farmers and conservation organisations, to promote the restoration, good management and appreciation of wildflower grasslands.
Other aspects of the initiative include farm walks, a new website www.wildmeadows.org.uk, and a grant to farmers and landowners that will help them to restore and expand Wild Meadows on their land.
The Wild Meadows Initiative for Wales is funded by the Countryside Council for Wales and Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. Supporting organisations include Buglife, Butterfly Conservation, The Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG Cymru), The Grasslands Trust, The National Trust, PONT and Tir Gofal Farmers' Association. Flora locale is also working closely with other organisations in Wales including local Wildlife Trusts and Plantlife.
Where to see Wild Meadows of Wales
Surviving Wild Meadows are spread thinly across Wales. West Wales: Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire; South-east Wales and the Brecon Beacons are strongholds. Most of the remaining examples are small, often less than one or two acres in size. In many areas, road verges are now the last refuge for Wild Meadow flowers.
Grasslands on limestone are particularly flower rich. These are concentrated in the Brecon Beacons National Park and on sea cliffs in south-west and north-west Wales. The Gower Peninsula, Castlemartin Ranges, Stackpole Estate and Great Orme are key coastal locations with rare plants of international importance.
A list of Wild Meadows that can be visited is being developed on the website www.wildmeadows.org.uk. Flora locale is also organising Wild Meadow events across Wales this year. The Monmouthshire Meadows Group is also holding meadow open days. See the website for details.
Wild Meadows under threat
Lost - Crossgates, Powys
Despite considerable local objection, a 1.5-hectare Wild Meadow at Crossgates, near Llandrindodd Wells, is to be bulldozed to make way for 16 houses. Powys County Council granted planning consent in 2007, despite the Council having policies that should have protected important wildlife sites from development. Plans to move parts of the meadow are likely to fail.
Under threat - on hold - Eithinog & Brewery Fields, Bangor
Part of an important part of a patchwork of fields, mature hedgerows, copses and wetland, where wild orchids and over 20 different butterflies occur, the area is the focus of a long-running environment protest against plans for housing. Gwynedd Council owns the meadows, which many local people have used for more than 60 years because they are the only accessible open land in this part of Bangor. UPDATE: Plans for developing this site have now been changed and the future of this important open space assured - proving that communities can succeed in protecting our precious natural heritage.
Under threat (again) - Gwent Levels
Around 40% of the original extent of the Gwent Levels, one of the last areas of near-wild lowland marsh in Wales, has been lost to industrial development, roads and housing. The northern Levels are currently threatened from plans to build a relief road for the M4.
Saved - Llanishen and Lisvane Reservoir Embankments, Cardiff
Following a lengthy battle through the High Court, a Wild-Meadow site rich in waxcap fungi and part of a popular green wedge of land in Cardiff has been saved from destruction by a housing development. The outcome of the court case enabled The Countryside Council for Wales to legally protect the area as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Wild About Meadows - A Manifesto for the Wild Meadows of Wales was written by James Robertson (Anglesey farmer and editor Natur Cymru), Sue Everett and Ivy Berkshire (Flora locale), based on research by Miles King (The Grasslands Trust) and contributions from many other individuals and organisations.
Press enquiries
Ivy Berkshire, Wild Meadows for Wales Initiative: 07912 789003 and email wildmeadows.ivy@googlemail.com
Sue Everett, Technical Adviser Flora locale: 01635 847164, 07779 204015
James Robertson, Wild Meadow owner, Anglesey: 01248 422223 and e-mail: jamrobertson@gmail.com
Dr Ruth Watkins, Wil Meadow owner, Carmarthenshire farmer and adviser to the National Beef Association: 01550 740660
Notes to Editors
Flora locale
Flora locale seeks to restore wild plants and wild-plant communities to lands and landscapes across the UK, and by this means raise the biodiversity, environmental quality and enjoyment of town and countryside. Since 1998, Flora locale has been at the forefront of promoting good practice in restoring Wild Meadows across the UK, by providing technical advice, working with policy makers and farmers and organizing low cost training events for land managers. Flora locale is a charity registered in England and Wales No. 1071212, a Scottish Registered Charity No SC039001 and UK Registered Company Limited by Guarantee No. 3539595. www.floralocale.org
The Grasslands Trust
The Grasslands Trust is the only national charity working specifically to protect our wildflower-rich grasslands. The Trust was set up in 2002 in response to the appalling crisis affecting our wildflower meadows and since that time over £1.5 million has been raised towards the conservation of this beautiful habitat. Our priorities include campaigning for the better protection of grasslands, directly supporting grassland conservation work, providing advice and support, and building awareness. The Grasslands Trust is a charity registered in England and Wales, No. 1097893. Company Limited by Guarantee No. 4443047. www.grasslands-trust.org
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