It’s National Meadow Day. I hadn’t noticed until today when I saw this piece on the BBC Earth website. The piece kindly references a report I wrote for Plantlife and the Wildlife Trusts about meadows back in 2002, called “Green Unpleasant Land”. This is still downloadable from the Plantlife website.
What the article doesn’t mention is that I wrote an comprehensive update to Green Unpleasant Land, called Nature’s Tapestry, which was published four years ago in July 2011. This was written when I was Conservation Director at the now defunct Grasslands Trust. Since the Grasslands Trust’s website has been taken down, there are no links to the report. So here it is – I have put it on here as a series of jpeg images, but I also have it in pdf. If you would like me to email you a pdf copy please let me know via twitter or the comments page, or directly via email to miles@milesking.demon.co.uk
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Little by little we are still losing semi-natural grasslands (that is the remaining unprotected ones) but the the most worrying aspect of all of this is the genuine lack of recognition that certain types receive. This shouldn’t be so. Perhaps no surprise, but have you noticed that since your report not a single waxcap grassland in England at least, has been formally protected. Whilst all sites are vulnerable, down partly to inadequate legislative measures (EIA regs Agric 2006) and the desire for even more intensification, these gems are probably the most vulnerable of all grassland types.
The information on these fungal grasslands has been reasonably well documented in various reports and their ecology and management are pretty well understood by those in the know. However, not too many people look at waxcap grasslands in November and those that do for example, on the various fungi forums are more concerned about what can be eaten rather than their conservation/protection.
Blink and we will lose the best and most important sites. That would be a very sad state of affairs.
thanks for your comment waxcap. In truth very few grasslands have been notified since Nature’s Tapestry, although I was told (by a senior Natural England Executive) that its publication had led to an uptick in grassland notifications. But when one considers the uproar and controversy surrounding three of these recent notifications, Benty Grange, Lodge Hill and Rampisham Down, I wonder whether Natural England bosses are rueing the day they even thought about notifying these sites. Natural England and the other Agencies have all the legislation and policy they need to protect waxcap grasslands but they are too frightened to act, for fear of the backlash they would receive from the agro-industry lobby and politicians. I think until the fates of Lodge Hill and Rampisham are sealed (one way or another) NE and NRW will sit on their hands. Meanwhile, as you say, unprotected grasslands are lost.
All three of those sites were notified because there was a clear threat. It’s hardly surprising that they have subsequently been contested in one way or another. A more proactive designation strategy is what is clearly needed.
NIEA would appear to have been gainfully employed: http://www.doeni.gov.uk/niea/print/protected_areas_home/new_assi_landing_page/county_antrim-2/rathlin_island_-_kebble.htm ; http://www.doeni.gov.uk/niea/protected_areas_home/new_assi_landing_page/county_londonderry-2/binevenagh_assi.htm
Reblogged this on Visit Bradlaugh Fields and commented:
A little late, but maybe every day should be Meadow Day …
thanks – perhaps every from May to July, certainly. Not sure a meadow day in February would have so much appeal!