Meadows and Nature Corridors
Our first meadow was sown in 2013 and is now a donor meadow for other Dales sites.
When we set up our off-grid glamping camp site at Swinton Bivouac in 2012, the surrounding fields were over grazed and in a poor shape. The decision was taken to convert the fields into meadows and to do this we had to remove all stock to reduce the nutrient and sow yellow rattle to reduce the vigour of the rye and canary grasses.
A 10 year management programme was entered into with Nidderdale AONB, providing for periodic surveys, and measures such as late season cuts to ensure the enhancement of wildflower diversity (allowing flowers to mature and set seed), restoration of habitat for invertebrates, small mammals and birds, and to maintain low levels of soil fertility.
The meadow seeds were supplied by a donor meadow in Nidderdale (to ensure local species best adapted to the moorland altitude and climate) and – 10 years later – we were asked to become a donor meadow ourselves. This followed a very positive survey, which established that the meadow had been successfully restored. Seeds from our fields have now been donated to new meadows in the local area and will continue to be harvested every three years.
Following on from the success of this project, we have sown flower meadows at a smaller scale at one of our holiday cottages, our community orchard and also head office. Our ambition is to develop biodiversity corridors across the Estate in this way and join up with other regional initiatives such as the Swaledale and Wensleydale Environmental Farmers Group which is an environmental co-operative set up to enhance nature, increase carbon sequestration and improve water quality.
