National Trust spearheads meadow-regeneration across England and Wales

Once central to community life, cultural traditions and thriving biodiversity, Britain has lost 97% of its hay meadows since the 1930s – taking with them the insects, birds and wildflowers that depended on them. Now a series of major meadow regeneration schemes spearheaded by the National Trust across England and Wales are reviving species-rich grasslands, securing a future for vital ecosystems and helping to mitigate flooding and climate change.

More than 300 hectares of coastal meadows have been restored in Cornwall; 320 hectares of new meadows sown in Gloucestershire’s Stroud valleys; and 40 meadows identified for regeneration in the Lake District. Techniques include heavy horse meadow management, ‘pyramidical’ seed harvesting – whereby each hectare of donor seed creates two hectares of new meadow – and conservation grazing with Hereford cattle.

Jonathan Fairhurst, Lead Ranger in Devon, said: “Wildflower meadows are an incredibly threatened habitat with the UK having lost 97% since the 1930’s. Restoration of meadows are vitally important for pollinators like bees and butterflies, providing nectar and pollen and they are also home to a diverse array of wildlife such as insects, birds and small mammals.

“Healthy meadow soils can also act as an important carbon sink, sequestering carbon and helping with climate change. Complex meadows can help with flood prevention by slowing the flow of rainwater as it falls and gradually soaks into the soil. Wildflower meadows can support farming and grazing animals with the wide variety of species providing a nutrient rich dense diet for cattle, helping reduce the need for fertilisers and supplements.”

The Stroud Landscape Project is tackling dramatic grassland loss by restoring and reconnecting meadows across the Stroud valleys. More than 320 hectares have already been sown with wildflowers, creating a network of habitats where species such as the endangered Large Blue Butterfly can thrive. Two newly created hay meadows are already supporting insect life – with an extraordinary 1.8 million grasshoppers and crickets estimated this year.

A partnership between the National Trust and Cumbria Wildlife Trust in the Lake District has surveyed more than 40 meadows to identify where wildflowers, pollinators and other wildlife can thrive once again. The aim is to ensure at least two species-rich meadows on every National Trust farm.

In the Surrey Hills, heavy horses are being used at Bookham Commons to create a species-rich hay meadow. Their low-impact grazing and cutting methods reduce soil compaction, encourage wildflower growth and minimise disturbance to wildlife – an alternative to heavy machinery that also preserves historic land-management traditions. At Blickling in Norfolk, Pond Meadow is flourishing after being planted with 90 species of Norfolk wildflowers just 18 months ago – with bird’s-foot trefoil, black knapweed and ox-eye daisies beginning to establish.

The Cornish Coastal Meadows Project, launched in 2020, has already revived 300 hectares of species-rich grassland across National Trust and partner land, with another 100 hectares planned over the next five years. Several sites have now officially gained lowland meadow status, reflecting their growing plant diversity.

At Wimpole in Cambridgeshire, more than 40 hectares of wildflower meadows are managed using organic, low-intensity methods. After flowering, vegetation is cut and removed to maintain low nutrient levels, while unwanted species are pulled by hand rather than treated with pesticides. The North Devon Grasslands Project is creating new species-rich grassland across 70 miles of countryside. Using a pyramidal method where each hectare of donor seed creates two hectares of new meadow, the project is on track to deliver 1,275 hectares of habitat by 2030.

At Ty Mawr Farm in Hereford, cattle are helping transform the landscape by creating varied vegetation heights and spreading wildflower seeds through their grazing, feet and dung. At Winston Churchill’s former home of Chartwell in Kent, the orchard meadow is managed traditionally with long grasses cut and left to drop seed in late summer, ensuring wildflowers and butterflies continue to flourish.

Jonathan Fairhurst added: “Wildflower meadows are good for the soul, the vibrant colours the buzzing wildlife, they are great places to explore, decompress and spend time.”