Volunteers make hay while the sun shines to conserve habitat in Royal Park
A trained team of volunteers equipped with scythes and shire horses made hay while the sun shone in central London today.
In a return to traditional methods, scything will help conserve the habitat in the Queen’s Coronation Meadow, located in The Green Park opposite Buckingham Palace.
The Green Park is one of London’s eight historic parks managed by The Royal Parks charity.
The recent hot weather has created the perfect environment for scything, a traditional technique that is being preserved and deployed for meadow management in parts of the Royal Parks, owing to its gentle impact on the land. This tried-and-true method mimics a herd of sheep grazing naturally and prevents the habitat from growing from meadowland into scrub.
The use of scythes to cut grass minimises soil compaction, which would otherwise occur if machinery were used. By using scythes, volunteers can be more selective with their cuts, ensuring a natural range of grass heights that create essential microhabitats for invertebrates.
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The Green Park -
The Green Park -
The Green Park
This habitat conservation work has been made possible thanks to the players of People’s Postcode Lottery and is a crucial part of The Royal Parks’ commitment to preserving natural habitats in an ecologically responsible way. The Queen’s Coronation Meadow plays a significant role in London's biodiversity.
The team managing this project is dedicated to conservation in the parks, and regularly runs free events across London to engage the public in nature.
"The careful management of meadows is vital for the survival of diverse plant species," said Charlotte Cass, ‘Help Nature Thrive’ Project Manager, The Royal Parks.
"After the flowers have finished blooming and their seeds have dropped, it's essential to cut the meadow to reduce nutrients in the soil. This process prevents vigorous grass species from overpowering the flowers, allowing them to thrive. We’re also keeping traditional meadow management skills alive by training a new generation of volunteers.”
The acre of meadow was created in 2016 to mark the late Queen Elizabeth II's 90th birthday and is cut twice a year.
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