Cuttle Brook Volunteers

Cuttle Brook Volunteers were busy last week cutting and spreading green hay over areas of spoil in the south meadow.   Spreading cut green hay is an effective way to introduce new plant species and enhance grassland biodiversity. The method, known as the “green hay” technique, involves harvesting grass and wildflowers from a species-rich donor site (the uncut meadows in the nature reserve) just as the seeds are ripe, then spreading it on the recipient site that lacks diversity. The seeds from the hay then drop and germinate, introducing new plant life to the spoil areas.
 
This is a very labour intense activity, and thanks go to the volunteers who spent their July working party sessions working hard to make this happen.