Issue 11 June 2009

MONMOUTHSHIRE MEADOWS GROUP

Aim - To conserve and enhance the landscape by enabling members to maintain, manage and restore their semi-natural grasslands and associated features.

Contents there was a lot of interest in the The AGM in April went moth leaflets that Martin had smoothly with the current 1. From the Chair brought with him and then we committee being re-elected en 2. How to Manage a Meadow all enjoyed a delicious supper bloc; after the formal business when you don’t know your organised by Caroline Howard we had an excellent series of Orchids from your Ox- and Ann Robinson with presentations by MMG eyes’s contributions from most members on the history of and 3. Wyeswood Common committee members as well as issues affecting their own 4. MMG Open Day 2008. New Elsa Wood. grasslands. Jill Featherstone Grove farm and Northridge Then there was the relatively had prepared a power point House. quiet winter period when there presentation of photos at each 5. Botanical Picnic in the Cotswolds 6. Orchard Mapping Project 7. MMG Open Day 2009

Membership

To join, contact Maggie on 01989 750740 or e-mail at [email protected] or Bill at [email protected]

From the Chair. Manorside, Penyvan By Stephanie Tyler site so that speakers could talk is a respite from the tasks to to a background of their land Since I wrote an update in the manage grassland. and their flowers. summer 2008 newsletter, we Grazing by sheep or our two have had our autumn 2008 Exmoor ponies took place on Firstly Ida Dunn talked of how meeting and our AGM/spring some fields until December, she had acquired her lovely hay meeting. In the autumn Martin after which they over-wintered meadows at Four Acres, Anthoney and Roger James at Amanda Copp’s fields at Maryland and the work she had entertained about 60 MMG Lower Glyn Farm, Llanishen. done to restore the old members, telling us about the The ponies are currently on the buildings, renovate walls and moth and butterfly surveys they Heathland restoration area at allow the field to become two carried out during the spring Broadmeed near Cleddon bog hay meadows around her and summer at several at awaiting their house. Her greater butterfly members’ fields. Unfortunately summer job grazing on our orchids are now legendary. it was an appalling wet summer grasslands. Don’t forget to let which resulted in low numbers us know if you need the of these insects. After the talk ponies on your land.

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Issue 11 June 2009

Vera Easton then spoke of persuade her to give her talk. The farm has a very wide range how she and Geoffrey came to We hope too that Lyn and Rob of habitats – the valley runs live at Manorside, Penyvan and Jones who had prepared a talk West to East giving us both how they had managed their but didn’t get the chance to give South and North facing orchard area and their field. it in the spring, will do so next meadows. The upper slopes These grasslands are very rich time. are a mix of ancient woodland, in flowers with twayblades, Following the talks we had as 13 year old replanted broadleaf cowslips and green-veined usual a first class supper, that and a small amount of larch orchids once abundant in the Caroline had organised with which we are trying to clear. spring. Vera catalogued a sad help from Maggie Biss, Elsa decline in numbers of this Wood and other committee Two pieces of luck came our scarce orchid. Possibly shading members. Mary Wakeling gets way that first year – we signed by conifers, an increase in a special thank you for her hard up for Tir Gofal (Care of the water or lack of liming may be work washing up and clearing Land) environmental responsible. Other plants still up the kitchen and we thank too management scheme and were thrive and summer sees all those other members who fortunate to come across spotted orchids and many other helped with this task after the Meadows at species. spring and autumn meetings. the Show and joined Ann Robinson described the up. Steph Tyler and Caroline rough pastures that she and In April the committee met for a Howard came out and surveyed Michael had bought. Since they brainstorming session ably our meadows and enthused acquired the fields they have chaired by Amanda Copp. about the bio diversity. It worked hard planting woodland It is May as I write this and the wasn’t just the value of the around the edge, clearing back committee is busy organising survey and the long plant list brambles and taking hay from the open day, trying to sort out that we were given which made the pasture. The plant diversity machinery problems in time for joining MMG worthwhile, it was has increased with the the hay-making season, raising the comfort of having access to sympathetic management and funds, progressing with ideas knowledge so we didn’t make in 2008 spotted orchids for projects and planning our any terrible mistakes out of appeared among the ox-eye stand at Monmouth show. ignorance. daisies and other meadow plants. How to Manage a Meadow 6 years on, I have to confess I Jerry Kavanagh gave an when you don’t know your can still only recognise a amusing presentation on his Orchids from your Ox-eyes’s, handful of plants – for the first and Ann’s work at Badger’s few years I felt guilty when Holt on the Kymin. Livestock By Amanda Cobb Steph patiently told me yet featured prominently in his talk again the name – and then I as he enjoys using Ron Shear’s In 2003 we went shopping for 8 realised it wasn’t the plant sheep to graze one field and in acres …….but somewhere names, nor even the July enjoyed having the two alongside Penarth Brook in a recognition of them that Exmoor ponies to stay for a few little hidden valley that runs interested me – it was weeks to graze down other from Llanishen towards protecting the land to make areas. Trellech, we fell in love and sure they were still there for all Finally Amanda Copp was to bought 80. With no land the people whose passion they talk about her 80 acres at management experience feed. I feel much the same Lower Glyn Farm but the beyond a ½ acre garden we about our trees, birds and computer played up and moved into Lower Glyn Farm, wildlife – we try to manage the disconcertingly photos kept Llanishen and only then started farm with a gentle touch – flashing by. She decided that to wonder how we were going except for a ruthless zero the audience had heard enough to care for the meadows and tolerance for the invasive by then and wanted their woodlands. Himalayan Balsam, we try to supper so stopped. We hope live and let live – we don’t use that at our next meeting we can fertilizers or pesticides and

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operate a low density grazing aspirations, we have been very on widely across the Trellech regime with our alpacas, Jacob busy fundraising. We are Ridge from prehistoric times, sheep and visiting horses. It is thrilled to announce our but it was finally lost to incredibly rewarding to hear successful acquisition of the agricultural enclosure or that the fields that were semi- land. We have a vision to re- commercial conifer planting in improved are increasing in create Wyeswood Common, the last 250 years. The biodiversity year on year and which will contrast with, yet also purchase connects the we look forward to the day they complement, the ancient field wildflower meadows of join the south facing fields system on our existing nature Pentwyn Farm to the nearby status as unimproved (it took reserve of Pentwyn Farm, right woodland, allowing me a while to grasp that next door. species the space to move and unimproved as good). thrive. This great achievement for Gwent Wildlife Trust is thanks We have a detailed plan for the to the help of so many people, future of the site with a including many from the local framework for habitat creation community in Penallt. We have mapped out for decades to even attracted support from two come. The change will be slow high-profile conservationists, at first, but we will continue to Bill Oddie and Iolo Williams. As farm the land, with organic well as donations from conversion planned. This year hundreds of individuals, we and next, we need a grazier or have also had substantial tenant to take silage cuts, and Lower Glyn Farm grants from a range of funding with preferably organic stock, to bodies, including the Wye help start the process of I am now a Monmouthshire Valley AONB, Countryside reducing the soil fertility to Meadows committee member Council for and the natural levels which will support and I love being part of such an Tubney Charitable Trust. more wildflowers. We also hope enthusiastic group. If you have to sow a wild bird cover crop, an interest in helping to protect We now have to work hard over and some areas of organic the beautiful meadows of the long-term to create wildlife cereals. We expect to start the Monmouthshire please think habitat on this land. For our main tree-planting in selected about joining up – the £10 wildlife to survive in a changing parts of the site in winter annual membership fee will be climate there needs to be a 2009/10, and eventually we put to good use in providing strong network of wildlife would like to see about a fifth of advice and support – and no- habitat stretching from the the site being woodland. one will make you learn Latin uplands of Gwent, through the names – or even common Valley and across to the Species that we hope will ones! Wye Valley and the Forest of benefit include many of Britain’s Dean beyond. Wyeswood rarest and most threatened Common will be an important species, such as the green- Wyeswood Common part of this network. We hope winged orchid, spreading our work will eventually prove bellflower, lesser horseshoe By Julian Branscombe even more important in bat, dormouse, harvest mouse, stimulating habitat creation hawfinch, spotted flycatcher, Many of you will know of Gwent throughout the rest of the area. rugged oil-beetle and the wood Wildlife Trust’s campaign to try white butterfly. and raise the money to buy just Gwent Wildlife Trust’s vision for over 100 acres of land being Wyeswood Common is of a Gwent Wildlife Trust is planning sold by Glyn Farm, Penallt. species-rich wood-pasture an event for the local Since a Public Meeting was landscape, awash with flowers, community at Wyeswood held in Pelham Hall back in insects, birds and bats. This Common in the Summer. In the October to discuss our wood-pasture landscape hung meantime, if you are keen to be

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involved in this exciting project successful bracken bashing in Our management plan has we are looking for voluntary site May and June. been simple. We keep bramble wardens that can give a little bit and bracken at bay by cutting. of time to help with a range of We are blessed with a prolific We have not used weed killers. tasks, from practical number of orchids, hay rattle, We cut and remove the hay management to looking out for cow slips and about 14 different each year from about July. The wildlife. If you are interested, or species of grasses. We are area of hay meadow is now have any questions, please also lucky that our 2 fields, generally free of noxious weeds contact Lauri MacLean at which lie either side of our like docks, nettles and ragwort. Gwent Wildlife Trust on 01600 house, have slightly different Any ragwort that appears is 740600. soils so this gives us two promptly dug out. slightly different meadows. Unfortunately, during the past two wet years the hay has been MMG Open Day 2008 We are also the proud owners made very late and as in 2008 of the wind turbine, which many the good weather of early June By Pam Lloyd and Ann of you will have noted when turned to unremitting rain, Robinson driving along the Trellech to instead of hay we had to make Monmouth Road. silage. Removal of the hay is New Grove farm A lot of thought has been put absolutely essential for the into designing the base of the future emergence of species The weekend of June 8th 2008 structure to avoid a great big rich meadow. We have not was, perhaps, the only really area of concrete, which would grazed the land since 2001 beautiful weekend of an have spoilt the outlook of the because of the need for otherwise terrible year for hay meadow. We can also report extensive fencing of the newly meadows. We agreed to show that two years on we have planted trees. We may our fields as part of the annual found no dead birds beneath introduce grazing of the MMG open day – and thanks to the turbine, which is always a aftermath in a year or two. the weather it all worked out worry to wildlife supporters. brilliantly. We were able to show the Northridge House visitors to our site the beautiful The fields are adjacent to the effect of a real old style hay New Grove Reserve which is We were in the eighth year of a meadow. Over the years, owned and managed by Gwent long programme of restoration without us interfering with Wildlife Trust. When we bought of about 12 acres of extremely nature, the plants have the house we agreed with the neglected former pasture. By returned. An early useful plant trust that we would work with the time we acquired the land in was the Hay Rattle. The many them to manage our 5 acres 2001 the brambles stretched at different grasses provide a using the same management least twelve feet out from background to Ox-eye Daisies, plan. We have laid all the hedges and the field edges various vetches and clovers hedges and erected stock proof were full of bracken. In and even a few orchids. fences, which allows us to addition, the lack of use over Unfortunately, the orchids accommodate autumn grazing. the previous few years meant arrived about a week after the We have been fortunate in that self- seeded trees were open day! The area around the being able to use the same sprouting in many places. stream provides a different set contractor as GWT to cut the of flora including Yellow Iris, hay and to supply the sheep to We set about restoration in the Ragged Robin and Great Hairy graze the fields. Like other summer of 2001 and a little Willow Herb, Water Mint, Marsh members we have a problem later also planted about half of Birds’ foot Trefoil, Purple with bracken around the edges the land with native trees Loosestrife, Meadowsweet and of the fields, but we have thanks to a grant from the Fool’s Watercress. devised a metal plate which we Forestry Commission. attach to our motor mower and Earlier in the year we had been this enables us to do some very astonished by the huge

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swathes of Bluebells in the project. This mapping project is Prosiect 'Gwaith Coed', upper wooded area and by the being organised by adventa, 01873 736035 large expanses of Cuckoo Monmouthshire’s Rural 07921870347 flower or Ladies Smock shining Development Programme. The like rivers in the lower more launch of this project took place Hay Cutting and Grazing swampy field. Removal of in Chepstow on 11th March. The 2009. noxious weeds has allowed project has received funding these dormant plants to emerge through the Rural Development By Bill Howard once more to delight those who Plan for Wales 2007 - 2013 visit Northridge House Fields. which is funded by the Welsh We all have our fingers crossed Assembly Government and the that this year will, at last, European Union. provide us with a dry summer to Botanical Picnic in the Anyone who own any fruit or allow our schedule of Cotswolds, nut trees in Monmouthshire are haymaking to run smoothly. As asked to contact Erica usual we have a number of By Caroline Howard Sheppard, adventa’s woodland contractors who can be hired by revival officer so that a record members to cut, bail and Those of you who came to our can be made of the location of remove if necessary, the hay lovely Botanical walk, BBQ, and these important orchard from your fields. A list of Children's quiz at Wheelers habitats. She said “Much work contractors and prices can be SSSI on Cleeve Common has been done UK wide to obtained via myself, Bill above Cheltenham last year will record and protect our orchard Howard, at the address or be glad to hear that we will be heritage and this mapping phone number below. doing much the same this year project in Monmouthshire will [email protected]. on July 12. add our information to a Tel: 01291 689447 To see the wonderful chalk hill growing interest in orchards Please also remember that we flora, there will be a BBQ and fruit trees.” At one time have our 2 Exmoor ponies to Sunday lunch at 1pm in the Monmouthshire had a rich hire for aftermath grazing, or wood below the SSSI, followed diversity of orchards and we alternatively we can put you in by botanical exploration are hoping that this project will contact with farmers who are and quizzes. We will have tea, help record an exciting picture willing to loan out sheep or cakes and prizes before of existing information as well cattle between August and leaving. as to develop our historic February next year . It is a terrific family day out. orchard knowledge” Good stock proofing and a Do come. water supply must, of course for details and lunch numbers The Welsh Perry and Cider be available in the field. please contact Society have already

Bill or Caroline Howard undertaken a lot of work over a 01291 689 477 or number of years to record MMG Open Day 2009 [email protected] Monmouthshire’s orchards and adventa are working closely Although we weren’t quite as with them on this mapping lucky this year with the weather Orchard Mapping Project, project. compared to last year, the Open Day was again a great success Once the information has been By Erica Shepard and appeared to be appreciated gathered the project will go on by all our visitors. to develop educational trails Do you own and orchard or and events linked to our local An enormous Thank You to the single veteran fruit tree in orchard heritage and to train site owners who allowed us to Monmouthshire or are you a young people in fruit visit their meadows and a Thank school or community group with identification. You to everyone who supported fruit trees? If the answer is yes, the event or helped out on the Erica Sheppard, then you are invited to take part day. in a local orchard mapping adventa 'Wood Works' project,

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