AN AMBITIOUS project to transform grasslands in Pershore has begun in a bid to restore traditional hay meadow flowers and plants to fields around Avon Meadows Community Wetlands.
It’s hoped the grass cuttings taken from nature reserves across Worcestershire will transform the meadows with a new and diverse mix of plants and flowers.
Some of the nature reserves the cutting have been taken from a host beautiful displays of flowering plants such as knapweeds and scabious, as well as rare orchids. And, by bringing in their seed rich hay, Wychavon District Council is hoping to transplant some of that diversity to Avon Meadows.
Avon Meadows Community Wetlands and Local Nature Reserve was created after the devastating floods in 2007 to help reduce the impact of any future floods that come from too much surface water.
10 years later the wetlands is now home to birds, waterfowl, fish, kingfishers, butterflies, otters and more.
Liz Etheridge, Wildlife Projects Officer at Wychavon, said: “We’re really hopeful that this project will work and bring us an exciting new mix of wild flowers to the meadows.
“Having a good mix really does help the local wildlife, especially wild pollinators which we have in abundance, but we’re always looking for more diversity for the area.
“We have everything crossed hoping it will work, but we won’t know until next spring/summer at the earliest if it has.”
