Lost meadows ‘a tragedy for conservation’
Meadows should be protected
THE STAGGERING loss of wildlife-rich meadows over the last 80 years is “one of the biggest tragedies in the history of UK nature conservation”, the nation’s leading wild plant charity has warned.
Plantlife’s botanical expert Dr Trevor Dines said the “underreported” disappearance of 97 per cent of the nation’s meadows since the 1930s does not get the attention that the gravity of the situation merits.
If the same losses, which account for the equivalent area of one and a half times the size of Wales and have been blamed on historic changes to farming practices, had struck woodlands there would be a “national outcry”, Dr Dines said. His comments come ahead of National Meadows Day on Saturday when more than 115 events will take place in the UK.
Dr Dines said: “The steady, quiet and under-reported decline of our meadows is one of the biggest tragedies in the history of UK nature conservation. Without the roar of chainsaws or the sound of mighty oaks crashing to the ground, meadows with undisturbed floral histories going back generations are being ploughed up in a single afternoon.”
However, he said the tide could be turned and he urged the Government to ensure, as the UK leaves the European Union, that remaining meadows are properly protected in the same way as ancient woodlands, and farmers are given more support to manage traditional meadows.
Among the awareness day’s events in Yorkshire are a flower identification walk in Upper Swaledale and a celebration to mark the creation of a new meadow at the Blacktoft Sands RSPB Reserve near Goole.
EVEN THOUGH there’s nothing more quintessentially British than wildflowers coming into full colour in a green meadow, these tranquil fields are not being afforded sufficient protection.
New research reveals that 97 per cent of such land has been destroyed since the 1930s – the equivalent of a geographical area that is oneand-a-half times the size of Wales. It’s critical context.
Without a new approach to nature conservation, and the countryside in general, botanical experts fear iconic meadow flowers such as the ragged robin, harebell and field scabious will disappear altogether.
Yet, while it does require the planning system to be more sympathetic towards the country’s natural assets, the onus is also on local residents to speak out when they see priceless gems being threatened by improper use – whether it be by flytippers with no regard to the countryside or developers putting forward unsympathetic building plans. If they don’t, it will be too late.