SusCha is supporting the restoration of wildflower-rich, floodplain meadow on a half-acre area at the western end of The Mill Field, Charlbury’s main recreation space. The grant award was for £4,500 to be paid out as needed between September 2023 and end 2025.
The meadow project is run by Charlbury Town Council which owns the site. It fits within a wider management plan to support nature and increase biodiversity on The Mill Field, a long strip of land that runs between the River Evenlode and an ancient millstream.
The project involves cutting, raking and harrowing an area of grass to reduce nutrient levels and create bare patches of soil, which are then seeded with yellow rattle. Yellow rattle acts as a parasite on grass, restraining its growth and allowing space for other vegetation to become established.
Good for biodiversity
The area is then seeded with a variety of wild-flowers and other species to create a classic meadow which will be a haven for local biodiversity. A traditional mowing pattern will need to be maintained (i.e. mowing in spring and autumn with a hay cut in the summer) for the meadow flowers and grasses to establish and thrive in the long term.
Already, lessons have been learned. The first attempt to put yellow rattle on the site failed due to exceptionally wet conditions and flooding in the spring of 2024. A second attempt is now underway, with additional measures being considered, such as planting the area with partly cultivated seedlings or plug plants.
