A laid-back approach

The way we manage the hedges on the meadows depends on the type of hedge, the wildlife that it supports, its purpose and possible constraints like whether there is machinery access or regrowth is likely to be damaged by rabbits or deer. Sometimes, a hedge can be kept in good shape by occasional mechanical trimming, whilst other hedges such as those with a lot of elm are best rejuvenated by coppicing.

At Martin's Meadows, a number of the hedges are maintained in rotation by hedge-laying or plashing. This technique is historically associated with the Midlands rather than Suffolk, but it has some advantages that we have found particularly valuable :

• Once laid the hedge makes a stock proof barrier which is useful for the internal hedges that are not sheep fenced
• It is a good way of thickening up the base of young planted hedges or gapped up hedges, encouraging shooting from low down
• As much of the material remains 'laid' within the hedge, it retains a structure suitable for nesting birds (in contrast it may be 2-3 years before coppice regrowth makes suitable nesting again)
• The regrowth seems to be less vulnerable to rabbit damage than coppice stools as the laid 'tops' (especially when spiny like blackthorn or hawthorn) give some protection against rabbit nibbling

As can be seen from the pictures, suitable hedge plants are cut near the base, but not right through, allowing the stem to be'laid' sideways at an angle and the tops are 'hedged' in using stakes.

In the spring, the new shoots vigorously sprout along the length of the 'laid' stem, rapidly creating a dense network of twigs and branches.

Much of the hedge-laying at Martin's Meadows is done either by the volunteer warden team or the Suffolk Wildlife Trust mid-week volunteer team. Between them, they have done some great work and it is good to see this traditional technique being used to such good effect. I'm particularly grateful to Glyn who volunteers with the wardens. He has considerable hedge-laying expertise and has generously given of both his time and knowledge to achieve really good results.

Picture of Glyn contemplating the next hedge-laying move (picture by Paul Chapman, volunteer warden)

Going underground

During the winter months, mole activity seems to become very obvious on the meadows. This is partly because mole hills are very visible when the grass is short, but also because in colder weather the insects, larvae and earthworms that moles feed on, retreat deeper into the ground, so forcing the moles to excavate to greater depths in pursuit of a meal. What goes down in excavation, must come up as molehills!

The life of the mole in the meadows is largely hidden from view. A busy underground network of tunnels means that moles rarely surface, so we seldom catch a glimpse of the animals themselves. However, the 'trademark' molehills and subtle ridges, depressions and hollows created by shallow excavations and tunnel collapse make moles' presence evident. Their workings also affect the way that water permeates into the soil, causing local variation in natural drainage. The bare ground of molehills often creates a valuable seedbed for fallen or buried seed , sometimes producing a tell-tale cluster of wildflower seedlings in spring.

Another and perhaps more unusual clue to the presence of moles is a heron standing watching the ground in a meadow some distance from any pond or watercourse where they might find a source of fish. When ground conditions are wet, moles have to work closer to the surface and the 'beady-eyed' heron can see their movement in shallow tunnels and is not adverse to the occasional mole snack!

A cut above the rest

The winter months are an ideal time for carrying out work on the boundaries of the meadows. At all five meadows we aim to manage the hedges and 'woody' features rotationally, using traditional woodland/hedgerow management such as coppicing, hedge-laying and pollarding. All these techniques help keep the trees and hedges vigorous and 'cash- in' on the ability of our native broadleaves to 'self re-new' by re-shooting when cut back.

In the case of pollarding, trees are cut back at about 5-12 feet above ground, leaving a trunk or 'bolling' from which new shoots arise. The reason for cutting pollards at this height was originally to protect new shoots from livestock as the growth is above the browse line.

However, at Martin's Meadows we have adopted pollarding of three boundary ashes in the roadside orchard, to keep the trees at a manageable size and prevent too much shading of the fruit trees. The trees are pollarded on a relatively short rotation (every 5-7 years) and have just been ably re-worked by the volunteer wardens. The poles generated are being used as stakes for hedge-laying elsewhere in the meadows.

The three ash pollards have already become quite a feature of the orchard and I'm sure will become ever more so as the years pass.

Pictures by Paul Chapman, Voluntary Warden at Martin's Meadows.

Season's Greetings

The sheep have finished aftermath grazing and have now left the meadows. However, whilst at Martin's Meadows they took advantage of the peace and quiet to make some preparations for the festive period. Some of the sheep are quite musical and have formed a 'Baa Baa' shop quartet and produced their own unique rendition of 'We wish you a Merry Christmas'. My blog and uploading skills are not yet sufficient to bring you the full 'a cappella' sound and lights version - but hopefully the picture will give you an idea of their "we don't just eat grass you know" attitude and talent. I have been impressed by the progress they have made in just a short time. One is a particularly good Baa-ritone!

I should just point out that figgy pudding is not a suitable food source for sheep and is mentioned in the context of the song only. In addition, there are restrictions on supplementary feeding on many of our sites - so demands for figgy pudding should not and will not be met!

On a more serious note - Happy Christmas from the Five Meadows Blog and thank you to all who have helped with the meadows' management and care during 2011 - I could not have done it without you. Here's to a good 2012!

Visiting the meadows in winter is a very different experience from the summer.

No longer the heat of the sun accompanied by the whirr and buzz of a myriad of insects. The Panama hat and shirt sleeves have given way to a thick winter hat, coat and gloves and one is less inclined to linger!

However, the more muted quality of the meadows in winter makes me look for some of the subtler features which are easily overlooked during the 'heady' days of grassland summer.

The presence of lichens, mosses and fungi becomes much more obvious - and features like deadwood, fencing, gates and leafless hedges seem to reveal the 'skeleton' of a site. The oak gate post in the picture shows one of the lichens, but I was really pleased with the picture of an old tree trunk.

It is always good to be reminded that these features are just as much part of the character and ecological interest of the meadows as the wildflower rich grassland for which they are perhaps best known.

A bit rough around the edges

Hay meadows can often be quite uniform in structure, particularly immediately following cutting. Mowing the majority of the meadow is of course a vital part of conservation management; but it is also important to leave some rough edges and uncut areas to provide refuges for wildlife. These 'rough' areas help insects, birds and small mammals, particularly if left to overwinter when they provide shelter and foraging.

On every site there are always corners that are awkward for machinery and these make ideal areas to leave rough. We also try to leave uncut strips at hay cutting time, to leave a source of nectar and seed. The strips that are left uncut are rotated each year, so that we do not lose hay meadow to scrub.

I was struck by the value of these rough areas on a cold windswept December day. The open grassland was exposed and distinctly bracing, but at the edge of the meadow conditions were much more equable. As I walked along the edge, I watched a wren busily foraging amongst the long grass and blackthorn suckers, a group of long-tailed tits flicking along in the hawthorn hedge and could hear the reedy fluting of bullfinch. There were numerous vole tunnels visible in the base of the grass and a collection of rosehip and hawthorn seeds left presumably by a mouse that had eaten the fruit.

Air miles

I visited the orchard at Martin's Meadows the other day. As I walked amongst the apples and hazels the leaves were gently falling, carried on a light breeze. One of the leaves that fell by my feet had carried a passenger to the ground - a ladybird tucked beside the leaf's midrib. At this time of year I imagine the ladybird had chosen the leaf as a hibernation place, so I carefully placed the leaf at the base of the hazel coppice, ladybird side down in the hopes of providing the winter shelter it had sought.