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Home >> Biodiversity
>> Hayfields and Meadows
Traditional Hayfields and Meadows
The lowland hayfields at Angel of the North Fishing Lakes are an important part of our biodiversity action plan. It has been decided that the hayfields will be managed in a traditional, organic way, which will hopefully encourage a wider range of birds, mammals and insects to colonise the area.
Flower-rich hay meadows are now a rare and important habitat. The traditional hay meadows are managed for wildlife through low intensity farming. This provides food for seed-eating birds and a nesting habitat for ground-nesting birds, as well as insects etc. We cut late in the season (late July to early August) to allow the seeding of late flowering meadow plants.
Managing the hay meadows in this way can be very hard work as all weeding is done manually, but the quality of hay produced and the fact that the fields self-seed year on year is very rewarding. Grazing animals are brought onto the hay fields after cutting to help to keep the grass cropped during winter.
Yellow rattle has done particularly well this year in the hay meadows, and so have many other herbs and wildflowers, including our first sightings of wild orchids! During June and July, the bright and varied colours in these meadows are very attractive and it is hoped that our visitors will enjoy them.
