Websites
Meadow Restoration and Creation
Buglife
Guide to making a mini-meadow in your garden.
buglife.org.uk/get-involved/gardening-for-bugs/make-a-mini-meadow
Dartmoor National Park
The Dartmoor National Park Authority has various pages on its website of interest to meadow makers:
Delivery Plan for Rhos Pasture (PDF) and Moor than Meets the Eye Rhos Pasture restoration project
Give Your Mower a Rest
RSPB guide to reducing lawn-mowing.
Gwent Wildlife Trust
Hay meadow management toolkit.
Magnificent Meadows
A brilliant site by Plantlife, with clear, yet detailed advice on all facets of meadow management.
Natural England Technical Information Notes (TIN)
Seed sources for grassland restoration and re-creation in Environmental Stewardship
Illustrated guide to managing neutral pasture for wildlife
The importance of livestock grazing for wildlife conservation
Plantlife
National charity to raise profile, celebrate beauty and protect the future of meadows, wildflowers, plants and fungi.
Nature-friendly Farming
Knepp Estate
A large arable estate in Sussex that has been wilded over the last 15 years – and is now more profitable.
Magnificent Meadows (Rye Grass)
Is the rye-grass always greener? An evidence review of the nutritional, medicinal and production value of species-rich grassland.
magnificentmeadows.org.uk/assets/pdfs/Is_the_rye-grass_always_greener_An_evidence_review.pdf (PDF)
Natural England Countryside Stewardship Scheme
gov.uk/government/collections/countryside-stewardship-get-paid-for-environmental-land-management
Pasture Promise
Inspirational organic farmer in Wiltshire with restored meadows.
The Guardian
Britain has lost half its wildlife.
theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/mar/26/wildlife-modern-farming-insects-birds
Wildlife and Countryside Link
How a commercial silage crop can provide a diverse range of grassland. The wider use of legume-and-herb-rich swards could contribute significantly to the creation of ecological networks.
Plant Identification
Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland Wildflower Finder
A guide to the wildflowers of Britain and Ireland.
Rural Skills
Wildlife of Meadows
Barn Owl Trust
Barn owls and rough pasture – find out how to create and manage this important foraging habitat.
BTO Skylarks
Do you have arable farmland as well as meadows? Consider providing a skylark plot for these once common birds.
Bumblebee Conservation Trust
Find out how meadows and pasture can be created and managed for bumblebees.
Butterfly Conservation (Dartmoor Fritillaries)
The rare Fritillary butterflies of Dartmoor rely on bracken and Rhôs pasture.
butterfly-conservation.org/sites/default/files/habitat-fritillary_butterflies_of_dartmoor.pdf (PDF)
Butterfly Conservation (Habitat Management)
Many butterflies are grassland specialists – find out about their habitat requirements.
Dartmoor House Martin Project
House martins, swallows and swifts – find out here how to identify them. These insect-eating birds depend on meadows as their larder.
Devon Bat Project
Meadows are a crucial habitat for foraging bats – hire a detector to survey your meadow.
Devon Bat Project / Devon Wildlife Trust
Guide to species-rich grassland management.
devonbatproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Grassland.pdf (PDF)
iRecord Butterflies
A free app from Butterfly Conservation, iRecord Butterflies, is available for identifying and recording butterflies.
butterfly-conservation.org/our-work/recording-and-monitoring/irecord-butterflies
RSPB Cuckoos
Understanding the decline of cuckoos. How large hairy caterpillars that live in meadows are a main food source for adult birds.
State of Nature Report
The State of Nature report brings together data and expertise from over 50 conservation organisations, providing an update on how wildlife is faring across the UK.
Swifts need help
I run Kingsteignton Swifts.
Swifts have declined by over 50% in the last 20 years. In 2022 they were added to the red list of Birds of Conservation Concern .i.e. they are at risk of going extinct as a breeding species in Britain. Swifts join the likes of the nightingale and turtle dove. You can help these amazing birds by simple actions such as putting up swift nest boxes on the wall of your house.
For help and advice or if you would like a talk on swifts please contact me, Alistair Whybrow, on Kingsteigntonswifts@gmail.com
UK Butterflies
Larval foodplants – Find out which plants in your meadow plants are needed by the caterpillars of which butterflies.
More Resources help and information
Contractors
A local network of organisations and individuals with skills and services to help those members who would like help managing their grasslands and boundaries
Courses and Workshops
Links to organisations providing useful courses and workshops
Videos: Talks and Workshops
Online videos of some of our talks and workshops
Recommended Books
Catch up on your reading when the British weather means you can't be out in the meadow!
Seed Suppliers
Organisations and companies supplying seeds for meadow creation
Equipment
Suppliers of useful tools and equipment
PDFs and Other Downloads
Links to online PDF files for download
Other Meadows Groups
Links to other meadows groups around the country
Podcasts
Online audio podcasts related to meadows