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Enhancing and creating meadows at Blackbury Camp

  • by JW

“As well as the benefits to the environment, for visitors to the sites, the grasslands will evoke something with which the historic occupants of those sites would have been very familiar.” [English Heritage]

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We need our meadows. They are “crucibles” of biodiversity, says Trevor Dines of Plantlife: Flower power! The movement to bring back Britain’s beautiful meadows | Biodiversity | The Guardian

Plantlife are very keen to improve the health and variety of our meadows: Plantlife Meadows | Home

They have partnered with English Heritage to “enhance and create 100 meadows” over the coming decade:

Since the 1930s and the advent of post-war modern farming practices, the UK has lost 97% of its meadows. Prior to this, much of England’s grassland – from meadows, road verges and lawns – would have been home to a much more diverse flora than we have today. Whilst the English Heritage estate is relatively unusual in not having been subject to changing agricultural policy, the grassland surrounding its historic monuments has become ‘municipalised’ over the past century; diminishing the botanical diversity enjoyed by earlier generations. There is an abundance of sites where – with the right management – meadows (both big and small) can be created and flourish. 

The creation and enhancement of wildflower-rich grasslands across England will not only benefit nature, but healthy grasslands are proven to tackle pollution and permanently lock away atmospheric carbon below ground. As well as the benefits to the environment, for visitors to the sites, the grasslands will evoke something with which the historic occupants of those sites would have been very familiar. 

100 meadows across 100 historic sites over the next decade – English Heritage’s Coronation pledge | English Heritage

Here’s the list in full: 100 Meadows | English Heritage

And that includes Blackbury Camp: Blackbury Camp | English Heritage

Blackbury Camp, or Castle, is one of many similar sites across southern Britain dating from the period known as the Iron Age (from about 800 BC to the 1st century AD). A favourite place for picnics, it is now hidden within woodland, which makes its appearance in the Iron Age hard to imagine. History of Blackbury Camp | English Heritage

Ethan Doyle White: Blackbury Camp interior.jpg – Wikimedia Commons

Bluebells will be appearing very soon at the site: Five of the best bluebell walks in East Devon | Sidmouth Herald

The site is a very important part of East Devon’s heritage – both historic and natural: 7.1 Draft heritage strategy September 2018.pdf