Member Article

That’s the wonder of Wylam

In July this year the Save Our Magnificent Meadows project, Plantlife and its partners which include Northumberland Wildlife Trust, launched its national ‘Meadow Makers’ competition to celebrate the work of the unsung heroes in our communities and schools who are working hard protect the country’s meadow heritage and inspiring others to follow suit.

Bursting with colour, seductive scents, the buzz of insects and alive with animals - a wildflower meadow is a jewel in nature’s crown that puts on a spectacular show in summer.

So, it is with great delight that the panel of judges made up of grassland specialists and a number of partners from the Save our Magnificent Meadows project including The National Trust, RSPB and UK Wildlife Trusts have selected The Wylam Community Orchard, Northumberland as the winner of the prestigious award.

Situated in the grounds of Wylam First School, The Community Orchard started in 2009 and has subsequently developed in partnership with the school, offering the children a wonderful opportunity to experience and understand the natural world as part of their everyday education and encourage more local wildlife.

In 2011 members of the strong community group was inspired, by visiting a nearby wildflower meadow to create their own at the orchard. They grew seed into plug plants that were transplanted throughout the orchard and there has been an increase in flowers, grasses, butterflies, moths and bats.

Summer 2016 saw an abundance of yellow-rattle, ox-eye daisy, meadow buttercup, black knapweed, and meadow vetchling in the summer.

Alison Fisher, Biodiversity Leader for the community group said: “We now host many visitors to our Orchard and feel we can pass on experience to others; our vision is of a meadow of where the natural webs of life grow ever more diverse and complex, a lovely meadow buzzing with activity which will stimulate the imagination and enthusiasm of generations of children.”

In 2015 the school’s headteacher spoke at the ‘Fruit on the Tyne’ conference about how the orchard and meadow are integrated into teaching the national curriculum.

Northumberland Wildlife Trust’s Conservation Officer Naomi Waite, who is also the Save Our Magnificent Meadows Project Officer said: “It is frightening to think that something so precious and vital is in real danger. Since the 1930’s we have lost 97% (nearly 7.5 million acres) of meadows and grasslands and the wildflowers and wildlife associated with them and every year, more and more meadows are lost through neglect, change of land use or development and with them our native wildflowers are declining.

“So, it goes without saying that I am absolutely delighted that a community project from our region has scooped the first prize.”

The prize, a beautifully crafted roundel will shortly be taking pride of place at the entrance of The Community Orchard and Cath Shellswell, Save our Magnificent Meadows project advisor, will also be heading up to Wylam for a visit round the site and to offer any advice to the team there.

Save Our Magnificent Meadows, the UK’s largest partnership project was launched in 2014 and aims to transform the fortunes of vanishing wildflower meadows, grasslands and wildlife, led by Plantlife, the partnership of 11 organisations is working to restore 6,000 hectares of wildflower meadows and grasslands, primarily funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sue Bishop .