Your questions answered about our wildflower projects

Your questions answered

• Why plant wildflowers?

  In the UK, we’ve lost 97% of our wildflower meadows since the 1930s. These precious habitats support lots of biodiversity, and as the habitat is lost so too are the species that live within it. By restoring degraded habitats and creating new wildflower meadows we can provide a home for these species, enriching our environment.

  These habitats also contribute towards our goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, keeping carbon locked away in the plants and in the soil.

• How does this contribute to solving the climate and ecological crisis?

  Newly created wildflower meadows on what used to be arable land can capture 1.04-1.89tC captured/ha/year, rising to 3.17tC if red clover-rich mix.

  While there is currently not much data available for the effect of enhancement of existing habitats such as marshy grassland and semi-improved grassland on carbon storage, such habitats have been noted as having between 60-76tC stored in soils/ha. Enhancing such habitats and maintaining them in a good condition will maintain this level of carbon in their soils, and hopefully allow an increase in carbon storage to take place. This protection of the grassland is what makes this a climate solution – without these projects the land would become degraded, depleting the amount of carbon that is locked away.

  As well as being a carbon store, these wildflower habitats support a wide variety of wildlife, including invertebrates such as bees, butterflies, moths, earthworms, beetles, and spiders. Many of these invertebrates are pollinators, and supporting our pollinator populations is vital for our future food security. These habitats will also be home to small mammals, as well as birds, making them ecological havens rich in biodiversity.

• How are the wildflower sites looked after, long-term?

  Every site will have a tailored management plan to suit the site’s characteristics. 

  Each wildflower meadow will require annual management. They will receive a hay cut at the end of each summer, with the hay removed from the area to prevent the soil from becoming too nutrient-rich (which isn’t good for maintaining the desired plant diversity). Livestock may be grazed on site if this is needed to keep the vegetation down prior to the spring growth season. This is typical of traditional meadow management. 

  These sites may also be used for scientific research into the effects of enhanced weathering (spreading crushed basalt) on such habitats as part of work into this carbon removal approach by our partner, the Future Forest Company.

  In marshy grassland areas, low intensity cattle grazing may be used or occasionally cut, either once or twice a year. But where very wet, the land may simply be left alone with scrub control carried out when required. Some areas may occasionally be grazed by wild roe deer.

• How is it verified that the sites are suitable for wildflower spreading?

  Suitable sites for wildflower creation are identified during initial site habitat survey work. 

  The meadow creation work will be contracted out to an experienced agricultural contractor under the supervision of an experienced ecologist/farm agri-advisor, who will carry out a detailed analysis of the area prior to any sowing.

  The work of wildflower plug planting will be carried out by teams of volunteers under the supervision of an experienced ecologist.

• How are the wildflowers planted (e.g. sowing vs. plugs)?

  The wildflower meadow creation is done by sowing seeds over the ground, occasionally planting them directly in the ground. 

  The wildflower regeneration is done by planting plugs. The plug plants will come in plant trays and will be planted in small groups, often protected (from being eaten by roe deer) by guards in their first year to allow them a better chance to become established.

• What is the survival rate?

  Survival rate will vary from site to site with wildflower meadow creation, but the cost of managing the site for 5 years after initial sowing/planting, to maximise survival rate,  has been factored into the price of the setting up of the projects.

  Where plugs are used, the plants come with good root structures so have a better chance to compete with surrounding vegetation. Weather plays a big role in the survival rate of plants in this type of habitat, so the expected, and typical, survival rate for plugs in this environment is 50%. This expected survival rate is taken into consideration when planting takes place to ensure the survival of the optimum number of plants.

  To help the plants to survive wire guards may be used to protect plug plants until they become better established to prevent them from being eaten by roe deer. And while some seed will be lost to birds this is accounted for by sowing more seeds than are expected to take root and germinate.

• What species of wildflowers will be spread?

  All species are native to Scotland and the UK. The origin of all seed is known and most seed used in Scotland will be from Scottish seed sources. Seed sources will be obtained from the closest suitable location, and only from recognised, reputable companies.

  The plants for these projects are mainly perennials, the main exception being yellow rattle in the wildflower meadows, which returns every year if cut after it sets seeds.

  For the wildflower meadow creation sites the species will include grass species such as sweet vernal-grass (Anthoxanthum odoratum) and red fescue (Festuca rubra), as well as wildflowers such as selfheal (Prunella vulgaris), lady’s bedstraw (Galium verum), yarrow (Achillea millefolium), yellow rattle (Rhinanthus minor), red clover (Trifolium pratense), bird’s-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), and common knapweed (Centaurea nigra).

  For the wildflower regeneration sites the species that will be planted in marshy grassland will include devil’s-bit scabious (Succisa pratensis), marsh woundwort (Stachys palustris), meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria), purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), ragged robin (Lychnis flos-cuculi), sneezewort (Achillea ptarmica), and common valerian (Valeriana officilanis).

• How many species are spread in a given area?

  For the wildflower meadows, up to 25 species of wildflower and fine grass species would likely be sown over a 100m by 100m area (1 hectare), with the seeds mixed together beforehand to allow an even spread of species.

  For the wildflower regeneration sites up to 7 species will be planted over a wide area. This type of planting is designed to reinforce existing wild plant populations.

• How are invasive species prevented from overtaking the site?

  Regular monitoring and careful annual management will significantly reduce the risk of invasive species overtaking the wildflower meadows. Weeding will take place if necessary, but should not be an issue if the site is properly managed.

  For the wildflower regeneration sites we are not altering the existing habitat so invasive species taking over the site should not be an issue. However, regular monitoring will identify any issues and any invasive species will be controlled.

• Is this considered ‘rewilding’?

  No. There are many ecological benefits to maintaining this kind of habitat, however, since most definitions of rewilding refer to the process of allowing nature to take over, these wildflower projects cannot be considered to be rewilding projects because the habitats need intervention from humans to enhance the existing habitats and maintain them.

• Will there be a regular biodiversity study carried out?

  There will be annual surveys carried out to determine the number and abundance of plant species present in the habitats, along with transects counting the number and species of butterfly and bumblebee present. Further surveys, for example looking at bat use above such habitat, will be carried out at less frequent intervals. The sites will be open for students to use them for educational purposes too, including survey work.

• Are fertilisers or pesticides being used?

  No. The only potential exception would be where careful spot control of invasive weed species is deemed necessary, but this would be seen as a last resort.