Oxley Mead facts for kids
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
 |
|
| Area of Search | Buckinghamshire |
|---|---|
| Interest | Biological |
| Area | 3.7 hectares |
| Notification | 1994 |
| Location map | Magic Map |
Oxley Mead is a special natural area in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. It's a place called a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). This means it's protected because it has rare plants and wildlife.
Oxley Mead is about 3.7 hectares big. That's like the size of almost five football fields! It became a protected site in 1994.
Contents
Why is Oxley Mead Special?
Oxley Mead is an old hay meadow. It has a very rare group of plants that you don't find in many other places. This is because of how people have looked after it for a long time.
A Home for Rare Plants
The meadow is full of interesting plants. You can find beautiful herbs like great burnet and meadow sweet. There are also different kinds of grasses, such as meadow foxtail and sweet vernal-grass. These plants thrive here because of the special way the meadow is managed.
How the Meadow is Cared For
Oxley Mead is looked after in a traditional way. Farmers cut the hay once a year. After that, cattle come to graze on the grass. This helps the special plants grow. No chemical fertilisers or weed killers are used here. This keeps the environment natural and healthy for all the plants and animals.
The Stream and Hedgerows
A small stream flows right through the middle of Oxley Mead. This stream often floods the meadow, which is important for the plants that live there. The meadow is also surrounded by old hedgerows. These hedges have many different types of trees and shrubs. They provide homes and food for lots of birds and insects.
Visiting Oxley Mead
You can visit Oxley Mead to see this amazing natural space. There is an access point at the end of Raft Way. It's a great place to learn about nature and see rare plants.
