Wingmoor Farm Meadow facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wingmoor Farm Meadow |
|
|---|---|
Example - Cowslips (Primula veris)
|
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Type | Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust nature reserve |
| Location | Severn Vale north of Cheltenham |
| Area | 7.4 acres (3.0 ha) |
| Created | 1990 |
| Operated by | Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust |
| Status | Access by permit |
Wingmoor Farm Meadow is a special nature reserve in Gloucestershire, England. It's about 3 hectares (or 7.4 acres) big. This meadow is recognized as a "Key Wildlife Site" because it's home to many important plants and animals. The Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust helps to look after this amazing place.
Contents
Where is Wingmoor Farm Meadow?
This meadow is located in Gloucestershire, not far from the towns of Cheltenham, Stoke Orchard, and Bishop's Cleeve. It sits in an area called the Severn Vale, which is near the River Severn. The meadow is surrounded by areas where gravel is dug up and then the land is restored.
What is Ridge-and-Furrow?
The field itself has a unique wavy shape called "ridge-and-furrow." Imagine long, narrow bumps (ridges) and dips (furrows) across the ground. This shape was created a long time ago when farmers used to plough the land in a special way. People think this method helped to increase the amount of land they could farm or, more likely, helped water drain better from the clay soils found in the Severn Vale. Many fields in this area used to look like this, but now they are quite rare.
There is also a small pond in the north-west corner of the meadow.
What Plants Grow Here?
Wingmoor Farm Meadow is an "unimproved grassland." This means it hasn't been treated with artificial fertilizers or pesticides. Because of this, many different kinds of plants can grow here. You'll find a mix of plants that like both neutral and chalky soils.
Plants on the Ridges
The higher parts, or ridges, have a wide variety of flowers. These include bright yellow Cowslips, Burnet-saxifrage, Common Restharrow, and Field Scabious. You might also spot Lady's Bedstraw and Meadow barley.
Plants in the Furrows
The lower, damper parts, or furrows, support different plants. Here you can find Tufted hairgrass, Cock's-foot, and Hard Rush.
Trees and Hedges
Around the pond, you'll see Willow and Hawthorn trees. Along the western edge of the meadow, there's a line of Crack Willow trees. The other sides of the meadow are lined with mixed hedges, which are like natural fences made of different types of shrubs and small trees.
How is the Meadow Protected?
Looking after Wingmoor Farm Meadow is very important to keep all its special plants and animals safe. To help the flowers grow and spread, the meadow is managed in a specific way. First, the hay (dried grass) is cut. After that, sheep are allowed to graze in the meadow. This helps to keep the grass short and allows sunlight to reach the smaller, more delicate wildflowers, helping them to thrive.
