Thanks to funding from National Highways, the Networks for Nature project has explored different ways to protect Blow's Downs Nature Reserve. The funding allowed staff to carry out vital research into the management of scrub on nature reserves. Without the large grazing animals that once roamed the British Isles, brambles and other woody plants can take over and grassland that supports wildlflowers, butterflies and other rare species can be lost. At Blows Downs, where the chalky soil is particularly important for a range of threatened species, they tested different methods of clearing scrub including bringing in machinery to carry out large scale work quickly, and relying on volunteers and staff to clear an area manually over a longer period. The wildlife was monitored throughout giving us a much clearer understanding of how to manage and care for this, and other similar chalk reserves, in the future.
Credit: The Wildlife Trust BCN