Wet meadows that are full of different species consist of an interaction of small ponds, marshy ground and meadow areas with large and small plants. Earlier, large wild animals did the ‘mowing’, and later the plants were kept short with scythes and by cattle.
Detail: Lapwing meadow
Since the 1970s fertilisers and machines have been used
Since the 1970s fertilisers and large machines have been used, making it possible for the meadows to be cut earlier and earlier. For many species it has become much too early.
Not using fertilisers encourages a diversity of species
No fertilisers and mowing once or a maximum of twice per year encourages plants that love the light but stay low to the ground and at the same time eliminates their taller competitors. The later the meadow is cut, the more chance many plant and animal species have of finding their habitat in a wet meadow. Join us and help us to buy more land for nature! To our current projectMore about the LapwingMore about ponds for lapwing and co
