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Open Grazed Grassland at Northbank Farm
Grazing is usually the preferred method for grassland management for nature conservation. This is because trampling, dunging and defoliation by stock helps to create a varied sward structure. The aim is to provide ideal conditions for plants and invertebrates (such as butterflies, moths and beetles). A sward at a range of heights, including some short grassland and some dense tussocks, suits a wide variety of plants and invertebrates. The sward is at its longest in the summer, while plants are flowering and setting seed. Most grassland species germinate in the autumn or spring. The sward needs to be shorter at these times, so that there is light and space at ground level for new growth. |