Ecology group makes hay while the sun shines

WILDLIFE enthusiasts looking to improve habitats on Warrington’s Paddington Meadows are delighted with a new commercial deal for a local farmer to cut hay on the meadows for use as cattle feed.
The meadows, long out of use for the agricultural purposes for which they were originally developed, were visited by the latest “high – tech” tractors and bailing equipment.
There were three days of intense work for which a small fee will be payable to help with the upkeep of the meadows.
Ragwort plant, which is harmful to cattle, was found in some areas and this meant not all the meadows could be cut.
Terry Eagan, from the New Cut Heritage and Ecology group, said: “Paddington Meadows is already a haven for wildlife and the cutting of hay will help encourage new and differing species to populate the area particularly ground nesting birds. The ragwort infested field remains attractive to certain species and we now have the opportunity to introduce more wildflowers which again will increase the biodiversity of the meadows.”
The deal brokered initially by staff at the HLF funded Carbon Landscapes organisation and involving officials from Warrington Borough Council will be a high cost venture for the farmer due to the distance transporting the hay, but will help feed his herd as hay crops during the drought have been particularly poor.
Efforts in the past to interest farmers in taking on the meadows for grazing cattle have failed with a major reason quoted as being the potential for dog menacing as irresponsible owners let their pets off the lead.
The current arrangements are ongoing and the wildlife enthusiasts already delighted with the presence of several species of bats are becoming increasingly aware of rare butterflies and moths attracted to the diverse habitats of the meadows.