FRYENT COUNTRY PARK: HAY MEADOW SURVEY UPDATE 2006

Monitoring: Meadows were randomly selected by draw and the first 14 meadows were surveyed. 

Monitoring team: Barn Hill Conservation Group participated in the monitoring of the meadows with assistance from Leslie Williams of Brent Council Parks Service.  Particular thanks are due to Simon Mercer for surveying several meadows.  Simon also updated the Access database to accommodate the data for the year.

Species:   Details of the occurrence and frequency of each species are held in a database which includes data on over 200 species that have been recorded in the meadows since 1985.  The following briefly mentions some species of note for 2006.  Species are listed with frequencies based on the proportion of one-metre square quadrats in which the species was recorded.  Ten quadrats were surveyed in each of 14 meadows. 

Structurally, the most dominant grass in late June was False Oat Grass (Arrenatherum elatius) which occurred at an average frequency of 99% in 2006. 

Meadow Brome (Bromus commutatus var commutatus) was recorded at a frequency of 44%, the fourth year of an apparent recovery since a low in 2002.  Smooth Brome (Bromus racemosus) was present at a frequency of 2%.  In comparison, there were only two records of the nationally common Soft Brome (Bromus hordeaceus ssp hordeaceus).  The specimen from Pages field was determined as this sub-species by Laurie Spalton.   

Cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata) at 36% appeared to be at the highest frequency since monitoring commenced in 1985.  

Meadow Buttercup (Ranunculus acris) was recorded at 36% the lowest since 1997; and Creeping Buttercup at (R. repens) at 5%, the lowest since monitoring commenced in 1985.  Both these species are considered to be affected by dry weather during recent summers.

Hairy Tare (Vicia hirsuta) was present at a frequency of 59%; and Common Vetch (Vicia sativa) at 41%, in both cases the highest since 1997.  

The population of Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense) appeared to be stable at 22%, though above average frequencies were noted in some meadows.  Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) was present at less than 1%.  No Ragwort (Senecio) species were recorded.

Some of the Agrostis in Lyon and Goldringe Strip fields was identified as Agrostis tenuis. 

Management: Despite national advertising there were no offers to harvest the hay in 2006.  Meadows in which a high frequency of Creeping Thistles were recorded during the annual monitoring in June, received a first flail cut in the late summer.  All the fields, including these fields, were flail cut in the late summer/early autumn.  In all cases the flail cuttings were left on the ground.

The Hogweed was topped in Richards East on a few dates in spring 2006, including firstly on 30 April 2006 and secondly on 14 May 2006.  It had been increasing during recent years and had come to dominate the south-west of the meadow.

Details of field management records are being placed on a separate database which will also include other data about each meadow.

Soil Association Organic Standard: The certification was retained throughout the year.  Masons Field (the extension to the Country Park) is ?In Conversion? status. (The organically-managed woodlands were included in the certification for the first time and are now also ?In Conversion? towards full Organic Certification).

Countryside Stewardship:  The hay meadows are included in a Countryside Stewardship agreement administered by the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) which concluded in 2006.  An application is in preparation for Environmental Stewardship.  

Barn Hill Conservation Group: BHCG were active in conserving the meadow habitat throughout the year and in undertaking Blackthorn control where it was encroaching onto the meadows.   

Hay Watch: As there was no hay harvesting, there was no need for a ?Hay Watch? during the year.

A detailed report of the occurrence and frequency of species since the monitoring commenced in 1985 was published in The London Naturalist.

Leslie Williams