FRYENT
Monitoring: Meadows were randomly selected by draw and the first 13 meadows were surveyed in 2008.
Monitoring team: Barn Hill Conservation Group (BHCG) organized the monitoring of the meadows with Leslie Williams of Brent Council Parks Service. During the BHCG projects the team included Simon Mercer and John Barrington. 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 brief covers only a few species. Species are listed with frequencies based on the proportion of one-metre square quadrats in which the species was recorded using 10 quadrats in each meadow surveyed.
Structurally, the most dominant grass in late June was False Oat Grass (Arrenatherum elatius) which occurred at an average frequency of 99% in 2008. Couch (Elytrigia repens) at 45% and Perennial Rye-Grass at 14% were at their lowest frequencies since monitoring commenced in 1985. In the case of Perennial Rye-Grass the general trend has been one of declining frequencies from 77-82% in 1985-1987, possibly linked to an increase in the dominance of False Oat Grass (1985 frequency of 37%).
Meadow Foxtail (Alopecurus pratensis) was recorded at a frequency of 84%, and the highest since the meadow monitoring commenced in 1985. Meadow Brome (Bromus commutatus var commutatus) was recorded at a frequency of 15%. This was down from 33% in 2007; and could be a consequence of the absence of hay harvesting during the previous three years.
Meadow Buttercup (Ranunculus acris) was recorded at 46% and Creeping Buttercup at (R. repens) at 7%, both similar to the 2007 frequencies. These figures possibly represent the low of a cycle. Whilst relatively damp rather than dry recent summers are considered to be conducive to these species, the absence of hay harvesting during the years 2005-2007 may have been a factor that has kept frequencies lower.
Hairy Tare (Vicia hirsuta) was present at a frequency of 8% (down from 39% in 2007); Common Vetch (Vicia sativa) at 22% (30% in 2007), and Smooth Tare (V. tetrasperma) at 14% (20% in 2007). There were no records of Lesser Yellow Trefoil (Trifolium dubium) in the surveyed meadows. This compared with 2001 when one plant was recorded in one meadow (though 23 meadows were surveyed in that year). Years with average frequencies of less than one per cent for the Lesser Yellow Trefoil were 2003, 2002, 2001, 1995 and 1994, but otherwise frequencies for this species have been higher. Cut-leaved Cranesbill (Geranium dissectum) was recorded at a frequency of 6% (16% in 2007).
Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense) appeared to be lower at 10%, down from 13% in 2007 and the lowest since records commenced in 1985. Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) was present at 3% and this figure included both seedlings and a few suckers near to the edges of meadows. None of the Ragwort species were recorded in the meadows; and neither was Hemlock.
Management: Following a lengthy but successful application for an Environmental Stewardship agreement, it was possible to arrange for an agricultural contractor to harvest the hay in 2008. Hay harvesting commenced on
Hay Watch recommenced this year, following the absence of hay harvesting in the years 2005-2007.
Unfortunately, a tractor mounted flail accidentally cut a number of the ten per cent un-cut areas in August before their work was spotted by a member of Barn Hill Conservation Group and further flail cutting prevented.
BHCG were active in conserving the meadow habitat throughout the year and in undertaking Blackthorn control where it was encroaching onto the meadows.
Field Management records: The spreadsheet/s on field management has been considerably expanded. This brings together records and data from a large number of historic, geographic, administrative, technical, and management sources into one document to aid data storage and retrieval of information for a variety of uses.
Soil Association Organic Standard: The certification was retained throughout the year. Masons Field (the extension to the
Environmental Stewardship: An Environmental Stewardship agreement was awarded by Natural England in February 2008. The meadows in the FCP scheme are under two management prescriptions. The majority of the meadows are to be hay harvested, not before 1 July, with ten per cent of each meadow left uncut for invertebrates etc. The uncut areas will be rotated each year. The remaining meadows of Lower Hydes East, Honey Slough West, Lyon, Honey Slough East, and Half Yardes Meade are in a higher prescription aimed at conserving a botanically rich meadow community. These meadows are to have their whole areas harvested; and not before 15 July. As part of this we are also aiming to introduce some organically-grown plugs into Honey Slough East. For both categories further cutting and harrowing may follow at other times of the year, aimed at reducing accumulated thatch / matt, and increasing species richness.
Leslie Williams