Grassland Management in Dorset and Somerset

Our aim is to instil in our members and volunteers an increased awareness of and enthusiasm and involvement in the wildlife conservation of their own local areas and our shared environment. And there are plenty of rich wildlife sites in our counties to be proud of and to become involved in. And at the same time we aim to use our resources to improve these wonderful sites for nature by increasing their diversity and floweriness.

Grassland sites and wildflower meadows in the Sherborne area  click on this link to find out more about EuCAN’s work on The Quarr Local Nature Reserve, the Terrace Meadows Site of Nature Conservation Interest (SNCI) and the former’pony’ field in Lenthay at the western end of Sherborne.

Hill Cuckoo Bumble Bee – lays in the nests of Red-tailed Bumblebees

Maintaining and improving the herbrich grasslands in Dorchester – click on this link to find out more.

We have worked at Maumbury Ring for the Dorchester Town Council and on two areas of Poundbury for the Duchy of Cornwall, in all cases under the supervision of botanist Miles King.

Holwell Drove – spreading seeds and green hay on this important wet grassland site – click on this link to find out more

We have been working with the owners of this very herbrich private site to harvest seed and cut green hay to spread on other parts that are less interesting. One butterfly species that this site is important for is the Marsh Fritillary and we cut one third of the Devil’sbit Scabious area each year after the seed has set and spread the arisings on the adjacent areas. In this way we hope to spread the Marsh Fritillary’s larval foodplant.

Marsh Fritillary Euphydras aurinia