Natural England

Cast your mind back a year to the depressingly wet July we endured, with cities and villages many feet under flood water. Well it wasn’t just people who suffered in those awful conditions, much of Yorkshire’s farmland and wildlife took a battering too. One year on and the picture is very different, as can be seen at Natural England’s Lower Derwent Valley National Nature Reserve.

The Lower Derwent Valley is an area of outstanding wildlife interest nestling 4 miles south of York. It’s made up of a series of hay meadows individually owned by Natural England, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, the Carstairs Trust and many individual farmers.

The huge variety of wildlife found at the reserve depends upon the delicate balance of the ever changing seasons and sympathetic management of farmland.

Winter flooding in the meadows attracts thousands of wildfowl. Silt, left by the floods provides nutrients for the growth of meadow flowers and grasses like ragged-robin, yellow rattle and great burnet. These flowers and grasses are then cut to make hay. The hay is not cut until early summer to enable birds to successfully breed, for young to fledge and for the vegetation to flower and set seed.

This cycle of events of flooding, hay making and grazing has been happening for hundreds of years and it is this, along with the fascinating mix of wildlife which makes the area so special.

After a rather unsettled start to July, with sunshine and heavy showers, high pressure established itself by the third week, bringing dry, hot weather. This allowed farmers to make some really good, sweet smelling hay.

This is in stark contrast to last year, when the crop was totally ruined by the unprecedented summer floods, which lasted several weeks. All farmers could do was cut the vegetation and dispose of it later in the autumn, when weather and ground conditions allowed safe passage of farm machinery.

Peter Roworth, Natural England’s Senior Site Manager said “The sight of last year’s ruined hay meadows from the floods was very sad, as if the heart had gone out of the valley. This year, although July has had its fair share of showers, things are different. Birds have successfully bred, and the growth of grasses and flowers, particularly great burnet, has given a good hay crop. To see the change in colour of fields as farmers cut and gather hay is a satisfying reminder that for once the hay making season has been in full swing.”

John Beevers, Local Farmer said ‘I’ve been cutting hay on these meadows since I was 15 and I can tell you that the contrast between this year and last couldn’t be greater. Last year’s weather was shocking and it was heartbreaking to see our meadows under so much water. This current hay crop is right back on track’.

Notes to editors

For photographs and further information, contact Howard Botting on 01609 767439 howard.botting@naturalengland.org.uk or Emma MacDonald on 0113 2303533 emma.macdonald@naturalengland.org.uk

We have a selection of photo’s that can be sent out to accompany the story. They show the stark contrast between conditions in the meadows lat year and this, with local farmers out cutting hay on the site.

Natural England works for people, places and nature to conserve and enhance biodiversity, landscapes and wildlife in rural, urban, coastal and marine areas. We conserve and enhance the natural environment for its intrinsic value, the wellbeing and enjoyment of people, and the economic prosperity it brings. We increase opportunities to make the natural environment an enriching part of people’s everyday lives, and improve its long term security by contributing to the sustainable management of our natural resources. www.naturalengland.org.uk

National Nature Reserves
National Nature Reserves (NNRs) are some of the very finest sites in England for wildlife and geology, and provide great opportunities for people to experience nature. They have been established to protect and manage the special wildlife habitats, species and geological features that occur there. These features are of national and often international importance, and many NNRs are important for study and research. Almost all NNRs have some form of access provision – many are fully open throughout the year. There are 222 throughout England.
Events in the Lower Derwent Valley NNR.