A NEW ‘CareMoor for Exmoor’ appeal has launched to help raise funds for meadow creation in the National Park.
It follows a 97 per cent drop in wildflower meadows nationwide since the Second World War.
Meadows provide important food and homes for a diverse range of species, including many pollinator
insects, small mammals, bats and birds, and are a rich carbon store. They help improve connectivity between habitats
and can be a valuable source of forage for livestock, supporting traditional skills such as haymaking.
Donations to the appeal will support the new Exmoor Sowing the Seeds project - a collaboration between
Exmoor National Park Authority (NPA), FWAG South West and Devon Wildlife Trust, with support from South
West Water and Natural England, to collect and distribute wildflower seed locally.
Heather Harley, conservation officer for farming and land management at Exmoor NPA, said: “This appeal is
about recognising that wildflower meadows are an absolute powerhouse of our countryside.
“We know from recent surveys that many farmers really value this, and the response so far has been brilliant. But
farms are only part of the picture; we need more wildflowers growing on road verges, village greens, churchyards
and in school grounds.
“Our work will help network those cultivating wildflower seed and those who have land, with donations from the
public needed to fund vital equipment, habitat surveys and training. We simply can’t do this without that wider
groundswell of support.”
The pilot stage of the project has seen 30kg of seed collected and distributed across five different landholdings
on Exmoor. This has so far enabled the restoration of over 11 acres of meadow as part of a wider aspiration to create
a network of ‘nature corridors and highways’ across the National Park, including 1,500 hectares of additional wildflower
meadows.
Just under three per cent of Exmoor qualifies as species- rich grassland, which attracts a multitude of wildlife
and often supports flora and fauna that cannot thrive in other habitats. As well as being beautiful to look at, flower-
rich meadows are ecologically important as they provide areas for pollinating insects, nesting, food gathering,
shelter and even animal courtship displays.
Rob Wilson-North, head of conservation and access at Exmoor NPA, added: “Our wildflower meadows were once
a crucial part of the farming calendar and are part of our farming heritage. Restoring them will help to bolster vital
populations of pollinating insects, plus we can all benefit from the incredible summer displays of colour and the
sense of wellbeing people get from being so close to these enriching displays of nature.
“In times of hardship for everybody, we’re especially grateful for any donations people can make towards bringing
back wildflower meadows to our beautiful landscape.”
Donations to the appeal can be made in National Park Centres in Lynmouth, Dunster or Dulverton or online at
www.exmoor-national-park.gov.uk/caremoor.
Anyone interested in meadow creation, at any scale, and also people with existing flower-rich meadows who
might be interested in becoming a donor site, can contact the Exmoor Sowing the Seeds Project at naturerecovery@
exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk or sign up for free to join the Exmoor Meadow-Makers Forum at https://forum.
moremeadows.org.uk.