Restoring wildflower meadows at Dundry Slopes Nature Reserve
Over the past few months, volunteers have been helping restore meadow habitat at Dundry Slopes Nature Reserve through a project funded by the Bristol Airport Local Community Fund.
Across 8 sessions, 49 volunteers contributed 235 hours of hands on work to improve three meadow areas. Using hand tools, they scythed long grass, cut back encroaching scrub and raked off the cuttings to help reduce soil nutrients and create better conditions for wildflowers to thrive.
This careful management helps open up the grassland, letting more light reach the soil and creating space for a greater variety of species to establish over time.
Planting for the future
As part of the project, volunteers also created patches of bare ground for seed sowing and planted wildflower plugs across the site.
The seed and plants were specially chosen for clay soils, giving them the best chance to establish well and spread in the years ahead.
Around 4,500 wildflower plug plants have been planted in dense patches across the meadows to help strengthen biodiversity and support long term habitat recovery.
Creating homes for wildlife
Alongside the meadow work, volunteers built habitat piles using materials already found on site, creating places for wildlife to shelter and thrive.
In March, we will also be installing 2 bird boxes and 2 bat boxes across the nature reserve to provide more nesting and roosting opportunities as the season begins.
Support the future of Dundry Slopes
Nature recovery needs long term care. Without ongoing maintenance and investment, wildflower meadows can quickly be lost again to scrub and nutrient build up.
To protect the progress made so far and help these meadows flourish in the future, we need continued funding for practical habitat management, volunteer involvement and long term care.
Please donate to Your Park to help keep work like this going.
