Conservation Volunteers of St.Mellons & Trowbridge
Hay Raking
Why is hay raking important ?
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Hay raking plays a crucial role in the preservation of meadow flowers. Many rare flowers in the UK particularly those that flourish in meadows do not favour nutrient-rich soil. Soil that is rich in minerals tends to favour aggressive plant species like bracken, bramble, and nettles, which can easily outcompete delicate meadow flowers . Mowing the grass short and removing the cuttings stops the hay from rotting into the ground and enriching the soil. Hay raking will encourage the perennial wild flowers to grow strong roots and help keep grasses at bay, and so in time, will improve wildflower biodiversity .
The Haymaker
Rhodri the Ranger with his Kersten 820 Professional Reciprocating Knife Mower
The Kersten K820 is a compact power unit, ideal for simplifying maintenance tasks such as weed clearance and grass cutting. Grass cutting is one of the most intensive jobs for maintenance teams in summer months. The 90cm wide reciprocating knife attachment provides a mower which is ideal for conservation as it causes minimal disturbance to the ecology of the grass surface. The reciprocating knives cut at the base of the plant, leaving the whole crop above this point intact. This makes it easy to rake up for baling and keeps seed heads mostly intact, which is good for propagation of wild flower meadows.
It was hard work but very important work to do as it will help to encourage wildflower growth by removing the hay/cut grass.
There's lots of clover, knapweed, ragwort, tufted vetch, thistles and birds foot trefoil about, providing plenty of food for all the busy bees and butterflies, which is great to see
Hay rake at Hendre Lake Sat 20th July 2024 10:00am–12:00pm
We had a great 'green gym' workout at our beloved Hendre Lake. 9 strong volunteers joined the park ranger for a hay rake of our meadow areas and we finished before the rain started. We created 2 large piles with the hay creating an ideal habitat for grass snakes.
