WEBSITE FOR NEW CARMARTHENSHIRE MEADOWS GROUP

A website has been launched for the newly formed Carmarthenshire Meadows Group.

The group was launched at the National Botanic Garden of Wales in March, with the aim of creating a county-wide community that supported each other to manage meadows, large or small, for wildlife.

One volunteer has now developed a website for the group – carmarthenshiremeadows.com – which aims to be the focus for sharing information and ideas on managing meadows.

The county council’s executive board member for biodiversity Cllr Pam Palmer said: “Like much of the UK, where 98 per cent of flower-rich meadows have been lost in the past century, Carmarthenshire’s ‘traditional’ wildflower-rich meadows have been much reduced in the county and are now a rarity.

“Hay meadows can support a rich mixture of grasses and flowers and the insects that use this habitat may be important food for birds, which may also nest there.”

Visits have been arranged for this summer so that people can see other meadows and learn about how they are managed.

Training courses in plant identification and scything are also available, and the chance to work with an ecologist to discuss the management of meadows has been arranged.

Cllr Palmer added: “This website will be a great focus for the group and provide a site for people in Carmarthenshire to be able to connect with others managing meadows. “Already links have been made and people are sharing information and offers of harvesting seed for other sites have been made.”

• If you would like to be part of Carmarthenshire Meadows Group, please contact Isabel Macho – IMacho@carmarthenshire.gov.uk; 01558 825390.