Muston Meadows Explained

Muston Meadows
Aos:Leicestershire
Interest:Biological
Area:8.8 hectares
Notifydate:1983
Map: Magic Map

Muston Meadows is an 8.8hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest south of Muston in Leicestershire.[1] [2] It is also a National Nature Reserve[3] [4] and a Nature Conservation Review site.[5]

These ridge and furrow meadows are on soils derived from clay. Herbs include green-winged orchid, lady's bedstraw, yellow rattle, pepper saxifrage and cowslip.[5]

The site is in two different areas, both of which are open to the public.

At Muston Meadows, hay is cut in late summer and over winter the meadow is grazed by cattle.[6] This prevents the meadow habitat from transitioning to forest through ecological succession.[7] [8] Some of the plants in the nature reserve only grow in meadows and this kind of habitat is very threatened in the UK; 97% of Britain's wildflower meadows have been destroyed since the 1930s.[9]

References

52.919°N -0.775°W

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Designated Sites View: Muston Meadows . Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. 27 August 2017.
  2. Web site: Map of Muston Meadows. Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. 27 August 2017.
  3. Web site: Designated Sites View: Muston Meadows . National Nature Reserves. Natural England. 27 August 2017.
  4. Web site: Leicestershire's National Nature Reserves. 31 October 2008. Natural England. 8 August 2017.
  5. Web site: Muston Meadows citation. Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. 27 August 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170827170617/https://necmsi.esdm.co.uk/PDFsForWeb/Citation/1003316.pdf. 27 August 2017. dead.
  6. https://granthamecology.com/tag/muston-meadows/ Grantham Ecology - Muston Meadows
  7. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/20645220.pdf Biological Conservation - The Impact of Mowing as a Management Strategy for Wet Meadows on Spider Communities
  8. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/08/18/sheep-graze-londons-royal-parks-wildflower-meadow-bid/ The Telegraph - Sheep Graze London's Royal Parks in Wildflower Meadow Bid
  9. https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/wildflower-meadows-farms-agriculture-flowers-environment-brexit-butterflies-bees-defra-a8433541.html The Independent - Nearly all British wildflower meadows have been eradicated, prompting calls for urgent government action

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