YOUR correspondent Pat Wilson (letter November 15) commented on the new fence surrounding the Donkey Field at Uphill and I totally agree with her. It is a first class job. Whilst I agree that animals are beneficial to wild flower meadows in keeping bramb
YOUR correspondent Pat Wilson (letter November 15) commented on the new fence surrounding the Donkey Field at Uphill and I totally agree with her. It is a first class job. Whilst I agree that animals are beneficial to wild flower meadows in keeping brambles and tree seedlings in check, there are certain times of the year when that is not so. The presence of cows on wet low lying land such as this can do more damage than good. The snowdrop, the first flower to appear in the Donkey Field, can be through the ground as early as December and others, primrose and cowslip, being surface plants are vulnerable to heavy cloven hoofs especially if it is wet. There has been a noticeable reduction in Spring flowering plants over the recent years, which I consider is attributed to poor management of the field.An ideal course of action is to wait until the last of the Spring flowers has set seed, late May/June, then cut the grass, turn and make hay in the normal way. The wild flower seeds will have ripened and fallen to earth. The hay is then bailed and removed and only then are animals allowed to graze and they can do so until autumn.M K WILMOT - Roman Road, Bleadon
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