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Halford Flood Meadow Diary

May 2026

27 May 2026

Holiday job.

Some things just never get done, so this one I saved for my holiday, where I have more time! The labels on the heritage fruit trees were being chewed off by something - I think a muntjac, so I decided to go aluminium. The tags are stamped with a number which I intend to list out on this website to try and preserve their identity's for years to come. The tree species is also written on the tag, but I suspect this will wear off in time, but for now it is useful for identifying trees whilst walking around.

by Mike Hopkins

24 May 2026

So proud!

I did think when we set out that this would be a big challenge, and I wasn't wrong. It all becomes worth it when you start discovering what you and nature can do together. The meadow isn't perfect, but nature decides that and it looks like the meadow is developing into a mosaic of different habitats and plant communities. Some areas not very species rich at all and others have species in abundance. I am both pleased and proud with where we have got to so far, but it is a long journey and only another 29 years to go!

by Mike Hopkins

10 May 2026

Hard work is revealing itself.

All the work in the meadow is starting to pay off. The seeding is completed which we have done in sections in different years in different seasons so we could work out what works and what doesn't. Our autumn 2023 sowing is now starting to show a little more maturity with a greater species richness coming through. Next month we will do our annual species count to monitor the progress. One plant that is popping up in a lot of places in the first sown area is the pictured Musk Mallow, it was seen in only a few places last year, but this year it seems to have found its home in a widespread area at the upstream end of the meadow. This wasn't part of the seed mix sown across the meadow, but was part of the seed mix used for the scrapes. I would be interested to know how this has dispersed!?!?

by Mike Hopkins