Welcome to the Summer update! - read about the summer surveys, the cows on the meadows and the planned Annual General Meeting date.
Invertebrate Surveys
A comprehensive invertebrate survey is being carried out on the Meadow over the summer. This will update and supplement a survey carried out in 2017, inform our management plan, and give us a a bit of a health check on the life on the Meadow. The trust has been awarded the money to carry out the surveys as part of a Natural England/Surrey Wildlife Trust Nature Recovery Project. Full results of the survey will be available in the autumn when all three survey days are complete, but so far, one highlight has been the discovery of a just-emerging female stag beetle from one of the dead stumps that we have left standing. At least 2-3 emergence holes are evident in the stump, showing the importance of keeping dead wood in the margins of the Meadow. Stag beetles are quite rare and in decline. They prefer warmer areas hence in the UK they are confined to the south-east, and they tend to do better in areas where there are old oak trees so Farnham is a bit of a stronghold for them, we were pleased to see their presence in the meadow. Also spotted were speckled bush crickets, red-spotted plant bugs, cricket bat spiders, little longhorn beetles and sawflies which feed on species of rubus [brambles, raspberry etc]. Leptopterna was the overwhelmingly dominant bug found in the grassy areas. Chrysotoxum cautum, a big hoverfly, was also spotted which you are also able to read more about in this article on the website HERE
If you would like to get involved with the the final survey day, please let us know by emailing info@bishopsmeadowtrust.com and we will share the survey dates when we have them.
Update on the cows
A Bishop's Meadow first! Nine calves were born on the meadows this year from the nine black angus heifers introduced in spring. We had so many lovely messages from local residents who appreciated the cows and visited, including one resident who visited daily taking photos and videos! The grazier makes sure that the cows are well looked after; after grazing on the meadows, the cows were then let into the orchard area to graze, particularly as there are brambles there and they are very nutritious for them. The grazier makes decisions based on their welfare and after a happy spring and early summer on the meadows they have now been moved on. It has been lovely to hear how much they have been enjoyed, especially as lots of time and effort went in behind the scenes by the Trust to purchase and set up the fencing and finding a suitable grazier to partner with. We hope to see cattle return to the meadows in autumn or next spring. Thank you for all the positive feedback.
New hedging and meadow biodiversity
In late February this year over 800 plants were planted with a mix of hazel, dogwood, spindle, dog rose, field maple and hawthorn. No weeding has been carried out so there are lots of flowering plants, including fleabane, bristly oxtongue, nettles and thistles. We are also pleased to share that the hedging is doing very well, it will create a great habitat for local wildlife. Some plants have shown no sign of growth but even though the main stem appears dead new growth is happening at the base. Manor Field won't be cut this year to help support biodiversity, selective areas of cutting may be done in future to manage any dominant plant species. The meadow is displaying large clumps of fleabane, meadow vetchling and ragwort being fed on by cinnabar moth caterpillars. Also spotted were lots of common red soldier beetles, Rhagonycha fulva. They are an important part of the ecosystem, the adults feed on aphids, and the larvae eat other things that can be considered pests in gardens.
New bee trail!
We are delighted that the Bishop's Meadows are a part of the new Farnham bee trail which has been created by Hive Helpers in partnership with Farnham Town Council.
The interactive trail leads you through the town’s picturesque green spaces, gardens, and hidden corners, celebrating Farnham’s buzzing bee population and the vital role these pollinators play. The bee trail booklet includes information about the bees you might see and pictures of the plants bees love.
Download a copy of the Bee Trail and see if you can find the bee home in the meadows! You can also pick up paper copies of the trail at the library, museum, council offices and the Farnham Maltings.
Annual General Meeting
Our AGM will be on Saturday 6th September at 10am, hosted at space2grow. All members are very welcome, so please do come along to learn about what has been happening over the past year and to share your views about future plans for the Meadow. We're grateful to our members for the continued support in preserving this unique & ancient piece of land in central Farnham.
You need to be a member to be able to attend the AGM.
To become a member of the Trust you simply need to make a donation. This is very easily done through the Enthuse platform which you can access by clicking HERE. You are able to set the amount and the frequency. Every donation is hugely appreciated. We receive no public funding. Every single donation helps us to be able to do the work we do. The more we raise from our members' subscriptions the safer the future of the Meadow is.
If you are unsure about your membership status and would like to check what it is please do not hesitate to email info@bishopsmeadowtrust.com and we can check this for you.
