Rare breed Hebridean sheep and longhorn cattle from Bill Quay Community Farm have been used to graze land over winter to help put the magic back into a wildflower meadow at Wardley.
Intensive agriculture and forestry over many years has seen a huge decline in wildflower meadows and the insects and animals that frequent them. This is already changing in Wardley thanks to Bill Quay Farm’s furry friends.
Livestock grazing allows wild flowers to prosper, benefiting a wide range of insects and other animals. This form of management has encouraged breeding skylarks to return to the site.
The improvements to the Wardley meadow play a significant part in the implementation of the Durham Biodiversity Action Plan, which Gateshead Council has supported for many years as part of the Durham Biodiversity Partnership. The action plan exists to help threatened species and habitats and one part of this involves the restoration of flower rich grasslands.
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