Meadow culture good for wildlife

ISLANDERS have been learning how to manage their land. A workshop providing advice on how do this to enhance its wildlife value was held on Saturday after a number of landowners had expressed an interest in learning more.

Griff Caldwell and Bridget Ozanne, of La Societe Guernesiaise, led a group of 17 enthusiasts on a walk which started at its orchid fields at Rue du Douit du Moulin.

Mr Caldwell said the aim of the workshop was to educate people who often needed a bit of guidance to make the most out of the potential of land they own.

'They mow the fields because they often don't know what else to do. A mown field is like an ecological desert,' he said.

'If it is properly managed, the biodiversity of the field would be increased.'

Mrs Ozanne explained why she thought the workshop was important for those who went along.

'I think it's to raise people's awareness of the richness of the flora of these meadows. They are unique.'

She said that there were types of orchid growing in Guernsey that don't grow in Britain.

'Some of the people are gobsmacked at what they see, as the meadows have been managed traditionally and there are very few like this in the British Isles.'

Jane Miller, a housewife, joined the workshop to gain advice on how to get rid of unwanted plants in fields without weedkiller.

Marlene Place owns a field that she currently lets to a farmer who, she said, did a good job. She was aiming to get some ideas for the future.

'I am interested in the maintenance of traditional Guernsey fields and wanted to learn more about it.'

Eric Le Quesne does not own a field but was keen to learn about what Environment Guernsey, of which he is the company secretary, could do.

'I'm taking this opportunity to learn about the company's responsibilities. I'm a layman so I'm very much here to learn.'

Mrs Ozanne added that lots of islanders had not seen the orchid fields and it was a chance for them to see how they were managed.