Devon Meadow Makers

Creating or restoring wildflower-rich ‘meadows’ directly benefits bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects while helping to provide food or shelter to a range of wildlife from barn owls to bats. This is a growing element of Devon Wildlife Trust’s work for Devon’s wildlife.

In spring and summer, when pollinating insects visit the flowers for food, we can also enjoy time spent in a colourful landscape, buzzing with life. 

Where have all the flowers gone?

Traditional wildflower meadows have all but vanished from much of our countryside, replaced by industrial-fertilized fields of uniform green grass. Few flowers can survive in this landscape and without those nectar-rich flowers, pollinating insects - such as our endangered bumblebees - have declined too. 

In Devon, the ‘Culm grasslands’ to the north of Dartmoor are some of our most important places for wildflowers and the wild creatures they support – but only around 10% of the wildflower-rich grasslands of 100 years ago are still in good condition in northern Devon today.

Bringing back the wild

The good news is that where wildflower meadows have been lost – anywhere in Devon - they can be restored to richness, colour and life. There are different methods for restoring or re-creating wildflower meadows. Devon Wildlife Trust has for years been working with landowners to do just that. 

To make a meadow for wildlife on a patch of grassland you just need time, the most suitable wildflower seeds, access to the right equipment and the knowledge to manage a meadow successfully in its earliest stages. 

Last year many DWT supporters backed our Blooming Wild Devon crowdfunder to help bring more wildflowers back to the countryside in North Devon and the South Hams and increase wildflowers in urban green spaces.

Thanks to our brilliant community of supporters, the 2019 Crowdfunder exceeded all expectations and we secured funding to carry out this crucial work for Devon’s wildlife. Thanks to that crowdfunder and other support, last year DWT restored, improved or created 195 hectares (9,482 acres) of wildflower-rich grassland. 

That’s equal to 278 football pitches threaded with colourful blooms and buzzing with wildlife. 

Devon’s Meadow Makers

But our new goal is to move beyond specific areas of the county to bring back wildflowers on a grander scale. We want to be able to support people to make meadows wherever they live in Devon. We want to see swathes of wildflower-rich grassland in fields, road verges and gardens. We want to see a county of Meadow Makers.

Devon Wildlife Trust has been thrilled with the response of the communities and individuals whom we’ve worked alongside to create and restore these wildlife havens. Increasingly, many supporters and landowners are asking for advice on how they can increase the diversity and abundance of native wildflowers on their own land.  

We are so heartened by their enthusiasm and determination to be wildflower champions that we want to give them all the support they will need to make meadows across the county.

That is why we are turning to you, our community of supporters, once more. We know that empowering and supporting people and communities to create a wilder Devon is crucial. 

We need to raise at least £6,000 to start the Devon Meadow Makers scheme. Can you help support our first new Meadow Makers?

What will Meadow Makers need?

For people across Devon to seed, nurture and harvest new wildflower meadows, DWT needs to support their learning and skills - and provide access to equipment. 

Devon’s Meadow Makers will need specialist seed harvesting kit, sowing drills and other machinery on a loan basis – so people won’t have to purchase equipment themselves - to give the meadows the best possible start.  

By sharing expert knowledge and practical support, DWT will help people across the county to create a network of wildflower meadows to get Devon buzzing.   These joined-up wildflower meadows will also form green byways for wildlife around the county, so wild creatures won’t be ‘locked down’ to one isolated wildlife-rich site.

We need to raise at least £6,000 to begin to turn the Devon’s Meadow Makers idea into reality.

Free wildflower seeds for you

By supporting this Crowdfunder, you can also start your own wildflower meadow - just select the pack of wildflower seeds best suited to your own patch of land. 

All pledges receive either a copy of DWT’s Make a Meadow booklet - your guide to creating a wildflower-rich area in your garden - or instructions on how to use wildflower seeds to make a larger meadow.

For an £8 pledge you receive a small pack of seeds to create a wildflower area in your garden.

For higher pledges you receive wildflower seeds to cover an area of 25 square metres, using the types of seed mix used by Devon Wildlife Trust.

Please pledge your support for Devon’s Meadow Makers and help get Devon buzzing!