The Council are proposing to put the larger sections onto a ‘1 cut’ to be cut by the ride-on mower during late Summer going forwards. However, they also think that an earlier cut too would be beneficial, at least this year.

During the later cut (from September), they can cut back the encroaching brambles.  They also discussed that it would be beneficial for the grass arisings to be raked off where possible. We agreed that these could be the Council’s week-day Nature Nurture sessions but KWAG would also offer to help with the task once we know when it was happening.

The areas of grassland adjacent to Pen Pole point (which are more sloped) and two smaller areas west of this (which have more coverage by tree saplings) will be mapped as ‘hand cut’ areas, and Nature Nurture volunteers will look to build in some scything and tree-popping sessions along there this year.

This is all terrific news as encroachment of scrub onto the grassland here has been a key concern for us for many years. The past mowing regime has been intermittent and often neglected, the only area having a clear strategy being the area KWAG cleared of brambles and sowed with meadow flower seed around the Dial.

This new commitment to maintaining and restoring the area is really welcomed, and we hope it will free-up our volunteers to tackle other areas of the estate.