A trial has begun aimed at increasing the variety of wildflowers on Ludlow’s Whitcliffe Common.
Some four years ago the Friends of Whitcliffe Common and Shropshire
Widlife Trust took the first step to increasing the diversity of the common
by spreading hay from a wildlife meadow which has proved quite
successful.
There has been a marked increase in the variety of wildflowers on
Whitcliffe including such species as wild orchids and yellow rattle.
Now the two organisations are to run a trial project with a Little Hereford
firm (info@soiladvisory.co.uk) which it is hoped will produce good results.
Four small plots on the common will see the grass cut and put to one side,
soil rotavated, raked and then cultivated. Hay and seed will be spread and
rolled in.
FOWC chairman Daphne Jones said, “We think this will be an interesting
trial and are hopeful that it will be successful. Soil samples have already
been taken to assess ground conditions so the actual trial should begin quite
soon.”
The trial will be paid for from the Tesco grant voted for by the public.
Improvement of the variety of wildflowers on the common was part of the
application.
 The £6500 scheme to improve paths on Whitcliffe will see work start
this week on the common. The local firm undertaking the work has
been doing preparatory work in its workshop.
FOWC asked that people understand there will be some disruption to
their walks while this work is being done. But completion will see the
walks put in good condition for years to come and much safer to use.
(Again Tesco grant money will be used for some of the path work
with FOWC also providing money from its own funds.)