Devon SSSI nature reserve and eco lodges - Maggie's Blog
25 April
Bluebells in flower...
Bluebells are just coming out in the woodland part of our site SSSI nature reserve. Spring is in full swing.
And last Thursday Simon Berry, from the Devon Wildlife Trust, kindly came round to take another look at our culm grassland. It was a reassuring visit, particularly when he said the far end was almost 'too good for grazing' - not really enough grass to feed cows and instead flowering plants packed into all the available space.
That's good, because there is also hemlock water dropwort there - and if the cows get at the roots they can poison themselves. Many graziers take a relaxed attitude apparently - saying the cows so rarely get at the roots it's not really a problem. But then they're not our cows, and we don't have the experience to give us that reassuring confidence....
Instead, we'll burn this end occassionally in winter(our rather wet burn earlier in the year does seem to have done some good) and graze the other sections.
Elsewhere amongst the grass lousewort and bitter vetchling are already flowering.