A Togher Tidy Towns Project supported by Cork City Council and funded by the Community Climate Action Fund
We are delighted to begin work on our new Community Meadow Project in the green area adjacent to Togher Boys’ School and Togher Girls’ School.
This project is funded by the Community Climate Action Fund and supported by Cork City Council, which is supporting us throughout all stages of the project.
The area is already an important habitat for plants, pollinators and other wildlife. Our aim is not to replace this existing habitat, but to build on what is already there and make the area even better for biodiversity.
Preparing the area
The first stage of the project will involve clearing and preparing the ground below the tarmac. The area has become quite overgrown, so a contractor will carry out the initial cutting and clearing work from mid-September.
The ground will then be scarified to create patches of bare soil and suitable conditions for wildflower seeds to establish.
The hedgerow will be left intact as part of the existing habitat.
We are following the guidance of the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan throughout the project. We are also following appropriate guidelines during the cutting and preparation of the area to minimise disturbance and protect the wildlife that is already present.
Recording the existing biodiversity
Before the cutting takes place, we are recording what is already living and growing in the area.
We will document the plants, pollinators and other wildlife that we find. This will give us a baseline record of the biodiversity currently present and allow us to monitor how the area changes as the meadow develops.
This is an important part of the project because we want to understand not only what we introduce, but also how the existing wildlife responds to the changes in the habitat.
Working with local schools
Once the area has been cleared and scarified, we hope to involve children from Togher Boys’ and Girls’ Schools in sowing yellow rattle seeds.
The children will sow the seeds after the ground has been scarified, giving them an opportunity to take part directly in the creation of the meadow and to follow its development over the coming seasons.
We hope that this involvement will also provide an opportunity for children to learn about biodiversity, pollinators, native wildflowers and the importance of managing natural habitats.
Yellow rattle – the “meadow maker”
Yellow rattle (Rhinanthus minor) is a native annual wildflower often called the “meadow maker” because it helps weaken vigorous grasses and allows other wildflowers to thrive.
Key characteristics
Yellow rattle grows approximately 10 to 50 cm tall. It has opposite, toothed green leaves and produces small, bright yellow, two-lipped flowers from around May through to late summer.
Its name comes from its seed pods. After flowering, the pods swell and dry, and the seeds inside make a distinctive rattling sound when shaken by the wind.
How does yellow rattle work?
Yellow rattle is a hemiparasite, meaning that it produces its own energy through photosynthesis but its roots can also attach to nearby plants and take water and nutrients from them.
It particularly affects vigorous grasses, reducing their size and strength. This helps prevent grasses from becoming too dominant and allows more light and space for other wildflowers to grow.
By keeping vigorous grass under control, yellow rattle can help create conditions where a greater diversity of wildflowers can establish, including species such as daisies, clovers and knapweed. These plants can, in turn, provide valuable food and habitat for pollinators and other wildlife.
Monitoring the meadow
An important part of our project will be monitoring how the meadow develops.
We will compare areas where yellow rattle has been introduced with areas that have been managed in the same way but without yellow rattle. This will allow us to observe the differences and understand how yellow rattle affects the development of the meadow.
We will continue recording plants, pollinators and wildlife as the project progresses. By comparing our observations over time with the baseline information collected before the work begins, we hope to build a better understanding of how the habitat is changing.
Creating pathways
Once the meadow becomes established, we hope to create small pathways through parts of the area.
These pathways will allow children and members of the community to enjoy and explore the meadow while helping to protect the surrounding vegetation and habitat.
This will be a later stage of the project, once the meadow has had time to establish and the vegetation has developed.
A long-term community project
Creating a diverse meadow is a long-term process. It requires careful preparation, appropriate management and ongoing monitoring.
With Cork City Council supporting us throughout every stage of the project, we hope to build on the biodiversity that already exists at the site and gradually create an even richer habitat for wildflowers, pollinators and other wildlife.
At the same time, we want the project to be something the local community and our schools can learn from and enjoy.
We look forward to documenting the development of the meadow and sharing its progress with the community over the coming seasons. 🌿🐝