Muston Meadows is an 8.8-hectare (22-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest south of Muston in Leicestershire.[1][2] It is also a National Nature Reserve[3][4] and a Nature Conservation Review site.[5]
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
 | |
| Location | Leicestershire |
|---|---|
| Grid reference | SK 825 368[1] |
| Interest | Biological |
| Area | 8.8 hectares[1] |
| Notification | 1983[1] |
| Location map | Magic Map |
These ridge and furrow meadows are on soils derived from clay. Herbs include green-winged orchid, lady's bedstraw, yellow rattle, pepper saxifrage and cowslip.[5]
The site is in two different areas, both of which are open to the public.
At Muston Meadows, hay is cut in late summer and over winter the meadow is grazed by cattle.[6] This prevents the meadow habitat from transitioning to forest through ecological succession.[7][8] Some of the plants in the nature reserve only grow in meadows and this kind of habitat is very threatened in the UK; 97% of Britain's wildflower meadows have been destroyed since the 1930s.[9]
References
edit- ^ a b c d "Designated Sites View: Muston Meadows". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
- ^ "Map of Muston Meadows". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
- ^ "Designated Sites View: Muston Meadows". National Nature Reserves. Natural England. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
- ^ "Leicestershire's National Nature Reserves". Natural England. 31 October 2008. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
- ^ a b "Muston Meadows citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 August 2017. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
- ^ Grantham Ecology - Muston Meadows
- ^ Biological Conservation - The Impact of Mowing as a Management Strategy for Wet Meadows on Spider Communities
- ^ The Telegraph - Sheep Graze London's Royal Parks in Wildflower Meadow Bid
- ^ The Independent - Nearly all British wildflower meadows have been eradicated, prompting calls for urgent government action
