The Fawn Gardens Meadow So Far

FRIENDS OF BALLARD WATER MEADOW

NEW MILTON TOWN COUNCIL

BALLARD MEADOW AND WOODLAND

THE CLEARING

(Between Fawn Gardens and Woar Copse)

INTRODUCTION

The small clearing measuring approximately 1700sq m is located between Fawn Gardens and Woar Copse. It is the eastern most part of the Crest Estate constructed between 1989 and 1993. This relict grassland and rich wildflower patch is one of a number on the estate that were given over by the building developers as a planning condition, and are designated public open space. A short section between Fawn Gardens and the edge of the Copse had been timber-edged and gravelled originally, but has since grow-in. Other pedestrian created paths connect the Green Way to Fawn Gardens and to Woar Copse in a triangular pattern (see Sketch 1). It serves as a walk-through to the Copse, Ballard Meadow and New Milton town centre from the houses.

MANAGEMENT

1. Previously

As a public open space, the responsibility for management following occupation of properties by residents, sometimes falls to a local residents’ group, a parish/town council or the District Council. It was taken on by NFDC. At some point, as part of the Service Level Agreement with NFDC, New Milton Town Council became the managing body responsible for its maintenance, along with several other small open spaces and a play-area within the estate.

Management comprised repeated cutting throughout the year using ride-on mowers. All the growth was macerated and left in-situ. In 2020 it was suggested to the Town Council that leaving a 2m margin uncut against the boundaries would provide a tall-herb zone for overwintering invertebrates. At one point this was cut and didn’t fulfil the objective. However, in 2021, a much wider margin was left uncut. This was trimmed in late autumn by the FBWM and the cut material raked-off and stacked in heaps in the corner of the clearing to rot down.

In early 2021 a native oak tree was planted by New Milton Town Council in the centre of the plot as part of their locally advertised sponsored tree-planting initiative. Also in 2021, it was rumoured that this clearing was being put forward as a possible location for a new Community Garden planned for the town, promoted by the New Milton Residents’ Association. Thankfully, a more suitable location has been agreed.

2. Future

In 2022, apart from the triangular pattern of paths through the plot, no cutting has been undertaken by the Town Council. The onus for its management now lies with FBWM.

The new cutting regime (shown in Sketch 1) will comprise regular mowing of the pedestrian routes through the Clearing by the Town Council using the traditional ride-on mowers. Material will be macerated and left in situ. The rest of the plot will be managed by hand cutting the vegetation tall, using a clearing saw/brushcutter, then raking-up the arisings (usually the following day). This short delay allows invertebrates and seeds to drop from the vegetation. The arisings are collected in bulk-bags and taken away for composting by the Town Council. Taking away the arisings will help lower the nutrients being fed back into the soil, which is important for wild flowers as they prefer nutrient-poor soil types.

Only half the area of vegetation will be cut and cleared in any one year, usually in late August or early September (in 2022, 18-19 August), alternating each year. The reason for this is that the uncut half provides benefits for overwintering invertebrates. Many species overwinter in hollow plant-stems for example. Some invertebrates overwinter as eggs or pupae attached to tall stems. By cutting only half each year, this allows these invertebrates to develop undisturbed and emerge in spring as a new generation. Any woody vegetation or bramble that grows in the wildflower areas, will only be allowed to develop for a maximum of two years and will be controlled each time the sections are cut.

Bob Lord

Chairman

Friends of Ballard Water Meadow

September 2022