Open Meadows Saturday 6th June 2026

 

Our Open Meadows this year are at Newchurch and Earlswood, both about half way between Chepstow and Usk, deep in the heart of south Monmouthshire. They are both stunning locations, and the Newchurch location is suitable for access by those with limited mobility. We are operating a booking system for the guided walks led by our expert botanists, Steph Tyler, Andy Karran, Tim Oliver and Lowri  Watkins. 

Please note that dogs are not allowed at either location. 

April 2026 AGM 

 

Our AGM was followed by 3 short talks focused on nature recovery. Three speakers presented their work on developing Resilient Ecological Networks across Monmouthshire and explained how the wildlife clusters we are developing can support this work. Kate Stinchcombe, Nature Recovery manager for Monmouthshire council highlighted the environmental benefits; Richard Thomas of Natural Resources Wales provided an overview of mapping RENs; and Elliot Waters of the Gwent Green Grid Partnership explained how MMG members can contribute to this important step in nature recovery across Monmouthshire. 

January 2026 Hedge-laying course at Wet Meadow

 

A wonderful introduction to the benefits and techniques of hedge-laying, hosted at our wet meadow in Trellech

November 2025 Wildlife corridors in the community

 

Our autumn meeting in November, held at Gwehelog Village Hall, was very well attended. The theme of the afternoon was connectivity - that is how we can link up areas to create wildlife corridors and allow nature to thrive. Our guest speakers were Dr Stephanie Tyler and three MMG members: Steph introduced the theme of the meeting and then local members Simon Taylor, Steve Hoselitz and Saran Allot-Davey talked about the delights of their own meadows and pastures, all in the Gwehelog and Trostrey area. Linking these areas was an aim. The talks inspired members from other areas in Monmouthshire to get together with neighbouring meadow owners to see how they could connect up

Open Meadows Day 2025

 

MMG’s main annual event is, of course, our Open Meadows Day. This year, rather ambitiously, we chose three sites in the far north of the county and just over the border in Powys. It was very remote and despite the planning that went into managing visitors’ cars in the narrow roads and limited parking spots, not everyone managed to reach all the sites as they intended. But goodness, the trip was worth it! Such stunning scenery, and the meadows were incredible. 

At Harry Marshall’s Box Bush Farm in Capel-y-ffin, visitors were able to visit this designated SSSI with a wide range of species on view. Our other open meadows were Nant-y-Bedd, which many will know as the gardens run by Ian and Sue Mabberley in the Grwyn Fawr valley; and Ty Major near Fforest Coalpit, the home of Sheelagh Kerry and Peter Smith. Sheelagh is one of our team of botanists who undertake surveys of members’ land. We had over 70 visitors in all and we can’t thank the hosts and volunteers enough for making it possible.

Summer 2025 Invertebrate surveys at MMG reserves

 

Thanks to our team of expert botanists, MMG has a detailed record of the plants on our own Reserves. Our meadows, however, are also the home and refuge of a myriad of insects and other invertebrates. Members may remember that trustees decided last year to ask a good entomologist to pay monthly visits to Wet Meadow and Kingcoed Reserves to establish what was there. Christian Owen did a marvellous job at these two MMG reserves and his findings are summarised [here] link to new page on invertebrate surveys

In addition, thanks to Wye Valley National Landscapes there was a DNA survey of hedge invertebrates at Wet Meadow which is summarised [here]  link to page on DNA survey  

Cattle on Wet Meadow 

 

We are trialling having cattle on Wet Meadow reserve rather than taking a hay cut each year. The intention is to support invertebrate life by reducing the ‘shock’ of cutting and removing the grassland habitat over the course of a couple of days. 

Grazing Management Ltd has provided 10 beef steers to summer graze for two years, controlling the cattle movements with Nofence technology. 

This project has been supported by a grant from Wye Valley Natural Landscapes, to whom we are very grateful. A team of volunteers cattle check the cattle each day. The cattle have become very popular with local walkers. 

April 2025 AGM

 

Clare Whittle (dungbeetlesforfarmers.co.uk) gave an excellent talk on Dung Beetles at our AGM in April. Claire is a vet whose special interest is the positive impact of regenerative agriculture on animal health and welfare. She really brought home the importance of these little guys. They don’t just break down dung and facilitate nutrient recycling. They contribute to maintaining healthy cattle, for example by reducing parasites. Their tunnelling helps to aerate the soil, allowing water to soak through and reducing run-off as well as assisting with carbon sequestration. These useful little creatures are highly endangered by the usual suspects: habitat loss, climate change, pesticides, and other modern farming practices. Keeping animals housed inside means there is no dung for beetles to eat over winter, and anti-parasitic treatments given to farm animals are lethal to dung beetles. There are hopeful signs that more sustainable solutions can be found to the latter: read more at www.cattleparasites.org.uk and www.scops.org.uk