Conservation Corridor

Question 1

If you have several patches of grass, how should you cut them?

Answer 1

Cut in rotation so that some grass is always left uncut.

Question 2

What should you do with grass after it’s been cut?

Answer 2

• Let the clippings dry for a few days so that flowers can release their seeds and insects can escape.
• However, you’ll have to remove them eventually otherwise they’ll decay and add nutrients to the soil.

Question 3

Give two reasons why avoiding mowing is good (hint: fuel and soil).

Answer 3

• Mowing less will help to save on fuel costs
• It’ll also help to reduce soil compaction, which in turn allows the soil to be free-draining

Question 4

Should top soil ever be added if you’re aiming to create wildflower meadows?

Answer 4

No, conditions will be too nutrient rich and grasses will grow vigorously.

Question 5

What are the four principles for nature-friendly management of urban grassland?

Answer 5

• Mow less often
• Collect cuttings to reduce fertility
• Leave uncut refuges for wildlife
• Create varied habitats with different lengths of grass, mixed with scrub (and ideally hedges and trees)

Question 6

If you want to reduce the fertility of a grassland to create a wildflower meadow, how and when should you mow it?

Answer 6

It should be mowed three times in one year.
* You should mow once in April or May when there are no wildflowers present.
* Then in July
* And then in September
* You should mow the grass when it’s at its tallest. Coarse grasses put most of their energy into growing vertically, so cutting it when it’s tall will reduce its dominance.

Question 7

Should you always completely remove nettles and brambles?

Answer 7

No
* Nettles and tall grasses are the main food plants for the caterpillars of many common butterflies
* Brambles are also good for bees, birds, and small mammals (especially hedgehogs)

Question 8

Will you be able to turn any field of grass into a wildflower meadow?

Answer 8

No, especially those where nutrients are replenished very quickly (e.g., during floods, or if the ground was fertilised in the past). It’s probably best to only cut these areas twice a year, rather than 3 times.

If you really REALLY want to turn one into a meadow then you’ll have to cut every 6-8 weeks.

Question 9

How will you know when you need to reduce mowing?

Answer 9

Through the use of test areas.
* Each year, leave a small area uncut (changing the uncut area each year).
* When a test area resembles a “flowering lawn” (short grasses with common flower species) and the area is less than 30% competitive grass, AND the grass is no higher than 70cm, then you can start to cut twice a year.

Question 10

What could be considered to be the ultimate goal when managing an urban grassland?

Answer 10

The goal is to only cut a field once or twice a year (early spring and/or late autumn when wildlife is minimal).

Question 11

If you’re going to cut an urban grassland twice a year, when should you do so and why?

Answer 11

• 1st cut: early spring - Feb is ground is dry, March if not (only really do this if grass is growing strongly)
• Then cut in autumn between Sept and Oct.

Question 12

How long does it take for flowers to set seed after flowering?

Answer 12

Six to eight weeks.

Question 13

If cutting a grassland twice a year, when can you skip the Feb/Mar cut? (3 Points)

Answer 13

• If grass is not growing strongly
• If the area is too wet
• If wildflowers are already growing

Question 14

Give a typical cycle for managing an urban grassland

Answer 14

Question 15

Why is cutting on rotation good?

Answer 15

To maximise the diversity of resources available to wildlife (e.g., you’ll have different grass lengths, and floral resources will always be available for wildlife in some capacity).

Question 16

Where do you want to leave piles of grass cuttings? (2 Points)

Answer 16

• Areas that are already quite fertile (e.g., areas with lots of nettles)
• Sunny areas, as they can be good habitats for grass snakes and slow worms

Question 17

Over time, what should happen to the volume of grass cuttings after each cut?

Answer 17

The volume should decline. This is because fertility also declines as the grass is cut.

Question 18

When brush cutting a field of tussocky grass, should you cut high or low?

Answer 18

Cut high (5-8cm) as many insects and larvae live in tussocks at the base of grass stems, close to the ground.

Question 19

What should you do before brush cutting a grassy field?

Answer 19

Do a “pre-cut walkover”. This will allow you to remove litter and to let small animals know that you’re about to cut. You should always check for hedgehogs.

Question 20

What should you mow towards when cutting?

Answer 20

A refuge, to allow animals to escape you.

Question 21

What should you never use on grasslands?

Answer 21

Fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides
* Fertilizers cause grasses to grow faster
* Herbicides and pesticides harm wildlife

Question 22

What percentage of tall grass should be left to serve as a refuge?

Answer 22

10-20% of tall grass. These should be 1-2m strips along hedges, fences, walls, and larger areas.

Question 23

When can you sow yellow rattle into a field?

Answer 23

When the field is cut twice a year or less - frequent cuttings will kill-off the yellow rattle.

Question 24

What are five good urban grassland pioneer species that you can sow?

Answer 24

Common knapweed
Ox-eye daisy
Bird’s foot trefoil
Kidney vetch (if the soil is bare enough)
Marjoram (a good late summer nectar source)

Question 25

What four “weed” species are a sign of fertile conditions?

Answer 25

• Nettles
• Docks
• Thistles
• Ragwort

Question 26

How often does a roadside verge have to be mown in order for plant species richness to significantly increase?

Answer 26

Once or twice a year. Usually, twice is better.

Note that this assumes that grass cuttings are removed.

Question 27

If you’re going to sow seeds into a grassland, when should you do so?

Answer 27

Between August and November.

Unless you’re using plugs, in which case plant them in autumn.

Question 28

A soil test is essential to see how nutrient rich your grassland is. Low nutrient levels are best for establishing a more diverse flora. What should the phosphorous index be?

Answer 28

It should be between 0 and 1.

Question 29

When should you never mow? (Two months)

Answer 29

June and August. This is when spring and summer flowers are at their peak respectively.

Disregard this info if there are no wildflowers.

Question 30

What height do you want to mow tussocky grass down to?

Answer 30

5cm.

Question 31

What sort of sheet do you need when building a hibernaculum?

Answer 31

A permeable (lets water through) geotextile fabric (Optional. Gets laid on top of the rocks and logs to help prevent dirt from filling in the gaps).

A cotton bedsheet also works.

Question 32

If you’re going to use drainpipes in a hibernaculum, how should you position them?

Answer 32

Make sure the ends touch the ground so things can actually enter them.

You’ll still need pipes even if building an above ground hibernaculum.

Question 33

How can you make sure that things will climb up a drainpipe in a hibernaculum?

Answer 33

• By adding sticks
• Or by roughing them up with sand paper

Question 34

What should be north of a hibernaculum?

Answer 34

Scrub!

Question 35

What should be sticking out on the southern side of a hibernaculum?

Answer 35

Logs and rocks.

South-facing exposed rocks will absorb heat.

Question 36

When building a hibernaculum, should woody bits and rocky bits be layered?

Answer 36

No - mix them up!

Question 37

How much soil should you add to the top of a hibernaculum?

Answer 37

Quite a bit - about 20cm or even 2 feet!

Question 38

If building an above ground hibernaculum, where could you get your soil from?

Answer 38

You could get it by excavating a hole in the ground that will become a complementary pond.

Question 39

Does a hibernaculum have to be located next to a pond or stream?

Answer 39

No, but it is ideal.

Question 40

What small, artificial thing can you place near a hibernaculum to complement it?

Answer 40

Roofing tiles - these will serve as basking sites during the summer.

Question 41

Should soil on top of a hibernaculum be loose or firm?

Answer 41

You’ll want to gently pat it, so firmish.

Question 42

How long can a seed bank be viable for?

Answer 42

70 years!

Disturbance to the soil can trigger germination!

Question 43

Why should you sow be shallow when sowing seeds?

Answer 43

Because weed seed banks can be active for 70 years, and can be activated by disturbance to the soil.

Question 44

When sowing wildflower seeds, do you do it with or without grass being present on the site?

Answer 44

Depends
* If the site is sloping, then grass can be beneficial because erosion can be an issue.
* Remember that not all grass species are competitive. See below for a table.

Question 45

Name three grass species that aren’t competitive.

Answer 45

• Red fescue
• Crested dog’s tail
• Yellow oat grass

Question 46

Can a biodiverse grassland ever sustain itself? What special thing will be lost?

Answer 46

No - they require management, otherwise they become dominated by vigorous weeds, rank
grasses and scrub that will all out-compete the wildflowers and result in the loss of a valuable
refuge for wildlife.

Question 47

What are the benefits of mowing in April and May?

Answer 47

• Wildflowers won’t be be present (not guaranteed, especially in May).
• The most vigorous grasses will be selectively weakened.

This is the best time to tackle vigorous grasses.

Question 48

What’s the main benefit of mowing in Autumn (Sept. and Oct.)?

Answer 48

Most flowers will have set seed!

Question 49

If you’re going to change your management routine for an infertile grassland, what’s important to remember?

Answer 49

Infertile grassland communities usually respond slowly to changes in management - long term monitoring is required.

Question 50

What’s poaching?

Answer 50

Poaching is damage done to grasslands by livestock. Consider doing it artificially to create gaps for seeds to land in!

Question 51

How often do you need to sharpen a brush cutter blade?

Answer 51

Sharpen blades once a year (if the brush cutter is only used occasionally).

Question 52

Can you use any random guard with a brush cutter?

Answer 52

No - check the guard to see what blades it’s compatible with (meaning it may say so on the guard itself).

Question 53

What do you have to do before changing a cutting head on a brush cutter? What shouldn’t you do?

Answer 53

You need to secure the drive flange with the appropriate locking pin, which is supplied by the manufacturer. Do not use anything else to secure the drive flange, like a nail.

Question 54

Is a personal first aid kit (an ouch-pouch) suitable for brush cutting?

Answer 54

No, a wound created by a brush cutter requires a proper first aid kit.

Question 55

What should brush cutters be cleaned with?

Answer 55

A wet towel - soaps may degrade plastic.

Question 56

What forgettable piece of PPE do you need to wear while brush cutting?

Answer 56

An orange high-vis vest (yellow blends you in with surrounding vegetation).

Question 57

How far away should anyone be from you when you’re brush cutting?

Answer 57

At least 15m.

Question 58

When brushcutting with a cord strimmer, how do you get more cord if you’ve lost some?

Answer 58

• Get the head spinning
• Bash the head of the brushcutter against the ground

Question 59

What four things should be done everytime you use a brushcutter (before you start to use it).

Remember VTL before every use: Visual, Tightness, Lubrication.

Answer 59

• A visual inspection (i.e. look at the condition and check for leaks)
• Check the tightness of the cutting head
• Check the lubrication of the gearbox (you only have to top it up if necessary)

Question 60

How do you stop someone when they’re brushcutting?

Answer 60

Walk up to them from behind and put your left hand on their left shoulder. They should then hit the kill-switch before they even think of turning around to cut your legs off.

Question 61

What can happen if a brushcutter’s shaft is damaged in any way?

Answer 61

It can cause excessive vibration and damage the machine.

Question 62

• What can happen if you don’t lubricate a brushcutter’s gearbox?
• Can you apply too much lubricant?

Answer 62

• The machine can overheat and become seriously damaged in the process.
• Yes, you can apply too much lubricant and it will still overheat.

Question 63

What does a cutting head have that your brushcutter must not exceed?

Answer 63

A maximum rotational speed. Check the MOMs for your blade and machine to see if your machine’s speed doesn’t exceed the max of the cutting head.

Question 64

What are wire brushcutter heads made from? What’s their purpose and why might this be an issue?

Answer 64

• Nylon
• Wire heads break up grass into small pieces that decompose quickly. This many be an issue if you want to rake up the cut debris.

Don’t use nylon wires on the Conservation Corridor.

Question 65

What can happen if a brushcutter blade is imbalanced?

Answer 65

It can result in severe vibration and possible damage to your machine.

Question 66

What are the two main benefits to using a metal brush cutter blade instead of nylon cord?

Answer 66

• Metal blades can cut through woody stemmed plants (namely bramble and anything tougher than it).
• Cut material is large enough to be collected (very important for Conservation Corridor).

Question 67

In terms of movement, what must you not do when operating a brushcutter?

Answer 67

Move backwards.

Question 68

When should a locking nut be replaced? Why does it need to be replaced?

Answer 68

• It should be replaced after being removed 5 times.
• OR when the nylon insert inside becomes so worn that you can screw the nut on by hand.
• As stated, the nylon insert wears down over time so the entire nut needs replacing.

Question 69

What two things must you be aware of when starting up a brush cutter?

Answer 69

• Do not kneel or stand on the shaft - just keep your hand on it.
• Keep the cutting head off of the ground (i.e. support it with the guard).

Question 70

What are some pre-cutting checks you should do before using a brush cutter?

Answer 70

• Hold the brushcutter in the correct matter and increase the engine speed. If it’s vibrating too much, don’t use it.
• When the throttle lock-out is released, the cutting head must stop (may take a few revolutions before completely stopping).
• Check the on/off switch (by actually using it).

Question 71

What four things should you do if your brush cutter head becomes entangled in plant matter?

Answer 71

• Switch the machine off
• Release it from the harness
• Remove the battery
• Remove the entangled material until the cutting head can rotate freely

Question 72

Why is it important to introduce new plant species to urban grasslands?

Answer 72

Because urban grasslands are often too far from natural sources of recolonisation.

Question 73

Why wouldn’t you use a flail on an urban grassland?

Answer 73

Similar to a nylon head on a brush cutter, flails chop up vegetation into tiny pieces. This makes cut material very difficult to remove, which is often required to help reduce soil fertility.

Question 74

If you’re going to leave grass cuttings for a few days so they can set seed, what should you remember to do?

Answer 74

Toss it to keep it aerated.

Question 75

What’s better for boosting floral diversity in urban grasslands: direct sowing or using plant plugs?

Answer 75

Plant plugs - urban swards are often too thick and some sort of scarification is required.

If the seeds grow vigorously then direct sowing may work, but scarification is still required.

Question 76

If a sward is very thick, what sort of plant plugs can be planted within it?

Answer 76

Large ones - these are large enough to survive the early establishment stage.

Question 77

Are wildflower meadows in a good state?

Answer 77

No - 98% of them have been lost since the 1950s. Artificial fertilizers are primarily to blame for this.

Question 78

Why were traditional meadows so biodiverse?

Answer 78

Because hay cuttings were removed every year, helping soil nutrient levels to stay low.

Question 79

If soils are far too nutrient rich, what can be done?

Answer 79

The top layer of soil can be stripped. This only works if soils are deep enough and there’s a way of getting the soil off the site. It’s also very expensive.

Question 80

Before yellow rattle can be sown, what has to happen first?

Answer 80

Nutrient levels have to be lowered first. It’s recommended that a good cut and collect regime is used for three years before seeding with Yellow Rattle.

Question 81

Can yellow rattle help to reduce grass dominance by itself?

Answer 81

Yellow Rattle can only do so much and cannot on its own prevent strong grasses from growing where they are very vigorous in a high nutrient environment.

Question 82

Why is the butterfly bank so good? (2 Reasons)

Answer 82

• 90% of the South Down’s calcareous grasslands were lost in the 1900s. The fragments that remain are neglected.
• Creating a Butterfly Bank can create a small oasis of chalk grassland habitat that will attract rare and specialist butterflies. Species such as the stunning electric blue Adonis Blue and the diminutive Small Blue will seek out your Butterfly Bank and can travel several miles from sites on the Downs to colonise suitable habitat that contains their specialist food plants.

Question 83

Why is the butterfly bank curvy?

Answer 83

The curvy shape creates different aspects that catch different amounts of sunlight. This creates a range of microclimates.

Question 84

What’s the issue with commercial seed mixes? What are better alternatives?

Answer 84

• Species richness declines after overwintering.
• Alternative seed sources (fresh hay and seed incidentally collected during mowing) yields grassland quality that’s comparable to that on plots that receive high-quality mixtures.

Question 85

Why do a lot of urban grassland meadows suck?

Answer 85

• Most urban grasslands are based on seed mixtures with a low species content and a low ecological value.
• This results in food inadequacy for pollinators.

Question 86

Why can a pond be good for bees? (3 Points)

Answer 86

• Ponds can help to create “wet meadows”.
• Wet meadows enhance the floral diversity and richness of the area, bolstering bee populations (in terms of abundance and richness of bees).
• More specifically, flowers that are associated with wet meadows tend to be late-flowering, meaning that overwintering bees have more resources!

Question 87

What’s the main thing that influences small mammal abundance and richness?

Answer 87

The height of vegetation! This is because small mammals can hide and find food in dense grass.

Question 88

What group of animals may suffer if vegetation is cut really short?

Answer 88

Small mammals
* Abundance is positively correlated with grass height
* This is because tall vegetation provides the best chances of surviving the winter
* Predators are also more abundant around shorter grass as prey is easier to find

Question 89

What can liming do to soils? Why? Why can it be ideal for something when compared to something else? (4 Points)

Answer 89

• It can increase or decrease phosphorous availability by raising pH/making soils more alkaline.
• When soils are too acidic, phosphorous reacts with iron and aluminum. That makes it unavailable to plants.
• But if soils are too alkaline, phosphorus reacts with calcium and also becomes inaccessible.
• When being used to reduce soil fertility, it can be most cost-effective than top-soil stripping.

Question 90

How long should grass cuttings be left on the ground for?

Answer 90

Only a few days.

Question 91

Why is it unrecommended that urban soils are tilled?

Answer 91

Because underground bits of material (e.g., concrete) can hinder efforts.

Question 92

What do you have to consider when leaving grasslands to grow as tall as possible? What can be done to counter this?

Answer 92

People may find the tall grass unattractive. Consider sowing exotic, non-invasive flowers to enhance the attractiveness of the field.

Question 93

Do access ways need to be kept open at all times?

Answer 93

Yes. Well-maintained pathways and mown borders are very important for enhancing public acceptance.

Question 94

Give two reasons why native seed mixes are better than non-native seed mixes.

Answer 94

• Native seed mixes are more effective than mixes that also include non-native species in terms of higher numbers of germinated seeds and established species.
• Seeding with native species provides more suitable habitat for native arthropods, compared to commercial non-native herbaceous or woody urban vegetation.

Question 95

Broadly, what’s better: seeding or hay transfer?

Answer 95

Studies comparing hay transfer with seeding found that seeding was a more successful method in terms of target species establishment and similarity of the newly created plant communities to the reference sites.

Question 96

Why shouldn’t you ever cut in the winter? (2 Points)

Answer 96

• You won’t remove many nutrients
• Wet soils become compacted very easily

Question 97

Are mowing times ever set in stone?

Answer 97

No. For example, if you spot a rare butterfly, then you may want to mow at a time that avoids cutting its food plants.

Question 98

What can you have interspersed within a grassy field? Do they have to be managed?

Answer 98

Patches of bareground. These will become colonised by plants through buried seeds and rhizomes. These must be managed, or else they’ll become dominated by weeds.

Question 99

Why is grassland management by humans important?

Answer 99

Grasslands would only be found in areas where woody plants can’t grow, such as thin and infertile soils, as well as upland areas.

Question 100

What group of butterflies especially love hay meadows?

Answer 100

Fritillary butterflies.

Question 101

Why might gorse be a problem when trying to maintain low nutrient conditions?

Answer 101

• Common gorse contributes to the high input of soil N as it has nodules contain N-fixing symbiotic bacteria.
• Its ability to fix nitrogen gives it a competitive advantage in nitrogen-deprived areas.
• This makes it useful for forest regeneration.
• However, there is a level of soil nutrients above which it would not be suitable to undertake a wildflower meadow restoration as the nitrogen-loving plants would out-compete the wildflowers.

Question 102

Give two flower species that can withstand being trodden on.

Answer 102

Thyme and chamomile.

Question 103

Why are phosphorous levels the hardest to deplete when compared to other nutrients?

Answer 103

Because only small amounts of phosphorous are required by plants.

Question 104

What’s inverse ploughing? What’s a major downside of it?

Answer 104

• A means of reducing soil fertility. It involves mixing up the top soil and the sub soil (sub soil contains less nutrients).
• It can be bad as it results in soil erosion - the process destroys plant roots that hold soil together.

Question 105

Can you tell how fertile soils are by looking at the vegetation growing on it?

Answer 105

• No, this is exceedingly difficult.
• Soil nutrient tests should be carried out instead.

Question 106

How does soil pH affect soil fertility?

Answer 106

Soil pH interacts with nutrients in a complicated manner and can restrict or make nutrients more available for plant uptake.

Question 107

If you’re going to sow seeds, what do you need to do first?

Answer 107

Create bare ground (about 50% should be bare, or 75-90% on sites with competitive grasses and legumes).

Question 108

Will yellow rattle survive in any grassy field?

Answer 108

No. It’s very sensitive to shade and will not survive in grassy vegetation where the grass leaves cover the yellow rattle seedlings. Avoid sowing it in very fertile soils.

Remember that cutting a field three or more times a year will kill-off yellow rattle.

Question 109

Give a very competitive grass species and a very competitive legume species.

Answer 109

• Perennial rye-grass
• White clover

Question 110

Why can creating bare ground be an issue?

Hint: weeds.

Answer 110

Bare ground can easily become colonised by weeds such as ragwort, docks, and thistles.

Question 111

Other than by enhancing nitrogen levels, what else does gorse do to the surrounding soil?

Answer 111

It acidifies it (gorse grows best at a pH of 4.5-5, so I assume this is the level it brings it down to?)

Question 112

In what sort of soil will gorse thrive in?

Answer 112

Low nutrient, free-draining, acidic soils.

Question 113

Why is gorse good for pollinators?

Answer 113

Because it flowers at a time when floral resources are scarce for pollinators.

Question 114

How is gorse often controlled? When shouldn’t it be managed? (3 Points)

Answer 114

• Young plants (between 1 and 3 years old) are uprooted during the winter.
• It’s recommended that you cut it with a brush cutter first to get better access.
• Never remove it during the spring or summer as this will be bad for birds.

Question 115

Other than gorse, what other legume is present on the corridor?

Answer 115

Everlasting peas.
* They’re very good at fixing nitrogen.
* They can also survive in very dry and waterlogged conditions.
* They can spread through seeds, but locally they spread vigorously though their very large rhizome network.
* It’s difficult to control once established.

Question 116

Is adding nitrogen to wildflower grasslands bad?

Answer 116

Yes, even small amounts will cause many plants to disappear (e.g., 25Kg of nitrogen per hectare per year).

Question 117

Cutting and removing grass can reduce nutrient levels. The rate at which nutrients depelete will vary with soil type. Which soils have their nutrients removed the fastest and which have theirs removed the slowest?

Answer 117

• Shallow, sandy soils are easy to remove nutrients from by cutting.
• But deep, loamy soils (and peat) are difficult to make infertile through cutting.

Question 118

Give four ways in which mowing grass really short (<5cm) is bad for invertebrates.

Answer 118

• There’s less habitat space available to them
• The grass will be trampled more by humans
• Mowing limits flowering and seed sets of flowers, reducing the availability of resources
• Mowing directly causes mortality

Question 119

Are annuals or perennials primarily used in urban wildflower meadows?

Answer 119

Both!
* Annuals are good for enhancing the aesthetic qualities of a meadow
* Meanwhile perennials are good as they reduce the need for re-sowing

Question 120

Do high nitrogen levels limit plant biodiversity?

Answer 120

Yes. Plants with low Ellenberg scores for nitrogen will struggle to survive in nitrogen-rich environments.

Question 121

What can be used to quickly find out what conditions a plant requires to survive?

Answer 121

Ellenberg scores! There are scores for nitrogen, light, and salinity etc. The higher the score, the more of that resource is required.

Question 122

Will areas of tall grass have low or high soil nitrogen content?

Answer 122

The nitrogen levels will be low as most the of the nitrogen will be contained within the grass. This will be especially true if the area is mowed and the cuttings are removed.

Question 123

Effects on invertebrate communities arise more frequently in response to differences in what?

Answer 123

Vegetation height (not changes in plant richness/diversity!)

Question 124

What’s one of the main downsides to mowing tall grass in autumn/winter?

Answer 124

Insects use tall grass for overwintering. Consider avoiding cutting tall grass in the autumn/winter if there are rare invertebrates present during this time.

Question 125

Give a specific reason why education is important on the corridor.

Answer 125

• Tall grass treatments are not generally favored by people and are even less attractive to them during winter
• However, Southon et al. (2017) found that people were more prepared to tolerate them when provided with information about their benefits to biodiversity.