Community meadow taking root in Togher to help boost biodiversity

A new community meadow is taking root in Togher, with local schools, volunteers and Cork City Council coming together to create a haven for wildflowers, bees and biodiversity.

A patch of green ground beside Togher Boys’ School and Togher Girls’ School is about to get a colourful new lease of life as Togher Tidy Towns begins work on the ambitious Community Meadow Project.

Funded by the Community Climate Action Fund and supported by Cork City Council, the project aims to build on the wildlife and plant life already present at the site and create an even richer habitat for wildflowers, pollinators and other species.

A spokesperson for Togher Tidy Towns said: “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.” 

The first phase of the work will begin in mid-September, when an overgrown section of the site will be carefully cut and cleared. The ground will then be scarified, creating patches of bare soil where wildflower seeds can take hold.

Untouched

The existing hedgerow will remain untouched, retaining an important feature of the site's current habitat.

The work is being carried out with biodiversity firmly in mind, following guidance from the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan and appropriate environmental guidelines designed to minimise disturbance to wildlife.

“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,” the community group have said.

Before the machinery moves in, volunteers are taking the opportunity to record exactly what is already growing and living in the area.

Plants, pollinators and other wildlife will be documented, creating a baseline biodiversity record against which future changes can be measured.

“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.” 

Local children will remain at the heart of the project with pupils from Togher Boys’ and Girls’ schools getting involved.

Once the ground has been prepared, pupils are expected to help sow yellow rattle, a native wildflower that has earned the nickname the “meadow maker”.

“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.” 

The yellow rattle planted by the school children will play an important role in traditional meadow creation by weakening dominant grasses, and it will help to create more space and light for other wildflowers.

Eventually, once the meadow is well established, the group hopes to create small pathways through parts of the site, giving children and local residents the chance to explore the meadow while protecting the surrounding vegetation.