Three Hagges Woodmeadow near York Yorkshire Flora Recovery Project

Sarah Mason of Yorkshire Water, who are the principal funders of the polytunnel, cut the ribbon at a special opening ceremony at the Three Hagges Woodmeadow, just south of Escrick.

Sarah said: “Yorkshire Water is absolutely delighted to be helping to fund this pioneering project. It is vitally important we support pioneering initiatives like this, which help to enhance and sustain a wonderful woodmeadow.

“I know Three Hagges Woodmeadow well on a personal level as well as a professional one, so I am very proud and honoured to be cutting the ribbon to unveil this splendid polytunnel.

“I strongly believe this woodmeadow is a shining example of how to create a natural environment in which nature can flourish. The fact that the woodmeadow has a thriving educational role too underlines its importance.”

Dan Carne, Sarah Mason and Freya Davies (Image: Three Hagges Wood Meadow)

Rosalind Forbes Adam founder of Three Hagges Woodmeadow and trustee of Woodmeadow Trust, the charity that runs it, explained that the new polytunnel was a key element in the Yorkshire Flora Recovery Project, which will establish a gold standard framework to enhance woodmeadow sites through species-rich ground flora, which are a vital part of the eco-system for pollinators and bio-diversity.

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Rosalind said: “We are very grateful indeed to Yorkshire Water together with Lord Barnby’s Foundation and Mrs John Guthrie for their generous support. This has enabled this very special project to get off the ground. The polytunnel is a game-changer for our woodmeadow, an invaluable addition to our native plant nursery.

“Thanks to this support, we have also been able to recruit a Trainee Ecologist, Freya Davies. We now have the resources for volunteers to make Three Hagges Woodmeadow even more species-rich and the wonderful opportunity to train others to enhance their woodmeadow sites.

“We can use our new bespoke polytunnel to provide specialist flora workshops for wildflower propagation and seed collecting. Despite woodland cover more than doubling, many historically widespread woodland specialist plants, as well as butterfly species which depend upon specific foodplants, have suffered dramatic declines over the past century.”

Dan Carne, director of the UK Woodmeadow Network, said: “The Yorkshire Flora Recovery project is a key component of our larger work building a Woodmeadow Network. Our key aim is to inspire 50 new woodmeadows across the UK by 2025 and ultimately to make space for species-rich sustainable ecosystems where people and nature can grow. It is our aim that these spaces provide educational opportunities, offer citizen science recording and monitoring surveys, and are open to the public allowing communities the opportunity to connect with nature.”

Rosalind explained that Three Hagges Woodmeadow’s old plant nursery was designed and built over six years ago with a grant from Bettys. However, due to the woodmeadow’s recent growth and current and future requirements, the nursery needed to be replaced and refitted. The new bespoke polytunnel, created by Lancashire-based Northern Polytunnels, covers a similar floor space to the old nursery beds. However, it is much higher at three metres instead of one metre and is robustly made.”

She said: “The height of the new polytunnel has made a huge difference as volunteers and trainees can now walk upright throughout. The new polytunnel has a shade-netted section where plants are housed and a poly-covered section which now means volunteers and trainees can stay warm and dry in all-weather conditions.”