Record Wildflower Seed Harvest at the Chalk Stream Sanctuary

Record Wildflower Seed Harvest at the Chalk Stream Sanctuary

While the JSR Farming team has been busy gathering this summer’s combinable crops, another harvest has been taking place at JSR’s Chalk Stream Sanctuary.

Our ecology team, led by Will Heap, has collected more than 10,000 wildflower seeds across ten native species.  It is our most successful wildflower seed harvest to date, and includes species such as cowslips, black medick, English bluebell and teasel.

Pepper saxifrage and yellow rattle were among the less common species collected. Together, these wildflowers are valuable indicators of a healthy, good-condition meadow.

The seeds will be scattered across the sanctuary’s newest meadow this autumn, helping to create a more diverse habitat where native plants, insects and wildlife can flourish. Seed-rich meadows can also support farmland birds such as grey partridge, yellowhammer, turtle dove and linnet by providing food and shelter.

Seed collection team, Jonty, Mark, Will & Louis

Making room for wildflowers

Yellow rattle is particularly valuable when establishing and restoring wildflower meadows. Known as a hemiparasitic plant, it draws some of its nutrients from the roots of nearby grasses. This suppresses vigorous grass growth and gives a wider variety of wildflowers the space and light they need to thrive.

Collecting the seeds is a painstaking process that calls for experience, patience and a good understanding of when each species is ready to harvest.

Passing on ecological knowledge, Mark Richardson, has been collecting wildflower seeds for decades. He is now passing his knowhow to a younger generation within the ecology team.

Louis Canning joined the team as a graduate trainee in July and is already learning how this time-consuming but incredibly worthwhile work can produce lasting benefits for local habitats.

Graduate trainee Louis Canning

The JSR team collected over 10,00 wildflower seeds this summer

Spreading biodiversity beyond the sanctuary

Seed collection is only one part of the team’s work to establish and enhance wildflower meadows. JSR has also received species-rich hay from Tophill Low Nature Reserve, Wheldrake Ings, part of Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and Kirkburn churchyard.

The hay is spread across suitable areas of JSR land, allowing the native wildflower and grass seeds it contains to disperse and establish new plants. Some of the wildflower seeds collected by our ecology team are also supplied to neighbouring farmers, helping to extend the benefits of this work across the local landscape.

Together, these activities give native plants more opportunities to multiply and thrive, creating valuable habitats for insects, birds and other wildlife.

Wildflower rich hay being spread over JSR’s Chalk Stream Sanctuary

Supporting Biodiversity Net Gain

The Chalk Stream Sanctuary forms part of JSR’s Biodiversity Net Gain bank. Biodiversity Net Gain, or BNG, is an approach to development that requires eligible projects in England to achieve at least a 10% increase in biodiversity value.

Developers can deliver this gain by creating or improving habitat within a development site. Where this is not possible, they may use registered off-site biodiversity units provided by landowners such as JSR, who commit land to long-term habitat creation and improvement.

At the Chalk Stream Sanctuary, that commitment is translated into practical work throughout the year, from collecting seeds and establishing meadows to sharing valuable habitat material with other local sites.

From a seed collected by hand to a new meadow alive with plants, insects and birds, this year’s record harvest is another practical step to creating a richer and better landscape.

Yellow rattle collected by JSR ecology team

Seeds being sifted ready to stored and scattered in JSR meadows

Yarrow growing in JSR’s Chalk Stream Sanctuary

Tansy growing in JSR’s Chalk Stream Sanctuary