ploughing up a wildflower meadow

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flash1

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Does anyone know the rules for ploughing up a wildflower meadow?
some land near me may be ploughed in the autumn and as it has lots of wildflowers butterflies and wildlife I am concerned about this.
It has not been ploughed in at least 35 years possibly a lot longer.
Is the landowner allowed to do this?
 
You may be best contacting your local wildlife trust and seeing if the meadow has any designations on it from the local authority(such as being listed as a site of nature conservation importance (SNCI)). Or your local Natural England office to see if there are any other designations on it to protect it (SSSI, LNR).

The landowner most likely is allowed to do it if the meadow is not protected in one way or another, although that doesn't stop you trying to stop them if the meadow is not protected!!
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Thank you I will be contacting the wildlife trust etc next week it seems such a shame to plough it up with so much wildlife and wildflowers etc.
 
I didn't think that permanent pasture could be ploughed up - my daughter said her husband (who's a farmer) couldn't plough up the three fields near the house if they stopped keeping cattle and put it down to cereals as it was permanent pasture - I'll check with him today and post reply later.
 
Sorry I'm another one for the "farmers have the freedom of discretion on their own land" brigade. I appreciate wildlife is really valuable to the countryside however where the butterflies and bees can nip over to the next big patch of set aside (that is privately owned farm land that the Government already force Farmers not to farm!) or the hundreds of acres of national trust land in the country, Farmers are truly landlocked these days and need to be able to utilise the land to its full capacity.
 
I realise that it is the farmers land but soon there will be no wild flowers etc so no bees so no food.
Bees cant just nip across to the next bit of set aside as its surrounded by ploughed fields and is the only bit of land like this in the area.
 
I think it would be a great shame and farmers have a responisbility to help maintain our beautiful countryside.

The fact that it has not been ploughed for so long, suggests to me that it is not essential and has been earning its keep without being ploughed.

Farmers are not charitys they have a decent living to earn however they also have a reponsibility often it is in their own interest too to farm with conservation in mind as intensive farming methods often lead to a quick buck however long term can be detremental.

I do think though that if the farmer leaves a pasture for purely conservation reasons then he should be conpensated the farmer should not be out of pocket.
 
If the farmer is claiming subsidies on the land and has spread dung, fertilizer or anything else on it, it will count as being cultivated and he can plough it up. If not it will be classed as permenant pasture ( i'm pretty sure that is right) I know it is lovely to see these fields but as far as being economic they will not be viable. If your really concerned, offer to rent it and then you can treat it how you like.
 
if you are claiming the land for Single Farm Payment and you are in a NVZ area then you could be in trouble if anyone catches you.....but the NVZ rules are boderline unworkable!
i can't remember the exact rules & regs ?!?
 
The land has not been ploughed sprayed or had manure spread on it for at least 15 years. I know it has not been ploughed in much longer.
it has been used for grazing. it has lots of wildlife and wildflowers it really would be a shame to plough it as once its gone it would take many many years to come back to its presant state if it ever would
 
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