Historically floodplain meadows were often a community effort with strong cultural links to the local area. Lammas meadows were by their nature jointly owned and managed so everyone could benefit from the productive land. Whilst these days most floodplain meadows are managed either privately or by public bodies you can still contribute to help care for, understand and bring back to life these precious places. Ways to get involved Practical management The most obvious way to get involved is in the practical management and restoration of floodplain meadows through volunteering. Activities such as spreading green hay and planting of seedlings are a marvelous way to get active within beautiful natural surroundings! There are a number of local projects that offer opportunities to help collect seed, grow and then plant out again. Often local wildlife trusts will run courses and opportunities to get involved with these schemes. Projects where there are community plug planting schemes for restoration of floodplain meadows Flourishing Floodplains Monitoring Alternatively you can assist with mapping and surveying existing meadows, for example by joining us at our annual (April) snake's-head fritillary count at North Meadow National Nature Reserve in Wiltshire. Most Wildlife Trusts offer plant identification training and recording schemes, or the National Plant Recording Scheme https://www.npms.org.uk/ offers training and an area to monitor. Adding to knowledge about the location and extent of floodplain meadow plant communities, through the Priority Habitat Inventory (PHI), is critical to help protect existing sites and help with restoration. In Gloucestershire and Worcestershire for example, volunteers have been mapping previously unrecorded meadows through our Flourishing Floodplains project, and again most Wildlife Trusts have recording schemes to aid with habitat survey. There are opportunities to join in through conservation bodies such as Plantlife, The Wildlife Trusts and the National Trust, or through the local council. Fritillary count volunteer signup
