We are delighted to say that our Director, Prof David Gowing, will be one of the speakers for the third National Meadows Conference which is taking place over Friday and Saturday 19th / 20th June 2026.
Set in the beautiful surroundings of Kew Wakehurst Place’s Yew Tree Meadow, David will be talking about the science of soil and the vital role floodplain meadow soil plays in tackling climate change, flooding, loss of biodiversity, water pollution and food security.
The two-day conference will be a more formal affair on Friday. Alongside David there will be talks by Natural England, Kew, Plantlife, the Marden Farm Cluster and the Kent Wildlife Trust. Issues covered will include:
- How soil structure and microbial life influence meadow success
- The critical role of fungi and mycorrhizal networks
- Practical approaches to establishing and managing wildflower communities
- Pollination ecology and supporting insect populations
- Seed selection, provenance and establishment techniques
- The use of grazing as a management tool
- How meadows support wellbeing and human connection with nature
There will however be a moment for reflection with music from the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Community Access Group with a performance of music inspired by Wakehurst’s landscape – which sounds to us a perfect respite during a busy survey and field visit season!
Saturday will involve a number of walks across the site as well as stalls and a scything demo.
We hope to see you there!
Tickets are £45 and can be booked at National Meadows Conference at Wakehurst | The Kew Tickets
