Wildflower Wednesday: Signs of change

Management sign in the Donkey Field

A number of these signs have popped up around Chippenham lately, which are heartening to see. Since the Town Council took over management of the town's parks and open spaces, it's clear they want to manage them in quite a different way to when they were in the hands of the County Council. In this case, it turns out a number of open spaces across town are designated in the same way as this one I found in the Donkey Field when I walked home recently. There's a map which shows where they are, together with information on the new management policy for these areas and the other open spaces they manage.

Geranium pratense in the Donkey Field

I love the Donkey Field at this time of the year as it billows with oodles of wild meadow cranesbill aka Geranium pratense flowers* I was concerned they were dying out as nettles have out competed them strongly in recent years, so it's good to see they've made a comeback this year. A few years ago Wiltshire Wildlife Trust did a survey and proposed a management plan specifically for the Donkey Field. Sadly their survey times didn't coincide with the geranium's flowering, so they missed the pictured glory in their assessment of its value for nature. The plan's been adopted by the Town Council and fingers crossed it allows this sight to thrive alongside increasing the biodiversity of this area.

Watch this space!

* I showed another view of them here, together with more about the Donkey Field's history.

I'm delighted to join again with my friend Gail's monthly Wildflower Wednesday posts over on Clay and Limestone.


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