Glorious Cotswold Grasslands

Glorious Cotswold Grasslands began in 2019 as an exciting and ambitious 3-year project funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation to create the largest network of wildflower-rich Jurassic limestone grassland in the country, but has proven so successful that we are continuing the programme indefinitely.

Building on the legacy of the Save our Magnificent Meadows project in the Cotswolds, the aim was to secure the long-term management of these precious grasslands through farming and community engagement, alongside practical restoration work. From 2019-2025 we have initiated restoration work on nearly 500 hectares of land throughout the Cotswold National Landscape – an amazing achievement. Funding sources are always changing but currently restoration work can be funded through a variety of grants, partnerships and through the new Sustainable Farming Incentive option for management and restoration of species-rich grassland (GRH6).

The background – habitat loss

In the 1930s, 40% of the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) was covered in wildflower-rich grassland. This habitat was abundant with beautiful wildflowers, and supported a vast diversity of wildlife, including rare wildflowers, such as the beautiful Pasqueflower, and a huge variety of invertebrates and all the birds and mammals that depend on them. Wildflower grasslands are particularly important for pollinators such as bees and butterflies, including many rare species such as the Chalkhill Blue and Duke of Burgundy. Sadly, agricultural intensification and changing land management practices have led to the loss of almost all this wildflower grassland…less than 1.5% remains.

The future – habitat restoration

Through careful management it is possible to restore previously ‘improved’ grasslands and create new species-rich grasslands. Using seed collected by our brush seed harvesters we can over-seed existing grassland or land previously used for arable farming to increase the floristic diversity of such sites with wildflowers of local provenance and genetics. We are able to work with a range of organisations including estates, farms, large and small private landowners, conservation charities, local authorities, parish councils and schools.