THE UK’s wildflower meadows are vanishing and with them our native flowers and the wildlife that rely on them.

Only three per cent of the meadows that existed in the 1930s remain today. Nearly 7.5m acres of wildflower meadow have been lost — and they are still being destroyed.

A project has been started to reverse this trend. Funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and led by Plantlife, 11 partners have come together, including the Wildlife Trust, RSPB, National Trust and Conservation Boards to save flower-rich grassland around the country.

The Save Our Magnificent Meadows project will target just under 6,000 hectares of wildflower meadows and grasslands across the UK, giving people the chance to visit, enjoy and learn about these magnificent places and raise awareness of the desperate plight of meadows in our country.

In north Wiltshire we are lucky to have some jewels of wildflower meadows left, but as elsewhere, they form only a fragment of what was formerly there. In addition, keeping these sites in good shape requires ongoing management.

Originally, wildflower meadows came into existence through low intensity farming.

Hay cutting and grazing are essential to keep grasslands open, to create a warm microclimate and encourage wildflowers. This in turn, attracts a wealth of butterflies, bees and beetles.

Conserving and restoring wildflower meadows is not only important for wildlife, but also for people.

The insects that thrive in wildflower meadows play a valuable part in our food production as pollinators and natural pest control agents.

Meadows are also an excellent place for people to unwind or to get some exercise.

Paradoxically, while farming created our magnificent meadows, modern, intensive farming is the main cause of decline.

High fertilizer inputs, large-scale mowing and low diversity seed mixes are detrimental to meadow wildlife.

This doesn’t mean farming and nature can’t go together.

Wiltshire Wildlife Trust manages several meadow reserves that provide a home to a wide array of wildlife, while also producing beef and hay.

Getting the balance right, however, isn’t easy, especially in our intensively used landscape. It takes a lot of work and dedication.

To deliver this the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust needs volunteers to help. There are many ways to get involved and there is something for all ages and abilities.