English Heritage trains new generation of scythers to maintain meadows and craft
Summary
English Heritage is training volunteers to cut meadows by hand using scythes at Muchelney Abbey in Somerset. This traditional method helps protect rare bumblebees and maintain flower-rich habitats while preserving an old skill.Key Facts
- English Heritage is teaching people to use scythes to maintain meadows in a traditional way.
- The first volunteers have been trained and will work at Muchelney Abbey in Somerset.
- This project aims to protect a rare bee called the shrill carder bee, which needs flower-filled grasslands.
- Volunteers also help study bees by watching how they use flowers and move around the meadow.
- The training was done with help from Exmoor National Park Authority and the Bumblebee Conservation Trust.
- Volunteers get small rewards like bread and cheese for their work.
- The project is part of a larger plan by English Heritage to create or improve 100 meadows to mark King Charles’s 2023 coronation.
- The goal is to preserve traditional scything skills and help the environment at other English Heritage sites in the future.
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