Opportunity to learn by-gone meadow management skills at new nature space
A new nature space at Henllan is to host a workshop where volunteers can acquire a traditional meadow management skill.
Denbighshire Countryside Services will be holding a scything workshop at the Henllan Community Nature Space on Sunday October 27 from 10am to 3pm. Anyone is welcome to attend the free green skills event, but booking is essential.
The Henllan Community Nature Space, behind Bryn y Garn Road, is one of four new community nature spaces – alongside similar areas at Rhyl, St Asaph and Clocaenog – that Denbighshire County Council’s Countryside Service and Climate Change teams are creating in the county this year to boost benefits for both local wildlife and residents’ wellbeing. The Community Nature Spaces work alongside woodland creation work this year at schools across the county and at two sites within the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley National Landscape has received funding through the UK Government.
Developing on the site are over 1,700 trees, many planted by Ysgol Henllan pupils and volunteers. Alongside the new woodland, a pond has been created , new stone surfaced paths constructed and benches, picnic tables and an outdoor classroom installed.
The UK Government funding also covers activities to learn skills and engage in community enrichment events associated with the project.
Countryside rangers will be running the training session for anyone in the community interested in trying their hand at a by-gone technique around the meadow land that covers the new village site.
Scything is thought to date back to the Roman ages. It involves using a long-curved blade that is situated on an angle to a handle to allow cutting grass by hand.
The traditional technique was how hay would have been harvested from Denbighshire meadows and pastures before the use of tractors became more widespread.
It is friendly to the wildlife that frequents meadows as it gives them time to move on and those scything the change to spot any animals or insects.
Scything is also a greener way to manage grassland due to fuel free operation and better for physical use due to less hand vibration.
Cllr Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport, said: “This is a great opportunity for those interested to revisit the past of how meadows were managed and also learn about the benefits of scything against today’s conventional methods.”
Places at this particular event are limited to ten so please book early to reserve a place by emailing climatechange@denbighshire.gov.uk using the subject line “Henllan Scything” and stating your name and contact number.