Acid grassland restoration

Characterised by fine tussocks of wavy hair grass and common-bent, together with herbs such as heath bedstraw and tormentil, acid grassland may once have been common land and provided habitats for specialist insects such as solitary bees and birds such as skylarks.

In the Dunsmore area, acid grassland would have been historically associated with open heathland. However, due to farming intensification and the urban expansion of Coventry, most areas of acid grassland have been lost. Tiny fragments remain however within Coombe Country Park which play host to the Small Heath butterfly.

We are working with park staff to restore 2Ha of acid grassland by decreasing soil fertility and allowing the colonisation of seed from nearby remnant fragments.

Scheme volunteers are being trained in plant identification to monitor change on the site.

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