The most recent State of Nature report (2019) shows that the UK is one of the most nature depleted nations in the world, it has lost almost 50% of its wildlife. The report also highlights that climate change is driving widespread changes in the abundance, distribution and ecology of England’s wildlife. Therefore, to help ecosystems and biodiversity, Climate Action Stokesley and Villages (CASaV) are working with several local councils on projects to improve the biodiversity of the area e.g. the floodplain meadow project in Great Ayton.
Great Ayton Parish Council, in conjunction with its Brighten Up Great Ayton group, worked on a 2-year project to create a floodplain meadow on riverside land behind the old Friends School. An end-of-project report includes a list of plants found, the history of the site and a management plan.
Floodplain meadow 2025
On Wednesday 30th July 2025, Climate Action Stokesley and Villages organised a walk round the Floodplain Meadow to count butterflies, with the support of Martin Partridge Chair of Yorkshire Branch Butterfly Conservation, as part of the Big Butterfly Count. The data was entered in the Big Butterfly Count. Due to the way the meadow is now being managed there are many food plants available for caterpillars and for butterflies. However, on the day of the count the buddleja in the garden nearby proved more attractive to butterflies than the knapweed in the meadow. This was also the case with the Butterfly Conservation Wild Space at Great Ayton Station.
Martin checked the Yorkshire Branch of Butterfly Conservation’s unique Yorkshire Butterfly Atlas for the area and it showed in June that there is an excellent number of species seen in the vicinity of the floodplain meadow in Great Ayton Grid Ref NZ564103 over the past 20 years – see list below. When Martin surveyed the site on 11th July he identified 14 different varieties including 2 new to the list below: the Brown Argus and the White-letter Hairstreak.
| Total Number of species since 2000: | 24 |
| Brimstone | 7 |
| Clouded Yellow | 1 |
| Comma | 30 |
| Common Blue | 4 |
| Dark Green Fritillary | 1 |
| Green-veined White | 28 |
| Holly Blue | 47 |
| Large Skipper | 2 |
| Large White | 124 |
| Marbled White | 2 |
| Meadow Brown | 69 |
| Orange-tip | 34 |
| Painted Lady | 32 |
| Peacock | 130 |
| Purple Hairstreak | 80 |
| Red Admiral | 80 |
| Ringlet | 263 |
| Small Copper | 6 |
| Small Heath | 10 |
| Small Skipper | 32 |
| Small Tortoiseshell | 150 |
| Small White | 112 |
| Speckled Wood | 51 |
| Wall | 16 |
If you would like to know more about butterflies you can spot in Yorkshire, then take a look at Butterfly Conservation Yorkshire’s Guide to Yorkshire Species: www.yorkshirebutterflies.org.uk/yorkshire-species
Floodplain meadow 2024
Poem created during walk around Great Ayton Floodplain Meadow, June 2024
How can people have such contempt for the countryside when,
we see beauty all around us at any time of the year.
Give yourself time to enjoy something – a plant or a bird song you’ve not noticed before.
Give yourself time for companionship in enjoying the scenery and plant life.
Listen to the tranquil birdsong, although is the chiff chaffing of the Chiffchaff tranquil? Once heard you will hear it all summer.
Moving on, a profusion of feathery wafts of heady scent from the Meadow Sweet and high grasses – calm scents surround.
Crested Dogs Tails and Timothy jostling each other to get to the sun, fleeing from the Himalayan Balsam.
Spear Thistles stand proud next to the gift of Creeping Thistle – food for butterflies, bees and birds.
Under lichen covered branches we talk about the importance of ‘weeds’ and times past, memories unfurled.
How can people have such contempt for the countryside?
Floodplain meadow project 2022-23
The riverside area below the junior football pitches was originally created as a mill pond. The bund creating the mill pond was removed in the 1950s to develop the pond site into school playing fields for the recreation of pupils of The Friends School. In 2011, the area was adapted to divert and hold flood waters from the river when in spate, therefore reducing the risk of flooding in the village and the area has now become a popular walk for many residents.
Following the development of a Pollinator Plan for Great Ayton in 2019, the field itself was identified as a potential ‘floodplain meadow’ a habitat with a nationally rare plant community. A 2-year project was designed to protect and improve the area. Already in hand was maintenance and improvements to the footpaths, fences, bridge and flood conduits by the Parish Council grounds team. Local expert botanist Martin Allen guided the Parish Council in the appropriate management of the area, removing invasive non-native weeds (Himalayan Balsam, Fringecups etc.) and adding other interesting and rare varieties of planting to extend the flowering season through working with the local community. Funding was provided by the Parish Council and the Margaret K Mawston Environmental Trust with volunteer time provided by the Brighten Up Great Ayton group. Find out more about the original project proposal.
2022
Audit of the meadow
Following only cutting the meadow in late summer last year, it is amazing how many wild flowers have flowered this year. Having surveyed the meadow over the summer 136 different species of plants were identified by Martin Allen.
“When I visited in July there were bees on the thistle flowers, hoverflies on the white hogweed, with butterflies flitting in between, and when I walked through the long grass small clouds of a white micro-moth took to the air – this year has been a big pollinator success story for the Floodplain Meadow.” Martin Allen
Events
Two well received plant ID walks were held in May and June. The first of these also explored the history of the site. These were followed by a seed collecting session in August.
To help extend what is already in the meadow, greater bird’s foot trefoil, meadow buttercup, meadow cranesbill, red campion, water avens, and zigzag clover seeds were sown in September. The seeds were either collected from the meadow or sourced locally. The meadow was cut once this year but unfortunately due to poor weather it was cut after the planned session to rake and remove hay, so no hay was removed.
2023
Wildflower ID walk
Twenty-seven people joined the walk which was a great turnout considering it was a hot afternoon. The intro and advanced walk were combined into one walk this year based on the experience last year when people with all levels of knowledge turned up to both walks.
Visit by Northern Botany Group
The floodplain meadow was also visited by the North East Yorkshire Botany Group who survey sites and share their findings with the County Recorder. They recorded 87 species during their visit.
Raking the meadow
The Council’s grounds team cut half of the meadow in early September, leaving the other half uncut over the winter to leave seeds for birds such as goldfinches. Representatives of the Brighten up Great Ayton group, Great Ayton Wildlife Association and Climate Action Stokesley and Villages along with Martin Allen raked half the area cut. This was hard work, particularly as there had been heavy rain before the cutting which had flattened the grass leading to an uneven cut.
End of project report – December 2023
An end of project report on the Floodplain Meadow project was presented to the Parish Council by Caryn Loftus in early December 2023. The report includes:
- Appendix A – See full report
- Appendix B – List of plants found in the meadow
- Appendix C – History of the meadow
- Appendix D – Meadow management plan
Next steps for the meadow
The Parish Council has incorporated some of the suggestions in their grass cutting tender.
From 2024, CASaV will organise a walk around the meadow each year.
“The world has all its beauty still: just take a look around –
The seasons’ changing loveliness; the natural world abounds
In varying shapes and sounds and patterns: mammal, bird and moth
And fresh spring growth and long-lived trees and tinkling water’s froth.
Now flowers open, give out perfume, bees hum, wings flash by
And small forms flutter, twitter, sing and music fill the sky.
With fewer tasks, we’ve time to bask in all that’s given us free.
Let joy and pleasure in full measure hold down misery.“
From ‘Viewpoints Changing’ by Margaret K Mawston,
from Aware And Alert, Part 2: Sandwich, Serious With Fun Filling, page 50
Climate Action Stokesley and Villages 