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Case
Studies > Haddam Demonstration Site > Natural Meadow
Natural Meadow
Originally we decided to limit our mowing to once per year in early Spring. There are a variety of times and mowing cycles, our purpose for waiting was to favor warm season grasses and provide cover over the winter. The past several years, however, we've had the benefit of burning the field in place of mowing. We obtained permits from the Haddam fire marshal and the volunteer fire department burned the field on April 6, 1999 and again April 14, 2001. Fire is beneficial to grasses and open field species. Most of the live plant biomass is stored beneath the surface where it is cool during the fire, when the surface material is removed these plants quickly take advantage of the flush of sunlight and nutrients. Most of the animals in the field live under the ground, and are therefore protected. While annual or semi-annual mowing can work as an alternative to burning it tends to leave behind excess material. The resulting thatch or mulch can alter the species composition by favoring non-fire resistant species, it can also discourage some (desirable) species dependent on direct sunlight for regeneration. If you have the option of burning it can be more effective, but don't abandon the idea of a natural area if you don't. The fact is, most urban areas no longer allow burning and in other areas it's simply not practical. Mowing once or twice a year is the next best option. The timing for mowing depends on your goals. Late Fall/early Spring promotes warm season grasses, waiting until early Spring provides winter cover for wildlife. If you have ground nesting birds you'll want to wait until after the young have fledged. Other mowing schedules, specialized for farming practices, provide hay and straw. For more
information contact Joel Stocker at joel.stocker@uconn.edu
or call 860-345-4511.
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In the
Spring of 1998 we stopped mowing a small section of the property behind
the parking area, not quite an acre. The grasses and plants were simply
allowed to grow. The purpose of this project is to improve wildlife
habitat in what would otherwise be a "barren" lawn. The conventional
lawn is a desert environment for most wildlife and requires a tremendous
amount of time and energy to maintain. A meadow will attract open field
species such as mice, moles and ground nesting birds. The ground dwelling
animals, who at first may appear to be a nuisance, help aerate the soil
and provide food for a variety of other animals and birds. 
