A wildflower meadow will be sown in the St Albans Abbey Orchard by a charity campaign to secure the legacy of Butterfly World.
The charity Butterfly World 2.0 was originally set up as ‘Save Butterfly World’, with the aim of saving the Chiswell Green project after it closed down in 2016.
They have now refocused their aims on sowing new butterfly and wildflower meadows in St Albans and other neighbouring towns, and the Abbey Orchard was designated for the project following consultation with the council and St Albans Cathedral.
Butterfly World 2.0 chairman John Horsfield said: “It is fantastic to have this opportunity to work with the Abbey.
“When we first started out, we wrote to MPs and other prominent local people. Bishop Alan [the Bishop of St Albans] replied within hours with a really helpful message and has been helpful since.
“There used to be a meadow in every parish in England, but since the 1930s 95 per cent of meadows have gone. We hope to make a little difference. Next year we hope to plant meadows in Luton and Welwyn Hatfield.
“It’s not so much replacing the original Butterfly World as using the loss of their wonderful meadow as our incentive to create more meadows.
“Won’t it be wonderful if the now lost Miriam Rothschild meadow at Butterfly World gives life to new meadows?
“We want to make the sowing a real community event and hope many people will join in. Those who came to help in Hemel had a great time!”
The charity has already sown meadows in Dacorum and in Keens Field, Hemel Hempstead, and will sow another in Garston Park, Watford. They have been supported by two other environmental charities: Buglife, who provided the seeds, and Plantlife, who provided expert advice. They are keen to sow the meadow without removing the existing grass.
John said: “We are really excited about the St Albans meadow. It’s in a great location and should become a tourist attraction in its own right.”
Residents are invited to come along to the sowing of the St Albans meadow at 10.30am on Sunday. Anyone helping is asked to bring a small trowel or handheld forks, and foam cushions to kneel on are recommended.
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