1% Better SOLID Staff - Tom

Our SOLID Team member case study this week looks at the 1% Better Changes Tom has been implementing in his life to help better protect against climate change. Tom is a member of The Thames Valley Wildflower Meadow Restoration Project (TVWMRP). Initiated in 2018, the project’s aim is to restore and recreate sections of wildflower meadow to connect the fragments of ancient floodplain wildflower meadows along the Thames. With only four square-miles of the ancient floodplain meadows remaining it is hoped, by planting up intervening areas, to create a continuous network and wildlife corridor.

Thames Wildflower Meadow Restoration Project

Tom is continuing the amazing work that the Thames Wildflower Meadow Restoration Project has already achieved by helping develop an area of green space near his home in Eynsham. The plot of land, situated within a 1980’s housing estate, has proved to be a bit of an experiment. Tom and a team of locals took seeds from the 1000-year-old Long Meads Floodplain hay meadow and hand propagated them. The hand propagated plants were then planted on the site which had been prepared and sown with yellow rattle. Yellow rattle is semi parasitic on grass so reduces growth.

Wildflower Restoration Success

Over the past two years progress has been carefully monitored. Plants grown from the original Long Meads seeds have included Red Campion, Oxeye Daisy, Devil’s Bit Scabious, Common Knapweed and Ragged Robin. In late Summer the plot has been scythed, ready for further replanting.  Tom’s engineering skills have been put to excellent use as he has been able to keep a marked-up plan of where planting has occurred. This has helped monitor progress.

Going forward Tom and his family are planning an extension on their home and are hoping to continue the wildflower corridor by planting up a green, wildflower roof.

Read more about The Thames Wildflower Meadow Restoration Project here.

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