Experimental land management was top of the agenda for our Youth Rangers this week as they spent the day supporting our team at Tregonning Hill near Helston.
Our award-winning Young Rangers ‘Climate Action Youth Group’ offers the chance to take action over the climate crisis, assist with environmental work on historic natural landscapes and develop skills in countryside management.
Due to the complex needs and varied terrain of the historic sites we care for, our Rangers are firm believers in exploring a wide variety of techniques to improve biodiversity, protect archaeological features and ensure that these special places are accessible to the public.
This week’s session saw the group trialling different methods of bracken management in this diverse archaeological landscape, which has monuments dating back to the Bronze Age.
Ancient monuments can be seriously damaged by bracken roots, whilst the monoculture the vegetation creates severely limits biodiversity. Its management has huge archaeological and ecological benefits, helping to protect these special places and encouraging the regeneration of heathland – a habitat which supports a much wider range of plants and animals than the bracken does and helps rare species thrive.
One of these methods was scything – a traditional skill which our Young Rangers have previously had the opportunity to undertake professional training in. This aims to support their work with our charity and give them an accreditation to take forward to help achieve their career or life goals.
This project is currently part-funded by the National Lottery Community Fund and holidaycottages.co.uk.
