We will work with landowners and schools to restore and create new meadows in South Norfolk that will offer vital new homes for wildlife and produce seeds that will be used to make even more meadows in the future. 

Since the 1930s it is estimated that the UK has lost a staggering 98.5 per cent of our wildflower meadows. In Norfolk, a county of intensive arable farming, this rate of loss has been particularly heavy, and traditional meadows have effectively disappeared across the county.

Meadows are a vital part of our natural environment. They create a home for a wide variety of wildlife, including butterflies, bees and other pollinating insects and in turn support mammals and creatures right up the food chain. 

Meadows also store and remove carbon from the atmosphere, helping in the fight against climate change, and can help reduce the impacts of flooding, provide hay for livestock, and offer beautiful places for people to enjoy time in nature. 

The new project will also help support the survival of some of the rare plant species found in the unique habitats of the South Norfolk Claylands, including sulphur clover, dyer’s greenweed and spiny restharrow. 

We are now embarking on research to identify existing meadows in need of restoration, as well as finding places to create new meadows. Our staff and volunteers will work with owners and managers of land rich in wildflowers to restore them to high-quality meadows, as well as working in partnership with others to create new meadows on suitable land. 

Part of the project – called ‘Seeds of Hope’ – will involve ten schools within the Diocese of Norwich who will create thriving meadows in their school grounds. School pupils will be involved every step along the way, from surveying the sites, to planting the seeds and helping manage the newly emerging meadows. 

Each newly restored and created meadow will not only help plants and animals thrive; they will also produce a vital supply of new seeds to create future meadows elsewhere around the county. 

We aim to create 15 hectares of new meadows during the 3-year project – with every hectare of meadow producing seed to create at least two hectares of new meadow in the future. 

Helen Baczkowska, our Conservation Research and Evidence Manager, said: ‘Norfolk’s meadows are a vital way of supporting local wildlife to thrive. Every meadow is a stepping stone for nature, helping species like bees, butterflies and grasshoppers thrive and move through a landscape. They are also the places where barn owls and bats hunt, and where secretive creatures like grass snakes can live. 

‘Returning meadows to their rightful place, at the heart of our countryside, is not only morally the right thing to do - and a beautiful addition to our lives - but essential if we want to ensure future generations enjoy living in a healthy and vibrant county.’ 

Barbara Bryant, Environment Officer, Diocese of Norwich, said: ‘We are delighted that ten of our schools are taking part in creating meadow seed banks for Norfolk Wildlife Trust as a practical way of caring for God’s creation and supporting local biodiversity. By collecting and growing native wildflower seeds, pupils help to restore habitats for insects, birds and other wildlife, contributing to the long-term health of the natural environment across Norfolk.  

‘This project reflects the Christian ethos of our diocesan schools by encouraging stewardship, responsibility and service to others. It helps children understand that caring for the world is an important part of living out Christian values, demonstrating respect for creation and working together for the common good of both people and nature.’ 

The new Meadows for the Future project is made possible thanks to generous donations to our Meadows Appeal, which raised £55,000 in 2024. Seed for the new school meadows is generously funded by Nigel and Jenny Ford.