Under Beacon

This is a gently south-east facing triangular area, much of which was under the plough up to the 1970s. The coulter-line of the previously ploughed area can still be seen along the lower boundary. When it fell out of agricultural use the adjacent woodland and scrub started to take over. The MDT took over around 2010 and work started to clear the invading scrub, with the last patch being removed in 2012 - along with fencing to improve the ease of grazing the site.
The grassland is variable in quality, with some areas, notably toward the eastern end with a fair representation of downland flowers and grasses. The eastern end would appear to have more clay present and a rather more coarse vegetation. The area has been regularly grazed and this has greatly improved the overall structure and plant species composition. There are still considerable patches of Bramble and these have been topped at intervals.

Although a number of typical chalk grassland plants have become established under this management, including widespread Marjoram (Origanum vulgare), Wild Basil (Clinopodium vulgare), Fairy Flax (Linum catharticum) and Sheep's Fescue (Festuca ovina), several other species - found on our other downland summit reserves - are not present. We are going to experiment with bringing in seed from nearby to try enriching the flora as well as scraping to reveal some bare chalk.

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Progress with establishing a wider range of chalk
​downland plants at Under Beacon, May 2020

As mentioned above, it is stated that there is an intention to enrich this ex-arable site with a wider range of grassland plants which are found in the local area. During 2018 three small experimental bare ground scrapes were made along the lower edge of the field, removing the dense turf which gives new seeds a better chance to get established. That autumn three Trustees collected seed from Heyshott Escarpment, Heyshott Down and along parts of the local South Down Way. This included Cowslip, Kidney Vetch, Viper’s Bugloss, Ox-eye Daisy, Knapweed, Field Scabious, Small Scabious, Devil’s-bit Scabious, Wild Mignonette, Horseshoe Vetch, Squinancywort, Wild Carrot and Harebell. The seed was mixed together and scattered by hand over the areas of shorter grassland and the scrapes. At the same time a few ‘plug’ plants were also put into the scrapes. These latter didn’t fare very well as the local deer obviously felt they were planted for their benefit and pulled them out as they grazed them. The following spring, however, several plants of the sown species were found on the scrapes. The need to graze during the summer in order to reduce the grass growth and do some cutting to help control bramble meant that there was little flowering during 2019, but several of the seedlings on the scrapes made good, well-branched plants under this regime.

Underbeacon was grazed again the following winter, resulting in a greater presence of the desired fine grassland, and a second seed collection, including this time Greater Knapweed, was spread after the end of the grazing. Seedlings from this are not expected to be obvious during 2020, but a visit by three of the Trustees in May 2020 found plants from the previous sowing on all three scrapes - each one had slightly different groups of species, but overall Horseshoe Vetch, often considered difficult to establish, was the most frequent here. Away from the scrapes we found clumps of flowering Kidney Vetch, Cowslip (flowered, in seed) Wild Carrot and Knapweed (not yet flowering), altogether a very satisfying visit.

​We agreed that, if possible, we would organise for some more scrapes, dotted across the field, and further seed collections for 2020. This should provide good introduction focal points to encourage the spread of desired species across the site and helping to achieve our stated aim of a wider
floral-diversity grassland.

The grassland will not be grazed during the summer months, allowing the plants to flower and set seed. We are hoping to get another hard graze on the grassland in the autumn of 2020. This will help the establishment of the newly-scattered seed and also that generated ‘on site’. By changing the timing and pattern of grazing and/or cutting over the years we expect to be able to encourage a diverse flora, with species flowering and setting seed at different times of the year.

Bee Orchid

Nodding Thistle was already present at Under Beacon, but it also needs patches of bare ground to germinate. This is not a problem thistle, the flowers are very much liked by bees and butterflies

Kidney Vetch established and flowering on one of the scrapes

A scrape in March 2020

The same scrape, May 2020. Horseshoe Vetch (yellow flower) is well-established.

Wild Mignonette flowering on one of the scrapes

Marjoram (Origanum vulgare)

Sheep and cattle grazing in summer 2019

Harebell (Campanula rotundifolia) at Under Beacon Reserve has increased dramatically under a mix of cutting and grazing management.