INTRODUCTION
In 1994 English Nature and the Wildlife Trusts estimated that only 4000 ha of species rich neutral grassland remained in Britain. There is a high priority to manage these remaining sites to retain their wildlife interest. However, many lie outside the control of conservation officers and extensive use by an uncomprehending public may further hamper appropriate management.
The experiment was designed to address these issues. (see the book
'Science in the Countryside' by Margaret Pilkington published in 2005
by NIACE). It is set up in a Local Nature Reserve using large plots
which are easy for the general public to understand. Display boards
in two contrasting meadows explain the background to the experiment
and the layout of the treatment areas in each meadow.