News
The natural wetland garden is growing well
The natural wetland garden at Atlas is currently a year old and is growing well. Due to the differences in height, many different developments can already be seen. The stream has started to meander and, just beyond the bridge, it narrows and the current increases. When the basin filled up at high tide, stinging nettle seeds were planted along a narrow edge of the first turn resulting in a narrow strip of stinging nettles growing there. The edge of the basin at Atlas contains a lot of hard, dry sand and that is also visible now. There are still only a few plants and it is rapidly warming up, which is perfect for some insects.
Nutrient-rich environment resulting in species-poor brush
There are already many different plant species present, a great deal of which have been actively disseminated. The daisies, Ragged-Robins, hornwort, and rattles are already firmly settled.
Furthermore, a number of large clover species have made their mark and the cattails have done so as well in the basin. Much like some of the grass species and the docks, these are extremely dominant and force the other plant species out, limiting them in their growth.
All these plant species are indicators of nutrient-rich environment. If this were not taken into account in the management, then these fast-growing species would gain the upper hand and lead to species-poor brush.
However, the intention is to create nutrient-poor to moderately nutrient-rich environment. This is done by means of nature management. Around mid-July, the area will be mowed and a lot of biomass will be removed as well as many nutrients along with it. This will result in soil that is poorer in nutrients, leaving more room for plant species.
However, there are still many flowers in bloom with just as many butterflies to land on them.
Currently, the decision has been made to remove as much biomass as possible and to establish a more varied mowing schedule.