In response to ongoing conversation about the management of The Forty on the Cholsey Village Facebook page, Cholsey Parish Council (CPC) would like to provide the following information. Under the 2021 Environment Act, public authorities in England, including town and parish councils, are required to consider how they can conserve and enhance biodiversity. Following village consultation in 2023, CPC has also committed in its 5-Year Strategic Plan to ‘protect and enhance spaces for nature.’ Therefore, from local people and government there is a movement to change the way we manage the landscape that we live in. CPC has tried to implement changes to meet these obligations and commitments.
The management of The Forty is part of a three-year trial, running until autumn 2025. In 2022, the back area was scarified and seeded with a native wildflower mix containing 16 different species, and it has since been managed as a traditional meadow. The plan, developed in consultation with expert ecologists, wildlife specialists, and garden designers, continues to be monitored and managed for the benefit of both people and wildlife. The area is cut in August using the traditional scything technique; it is known that this was still used on The Forty until the 1940s. After scything, the area is mown regularly in autumn and winter to mimic the grazing of animals, with an additional mow before Remembrance Day. From late winter, when daffodils and other flowers start to bloom, mowing of the main area ceases. However, paths and a wide strip are mowed fortnightly throughout spring and summer.
In a survey, local ecologists recorded 20 wildflower species in 2023, increasing to 24 in 2024. A full list of species that have been found on The Forty is shown below. This gradual rise in flowering species, alongside a reduction in grass cover, aligns with the project’s goals. Increased plant diversity provides more feeding and habitat opportunities for invertebrates and is expected to support higher populations of birds and mammals, many of which are under significant threat. Progress will be reported in the spring issue of The Forty magazine, and further plant surveys will be conducted in 2025. Next year, invertebrate surveys will also take place to measure the impact on insects and other species that benefit from this area.
As The Forty is a natural green space, its meadow is subject to unpredictable factors such as weather, soil type, and existing flora. This year, the area was dominated by wild carrot, a plant similar to cow parsley that flowers later in the season. Due to unusually wet and mild weather, the wild carrot grew taller than expected. To address this, volunteers removed many wild carrot plants before scything, aiming to reduce their abundance next year. The team also recognizes that the most visually appealing aspects of the meadow are not visible from the roadside. To address this, additional wildflowers will be planted at the front of the area, while maintaining the wide mown paths around and through the meadow.
As noted, the current management of The Forty is part of a three-year trial, and residents will have the opportunity to share their opinions at its conclusion. In the meantime, you are welcome to visit the Cholsey Parish Council office to discuss the project or express your views. We are open to the public on Wednesday mornings or by appointment. You can also email us at hello@cholseyparishcouncil.gov.uk.
Posted by the Clerk, on behalf of the Parish Council, 22nd November 2024
Full list of plant species (not including grasses) recorded on The Forty in June-July 2024.
| Plant Species | Common name |
| Acer pseudoplatanus | Sycamore |
| Achillea millefolium | Yarrow |
| Aesculus hippocastanum | Horse chestnut |
| Anthriscus sylvestris | Cow Parsley |
| Arum maculatum | lords and ladies |
| Bellis perennis | Daisy |
| Capsella bursa-pastoris | Shepherds purse |
| Cardamine pratensis | Cuckoo flower |
| Centaurea nigra | Black knapweed |
| Cerastium fontanum | Mousear |
| Daucus carota | Wild carrot |
| Ficaria verna | Celandine |
| Galium verum | Lady’s bedstraw |
| Gallium mollugo | Hedge bedstraw |
| Glechoma hederacea | Ground Ivy |
| Leontodon hispidus | Rough hawkbit |
| Leucanthemum | Oxeye daisy |
| Medicago arabica | Spotted medick |
| Narcissus spp | Daffodil |
| Papaver rhoeas | Common poppy |
| Plantago lanceolata | Ribwort plantain |
| Prunella vulgaris | Selfheal |
| Ranunculus acris | Meadow buttercup |
| Ranunculus bulbosus | Bulbous buttercup |
| Rhinanthus minor | Yellow rattle |
| Rumex acetosa | Common sorrel |
| Rumex conglomeratus | Clustered dock |
| Sanguisorba minor | Salad burnet |
| Senecio jacobaea | Ragwort |
| Sonchus spp | Sow thistle |
| Taraxacum agg. | Dandelion |
| Trifolium dubium | Lesser trefoil |
| Trifolium repens | White Clover |
| Veronica chamaedrys | Speedwell |
| Viola hirta | Hairy violet |