Soil Analysis and Earthworm Report

Prior to 2012, the 10-hectare site had been in continuous agricultural use. The last crop was barley and the rotation was generally spring barley / winter barley / beans, the fertility of the field being too poor for wheat. The field may have contained sugar beet many years ago.

No formal soil survey was carried out prior to planting the woodmeadow. The data presented in the document below approximate the ‘baseline’ for site. The first detailed survey and all subsequent surveys, have been made by a University of York Biology Department masters students under the supervision of Dr Kelly Redeker to whom the Trust awarded a grant.

This report was written by Dave Raffaelli in May 2020 with input from Rosalind Forbes Adam and Dr Kelly Redeker. 

Earthworm counts are a good indicator of overall soil structure and health, and reflect the living conditions for many of the smaller organisms, like enchytraid worms, mites and nematodes.

Surveys were carried out in early May and mid-June 2021 by members of the Three Hagges Woodmeadow volunteer team, Ros Forbes Adam, Dan Carne and Dave Raffaelli. Four areas were sampled in May: MG4 meadow, MG5 meadow, MG5 copse and Nick’s field adjacent to the Old York Road which had wheat in at the time. Only the MG4 meadow was sampled in June.

 For more information about our findings at Three Hagges Woodmeadow please read our full Earthworm Survey Report below.