In late summer, DPA Ecologist Albert Knott led a guided tour of our land at Pudsham Meadows for local art group, Granite Elements. The idea was to encounter some of the special flora and fauna on site and perhaps inspire an artistic response to these very special hay meadows. To help the visiting artists connect deeply with Pudsham and it’s wild inhabitants, Albert guided them in carefully catching butterflies, grasshoppers, beetles and other insects with a net, which the group were then able to identify and learn about together.
A number of the visiting artists shared reflections on their inspiring and memorable time at Pudsham Meadows:
‘Together with friends from the Granite Elements art group, we enjoyed a magical early evening in Pudsham Meadows lead by Albert Knott. Pudsham meadows, although open to the public, had the feeling of a well-kept secret requesting peacefulness and respect. It was nostalgic of childhood to be surrounded by a prolific number and variety of butterflies, grasshoppers and other tiny creatures; swishing a net was like releasing my inner child! It was also special to witness Albert’s ability to catch a butterfly and to hold the body of such a delicate creature by thumb and forefinger for us to observe close up; Albert was generous with his vast reserves of knowledge and we marvelled at the courage and tenacity of these butterflies.’ – Angela Holmes
‘A visit with Albert to Pudsham Meadows, one of Dartmoor’s finest traditional hay meadows, revealed an extraordinary diversity of wildflowers, orchids and insects. Seeing how this carefully managed landscape supports such a rich web of life has inspired me to think about transforming our own hay meadow into a more diverse wildflower habitat. It also connects closely with my artistic interest in hidden ecological networks and will inspire new ceramic work exploring the intricate relationships beneath and within the meadow.’ – Penny O’Brien.
We’re delighted that the group were enthused by the wildflowers, orchids and insects that thrive at Pudsham Meadows and we were pleased to have the chance to explain more about the work we do to support this precious habitat. Our Conservation Volunteers work year round at Pudsham clearing, raking, planting, surveying and preparing for winter grazing by Dartmoor ponies. Many years of this work have paid off in the abundance of wildlife which can now be encountered in these meadows, most recently illustrated by our butterfly, moth and orchid surveys. Seeing the story of this success told through artwork offers another perspective on our commitment to this land.
A Leap in Time: Pudsham Meadows
Sweltering, car trapped.
Over-heated drivers
On narrow roads
Blocked on Dartmoor.
Finally the open moor
Shimmering in the heat
And an old path
Into a forgotten land.
Silence except for our feet
Shuffling the long grass,
Cracking the orchid seeds,
Making the crickets leap.
We talk of fodder and grass,
Of meadows and moorland,
The passage of animals and men
Through the landscape,
And through time.
The butterflies drift and rest.
Exotic Painted Ladies
Have travelled so far
To display their finery.
Blues, Coppers and Browns,
Marbled and Speckled
Ringed or Hair Streaked.
We marvel, wistfully.
We return to the gate
The Keepers note our tread
The meadows sigh in the heat
As we think of the road ahead.
-Philippa Wood
We’re always looking for more volunteers to join our friendly team and if you think you’d like to help us take care of Pudsham Meadows, we’d love to hear from you. All training and tools are provided, plus we can loan out waterproofs if needed. All our upcoming volunteering opportunities can be found on our website.
Images courtesy of Albert Knott and Angela Holmes