The Park Services team began this work in 2011 and has since then gradually expanded the area that is managed in a traditional way. By the end of July, the meadows are mowed, and the grass is dried and removed. Over time, this will draw nutrients out of the soil, benefitting species that are adapted to less nutrient-rich conditions than what we normally find in parks and other green spaces.
Experimental fields at T?rteberg
From 2017 to 2020, the Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO) carried out a study called “From grasslands to meadows: Nutrient depletion of soil and seed production of native flowering meadow species for increased biodiversity (2017-2020). One of the experimental fields of the study were at T?rteberg (Nedre Blindern), UiO.
Various methods of management and depletion of the soil was tested out at this field. As well as this, several common meadow species, like the ox-eye daisy, bladder campion and common harebell, were planted with seeds collected from Eastern Norway. Several of these species became well established in this field and can still be seen at T?rteberg today.
UiO has established meadows at T?rteberg, as well as by the chemistry building, Svein Rosselands hus and Kristen Nygaards hus. These are cut either by machine or with a scythe. Shallow areas with good access to light have the best potential when it comes to converting areas to meadows.
Converting a lawn to a meadow will be a test of patience (if you do not dig up the lawn and replace the soil). However, it could be a fun project to follow over a span of time. See if you can observe changes in the species composition from year to year.
Selected plants from the meadow at T?rteberg
Fern-leaf dropwort, Filipendula vulgaris
Common bird's-foot trefoil, Lotus corniculatus
Common toadflax, Linaria vulgaris
Common harebell, Campanula rotundifolia
Brown knapweed, Centaurea jacea
Ox-eye daisy, Leucanthemum vulgare
Hayfields
A few decades ago, the traditional hayfield was an important part of the European cultural landscape. Today, the hayfield is listed as critically endangered (Artsdatabanken 2023).
The function of the hayfield was to grow winter fodder for the animals. It was rarely or never fertilized, but was mowed yearly, and often grazed. After mowing, the grass was hayed and dried, before it was taken in for storage. Hayfields with a long history of care are among the most species-rich vegetation types we have, with over 40 different species of vascular plants per square metre.
In farming today, the traditional hayfield has been replaced with more efficient farming methods where only a few species are grown. Thus, big parts of the biodiverse species that was previously adapted to living in a field – like vascular plants, fungi, moss and insects – have come under pressure. Moreover, several species are today classified as endangered species.
Even though a park-meadow cannot show the same species-richness as the old hayfields, the meadow has several positive ecological effects. It provides food and habitat for insects and critters, which in turn attracts other animals, such as birds.