Reason for hay stacks around trees?

[Hedgehoggy]

Can anyone shed any light on the reason for hay piles around trees? Seen at Askham Bog NR last weekend. There were quite a lot of these large hay piles spread around some of the trees, which were randomly dotted about the reserve. Google didn’t throw up any explanations and I’m very curious!

[Meta menardi]

I can't suggest a reason for this, why not contact the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, they manage the reserve. I would be interested to see the answer.

[aeshna5]

I don't know whether it's the reason here but often cut vegetation piles are left as incubation sites for Grass Snakes on reserves.

[Tursiops2]

I'd be willing to bet it's the end product of mowing a wildflower meadow. There's no market for hay nowadays, so it just gets dumped in the nearest woodland, where it will break down and add its nutrients to the soil.

T2

[Johnny Redgate]

Originally Posted by Tursiops2

There's no market for hay nowadays,
T2

Tell that to the suppliers who wanted £5 a small bale last year More like a lack of kit or will to get it made properly, baled and off site, or because access is too difficult..

[Dorts]

Originally Posted by Johnny Redgate

Tell that to the suppliers who wanted £5 a small bale last year More like a lack of kit or will to get it made properly, baled and off site, or because access is too difficult..

£7.50 per small bale up here! There is still an enormous market for hay all over the country. There are more horses in Britain now than at the turn of the 20th C.

But I agree that the heap is probably the result of meadow management where the cut grass has to be removed and it's as easy to stack it and leave it as shelter for inverts, snakes, mice, voles etc. than the time and cost of bailing it.
Dorts.

[Tursiops2]

Originally Posted by Dorts

£7.50 per small bale up here! There is still an enormous market for hay all over the country. There are more horses in Britain now than at the turn of the 20th C.

I stand corrected . Perhaps there's a business opportunity for somebody then?

T2

[Hedgehoggy]

Originally Posted by Meta menardi

I can't suggest a reason for this, why not contact the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, they manage the reserve. I would be interested to see the answer.

Good call I sent an email to the YWT this morning, so will post back with their reply.

Thanks for all the input guys. I didn't consider meadow management with the cut grass being used for shelter/hibernacula for the wildlife (which is a feasible explanation, and a great idea too); it just looked peculiar to see these piles of hay placed on or around the trees and nowhere else.

Originally Posted by Dorts

There are more horses in Britain now than at the turn of the 20th C.

...And more small pets such as rabbits etc., which need hay, plus it's used as bedding for the many hedgehogs (and other mammals) that come into care year in year out!

[King Edward]

I agree this looks like cut grass etc. from meadow cutting as part of the reseerve habitat management, but I don't know why it should be piled around the trees. I'd have thought that having what is essentially a compost heap around the tree base and against the trunk could do it serious damage, even kill it. Under the trees, yes, but I don't think it should be right up against them like this.

[Meta menardi]

Originally Posted by King Edward

I agree this looks like cut grass etc. from meadow cutting as part of the reseerve habitat management, but I don't know why it should be piled around the trees. I'd have thought that having what is essentially a compost heap around the tree base and against the trunk could do it serious damage, even kill it. Under the trees, yes, but I don't think it should be right up against them like this.

I agree that it would give me cause to think whether it was a good idea. Also, if it was meadow cuttings, I would have thought that they could be used with benefit elswhere to provide seed, if of suitable composition.