We try to avoid using jargon in the guides and actions on How to Rewild. But sometimes a sentence flows a bit better if we can write something more specific, with fewer words.
This is a collection of the words and phrases you may see us using from time to time that aren’t always explained on the page.
arisings – the cut grass and other plants which are left behind on the surface after a grassland is mowed. These turn into hay when the sun dries them out.
brash – the twigs and branches which fall from a hedgerow when it is cut. If these are thorny, they may be used to protect young trees and plants from grazers.
ground flora – the bottommost layer of plants in an ecosystem, typically growing up to about knee height. This may include grasses.
mob stocking / mob grazing – grazing livestock at high density for very short periods of time (hours to days) before moving them on and allowing the land to recover for a much longer period (weeks to months).
poaching / poached – in the context of soils, this is when wet ground becomes compacted and muddy, creating low oxygen conditions below the surface level.
sward – the mix of plants growing in a grassland at ground level, including grasses. Often used in the phrase ‘sward height’ to specify an ideal vegetation height.
treatment wetland – a shallow pool with dense reeds and other aquatic plants. This is used to physically and biologically filter pollutants from inflowing water.