Large Drumlin Meadows
Large, open fields are becoming one of the most uncommon habitats in southern New England as a result of increased development, the decline of agriculture, and natural successional processes. Grassland-adapted plants and animals are following the same downward trajectory. Highstead has actively managed its large eastern meadows for bobolinks (a species of special concern in CT) and other grassland birds by mowing in late-summer to ensure that young birds have fledged before the grass is cropped back.
Small Headquarters Meadow
Southern New England meadows are largely comprised of non-native grasses planted by European settlers and are prone to invasion by a number of invasive species. The 2-acre meadow east of the Headquarters Building was created after the construction of Highstead's pond and has been actively managed for native forbs and grasses. Half the exposed area was seeded with North American native prairie grasses and forbs while the other half was left unseeded, and both plots have been weeded (hand-pulling, spot herbicide application, and cutting the plants when they are in flower) for invasive species. The seeded area has yielded more than twice as many native species and is less prone to invasive species colonization than the unseeded area.
