Soil Health: The Foundation of Seven Fields’ Biodiversity

Why what’s beneath your feet matters as much as what’s above

Seven Fields’ spectacular wildflower displays start underground. The reserve’s unimproved grassland soils are relatively low in nutrients, paradoxically, this is exactly what rare wildflowers need. Nutrient-rich soils favor aggressive grasses that outcompete delicate flowers. The soil’s pH, drainage, and microbial communities determine which species thrive. Earthworms (up to 1.75 million per acre in healthy grassland, according to the Earthworm Society of Britain) aerate the soil and recycle nutrients. Mycorrhizal fungi create vast underground networks connecting plant roots. The Soil Association’s 2025 State of UK Soils report emphasizes that unimproved meadows like Seven Fields store significant carbon and support soil biodiversity found nowhere else. Protecting these soils means avoiding compaction, chemical inputs, and over-grazing.