Case Study

Groundwork – Fryston Liming Works 

In 2026 Habitat Works were appointed by Groundwork, on behalf of the Land Trust, to deliver targeted grassland improvement works at Fryston Country Trails in Castleford.

Fryston Country Trails is a 65-hectare regenerated green space, transformed from the former Fryston and Wheldale colliery sites into a thriving landscape for wildlife, recreation, and community use. The site now provides over 8 kilometres of footpaths, cycleways and bridleways, alongside woodlands and meadows.

Within this wider landscape, our works focused on improving grassland condition across a series of paddocks to support biodiversity and strengthen the ecological value of this important community green space.

Although Fryston Country Trails has undergone extensive restoration from its former colliery use, parts of the site still require ongoing ecological enhancement to reach their full biodiversity potential. Some areas of grassland had become increasingly acidic and were being dominated by more competitive or undesirable species, providing limited habitat value for wildlife. Targeted intervention was required to restore soil balance, suppress unwanted species, and create conditions more suitable for species-rich grassland to develop.

  • Grassland improvement works across 4 paddocks (approx. 2.6ha).
  • Application of targeted lime treatments to rebalance soil pH.
  • Spot herbicide treatment of invasive and undesirable species.
  • Support for species-rich grassland restoration within a wider reclaimed landscape.
  • Delivered within a high-value community and recreation site.

Scope of Works

We delivered a targeted programme of vegetation management and soil improvement works across four paddocks, designed to restore ecological balance and support long-term grassland recovery.

Key elements included:

  • Application of lime across all paddocks using a tractor-mounted spreader, carefully calibrated to site-specific requirements
  • Follow-up spot herbicide treatment of invasive and undesirable species to reduce competition and support desirable grassland development
  • Timing of works to ensure optimal ground and vegetation conditions for maximum effectiveness
  • Careful site planning and access management to minimise disruption within a busy public green space

The approach combined practical soil amendment with targeted vegetation control to create the right conditions for grassland recovery to progress naturally over time.

Rebalancing soil pH through liming is a key step in restoring species-rich grassland. By reducing soil acidity, nutrients become more available, allowing a wider range of native grasses and wildflowers to establish and thrive.

At Fryston, these improvements will help shift the grassland towards a more diverse plant community. In turn, this supports a wider range of species, strengthening the ecological value of the site within its wider reclaimed landscape.