9, Moira Industrial Estate, 34 Old Kilmore Rd, Moira
Craigavon BT67 0LZ

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Environmental Policy

BUILDING A BETTER COMMUNITY FOR OUR WILDLIFE

As well as our commitment to recycling and a greener environment, The Meat Merchant are fully committed to a better environment for our wildlife population.  Recently we acquired a 2 acre site on the outskirts of Moira with the intention of developing a wildflower meadow.

Last year we made a commitment to plant a tree for every 100 people that visited the MM, and I am happy to say that this pledge is now coming to fruition.

Over the past couple of weeks we have planted 600 young trees (on the outskirts of Moira) and over the coming weeks we will plant an additional 600 representing the 120,000 people who shopped with us during 2021.

The species we have planted to date include:

Scotch Pine
Birch
Alder
Cornus (Dogwood).
Laurel
Hornbeam
Beech

There will be additional species planted, as they arrive over the coming weeks.

Apart from looking fantastic, there are a number of benefits to a wildflower meadow:

  • Nectar-rich plants help support dwindling populations of native pollinators including butterflies, moths and bees, helping to sustain insects that pollinate our food crops

  • Wildflower areas include food plants and egg laying habitat for the caterpillars that become butterflies and moths

  • Tall vegetation creates resting places for beneficial insects such as spiders, ladybirds and lacewings

Over the next few years we hope to expand our wildflower meadow to approx. 40 acres.

Even though it has only blossomed for the first time recently, we are already seeing incredible activity with the bees and butterflies.  We have also seen foxes and badgers.  We hope that the wild grasses we have planted will encourage pheasant laying and other wildlife activities.

Here are just some of the wildflower plants we have planted to date:

  • Meadow Buttercup

  • Red & White Campion

  • Night-Flowering Catchfly

  • Field Forget-Me-Not

  • Foxglove

  • Common Knapweed

  • Goatsbeard

  • Lady’s Bedstraw

  • Musk Mallow

  • Oxeye Daisy

  • Common Sorrel

  • Common St John’s Wort

  • Wild Carrot

  • Corn Chamomile

  • Field Poppy

  • Corn Marigold

  • Yarrow

  • Salad Burnet

We look forward to taking you on this journey with us, as together we built a better community for our wildlife population.