Rushcliffe Borough Council is trialling a number of ‘No Mow’ areas across the Borough to act as summer pollinator sites and encourage wildlife and habitats to thrive even further.
The authority’s Grounds Maintenance contractors Streetwise are now not mowing selected areas across the Borough to help create natural corridors to support and enhance local wildlife.
All trial areas are on land that the Council is responsible for:
- Gotham Road, East Leake
- Miss Machin’s field, Edwalton
- Stamford Road allotment entrance, Gamston
- Abbey Circus, West Bridgford
- Abbey Park, West Bridgford
- The Hook, around the play area, Lady Bay
All sites feature signage stating ‘please excuse the weeds, we are feeding the bees!’.
This sustainable management of the open spaces helps to not only mitigate the impact of climate change but supports the Council’s Carbon Clever initiative and its commitment to become carbon neutral by 2030.
The land management changes have also been brought about by requests from residents and ward councillors, asking the authority to change the way it manages public open spaces during the summer months in order to provide the better environments for insects and animals.
No mowing or herbicide spraying will now take place at the sites until the end of September and if successful will see them and other potential sites not mowed over summer in future years.
Rushcliffe Borough Council’s Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Communities and Climate Change Cllr Abby Brennan said: “We’re very pleased to launch this wonderful project that will further enhance biodiversity across the Borough.
“We’re keen to protect our environment in line with our corporate priorities wherever we can and these sites will now be monitored to see how they help wildlife and habitats to thrive.
“If successful, we’ll consider other sites too and we want to hear residents’ views on how we manage our open spaces so please have your say in our consultation.”
The online summer pollinator survey is also now available for residents to give their views on how these spaces are managed at https://bit.ly/364kAri until September 30.
Cllr Brennan was joined by East Leake Parish Council clerk Sue Lewis to view one of the new ‘No Mow’ areas on Gotham Road in the village. It followed the authority and a local tree warden campaigning for areas of the village to be left unmown.
The newly managed sites with the ‘No Mow’ areas often have paths cut through them and circles to provide areas for people to sit or children to play.
This creates a more varied greenscape, providing a wider range of recreational and social opportunities as well as benefitting more species, and make a more interesting natural environment.
It’s with the aim for residents to see more grass swaying in the breeze and hear the buzz of insects feeding on wildflowers.
If weeds become an issue at the sites alternative methods of removal will be considered that will not affect habitats.
Residents can also get involved if they have their own summer pollinator site on land not managed by the Council and would like to put up a sign acknowledging it as another pollinator area.
They should email media@rushcliffe.gov.uk to let the authority know of the site and can download the Council’s ‘No Mow’ signage at https://bit.ly/3Adev9V to get involved or find out more at https://bit.ly/3y4VzbM
