Cambridgeshire County Council will again be supporting bees, butterflies and biodiversity by taking part in ‘No Mow May’ this month (May).
The council’s Highways Maintenance team will pause mowing road verges during May to allow plants like daisies, dandelions, selfheal and clover a chance to thrive.
Letting wildflowers and plants grow freely will provide much needed nectar for pollinators and allow other plants and wildlife to grow and flourish.
‘No Mow May’ is run by Plantlife, whose mission is to secure a world rich in wild plants and fungi. The organisation encourages garden owners and green space managers to lock up their lawnmower and liberate their lawn for the entire month.
More than 700 species of wildflowers grow on road verges in the UK according to Plantlife – this is almost 45% of the total wildflower species found across the country.
Road safety is a priority for Cambridgeshire County Council, grass cutting will continue in areas where necessary such as junctions or bends. Road signage will also remain clearly visible.
Councillor Alex Beckett, Chair of Cambridgeshire County Council’s Highways and Transport Committee, said:“No Mow May is a great initiative that helps support biodiversity and wildlife. Letting our highways verges grow - where it’s safe to do – gives a boost to pollinating insects which are so important for our natural environment.
“I’d also like to encourage Town and Parish Councils who often have responsibilities for highways maintenance to consider joining the campaign too.”
Representatives from Cambridgeshire County Council previously attended a workshop and worked closely with Plantlife to develop its current grass cutting protocol around the highways and verge management policy to support biodiversity. These changes to the way roadside verges are maintained help support wildflowers, bees and plant species to thrive.
Cambridgeshire County Council is committed to tackling climate change and improving the environment having declared both climate and nature emergencies in 2019.
For more information about the ‘No Mow May’ campaign, visit: https://www.plantlife.org.uk.
