Reducing chemical sprays will benefit both wildlife and people
ROUNDABOUTS and verges in areas up and down the Westcountry have undergone something of a transformation over recent years.
In many places, the formal flower planting and close-cropped grass which characterised these green spaces has been replaced with wildflowers and less rigid mowing regimes.
To some eyes, it may look untidy and unattractive. But for wildlife – in particular, pollinators such as bees and butterflies – these new scruffier stretches of native nectar-rich flowers are providing a vital resource.
From the centre of cities to the edges of rural highways, loosening our grip on roadside vegetation is helping boost depleted biodiversity.
One notable example is a busy roundabout in the heart of Plymouth, towered over by university and student accommodation buildings, where in the summer grassy banks that were once mown have become mini-meadows brimming with colour and insect life.
Of course one has to balance the natural benefits with highway safety – for example, the cutting back of verge vegetation at junctions where it might otherwise impede views for motorists. But, for the most part, letting wildflowers grow is a win-win, helping wildlife while reducing regular mowing and its associated costs. And in parks and public gardens there is usually more than enough room to let sections grow wild, freed from the trimming that has characterised our green spaces for so long.
The campaign No Mow May, which encourages people and local authorities to leave areas uncut for a month or more, not only helps wildlife, but also adds interest in areas which might otherwise appear like green deserts.
So it is heartening to report today that one council is taking its responsibilities to nature seriously in such public spaces by ending the use of potentially toxic herbicide sprays.
East Devon District Council is calling time on the use of chemicals to tackle weeds in its parks and gardens, schools and hospital settings, and phasing in other methods – including hand weeding and the use of weed control machines which use hot water to kill weeds.
A council report said: “These are all areas used on a daily basis by our residents and visitors – and often by those most vulnerable to the adverse effects of pesticides, such as elderly people, young children, pregnant women and those with underlying health conditions.”
Given awareness of the need for clean air, free from pollutants, especially in cities where exhaust fumes can result in respiratory problems, it makes sound sense to curb the use of chemical sprays. Not only do they deplete wildlife, but pesticide runoff contaminates aquatic environments and has to be removed from drinking water at huge expense.
The Streetscene contractor warned that East Devon “will see a slightly higher prevalence of weeds across our towns and parishes”, but it was concluded that the positive impact on the environment will outweigh the downsides. A few more weeds is a price worth paying for a healthier environment, for wildlife and for people.