Mowing of road verges should end for habitat reasons, says UK study

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Road verges cover 1.2% of Great Britain, an area the size of Dorset, and could be used to grow wildflower meadows and create habitat for wildlife, a new study says.

In a report outlining the scale of road verges in England, Scotland and Wales, researchers from the University of Exeter used Google Earth and Google Street View to estimate that verges account for about 1,000 sq miles (2,579 sq km) of the UK’s land. 

According to the report, up to 707 sq km (27.47%) of road verges are short, frequently mown grassland. The rest includes 1,062 sq km (40.87%) of regular grassland, while 480 sq km (18.73%) is woodland, and 272 sq km (10.66%) is scrub.

The report states this type of land, defined as the strip of land between the roadside and the fence, presents “significant opportunities” to improve verges as “multifunctional green spaces” in urban areas and densely populated regions, where land scarcity is an issue.

Previous research has shown that reducing mowing to just once or twice a year provides more flowers for pollinators, allows plants to set seed and creates better habitats for other animals.

Source -

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/may/26/end-mowing-of-road-verges-to-create-huge-wildlife-habitat-says-uk-study

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A few of these near to where I live are not maintained "normally" during the spring and summer to allow for wildflowers to thrive. In some cases, the DOT actually plants flowers that attract pollinators on purpose.

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New article in reponse to this - https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/may/31/public-must-help-protect-road-verges-and-wildflowers

In many places the cutting isn’t done by local government, but by local residents, farmers and adjacent landowners, often before wildflowers have a chance to seed. [...] I am a city councillor in a rural ward in York. Only 5% of the verge cutting is carried out by the council. This spring, with a team of volunteers, we wildflower-seeded 7,000 sq metres of verge and are excitedly awaiting the results. [...]