6 days ago
'No Mow May' initiative could be extended across Wales
The proposal aims to reverse decades of habitat loss by altering the management of road verges and green spaces.
Carolyn Thomas, MS, has highlighted the potential environmental benefits of this change, suggesting that the verges could become natural wildlife corridors.
She said: "Adopting new approaches to grassland management allows us to give biodiversity a boost while continuing to meet the needs of our communities.
"By treating road verges as wildlife corridors, we can combat the nature and climate crisis."
The roadside verges across Wales cover an estimated 15,000 hectares – approximately the size of Swansea.
With careful management, this area could become one of Wales' most extensive networks of wildflower-rich grasslands.
These efforts are deemed crucial, given the estimated decline of more than 90 percent of lowland semi-natural grassland in Wales between the 1930s and 1990s.
Denbighshire County Council is a model of this approach, with their project treating verges and urban green spaces as wildflower meadows.
The council collects seeds from these sites and grows native plants in their nursery, ensuring that all new planting is locally sourced and ecologically sound.
The roadside verges across Wales cover an estimated 15,000 hectares (Image: Supplied) The number of species increased from around 40 to 120 after just four years of management.
However, only a few councils in Wales have committed to 'No Mow May' this year.
Mark Schofield, road verges and green spaces advisor at Plantlife, said: "There may be reasons some local authorities feel compelled to mow in May, but if we're serious about restoring native wildflowers, we need to move from short-term tidy-ups to long-term transformation.
"No Mow May is a great place to start — but leaving some open space unmown for longer can support the lifecycles of a huge diversity of wildlife that depend on less disturbed wildflower-rich grassland."
The campaign is also encouraging individuals to reduce mowing in their gardens.
Ms Thomas said: "We're encouraging more people across Wales to help and connect with wildlife in their gardens by letting the wildflowers grow and being part of the No Mow Movement, starting in May and continuing through the summer."
Around a third of people in Wales still mow their own lawns twice a month during the summer.
Plantlife is urging more to join the movement and let nature lead, allowing 'No Mow May' to continue into June.
