Somerset green spaces left to "go wild"

South Somerset District Council (SSDC) are launching a new project to change the way local green spaces are managed.

The local authority are going to let flowers grow across various council-owned spaces as part of the 'No Mow' project. The aim is to create new habitats for local wildlife and support our county's pollinators.

Councillor Sarah Dyke, SSDC’s portfolio holder for Environment, said: “This past year has made us all realise the importance and benefits of nature more than ever. During lockdown we saw how the natural world thrived when not interfered with by humans. The SSDC No Mow trials are a way we can reassess how and where we mow SSDC land, it will inspire us to look at marginal spaces in a different way, and break the habitual cycle of mowing for mowing’s sake, by allowing them to become biodiverse havens for wildlife.”

SSDC Horticulture Specialist, Stephen Fox, said: “Our team is looking forward to altering the cutting regimes and monitoring how the verges and open spaces respond to this new approach. We do appreciate that this change might generate some interest as residents start to see our green areas looking different, we are always happy to answer questions on our approach and we will use all our learning from this year to inform even wider programmes for next year. Thanks to all the parishes and groups who have stepped forward to be part of the trials, by demonstrating how valuable this approach will be for wildlife, linking up spaces for nature, we hope many more areas will be on board for next year”

Local residents can take part too! We're being encouraged to mark out a patch of our land and leave it to grow this summer. More information on how you can get involved can be found here.

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• no mow
• south somerset district council