No Mow Summer
Nineteen areas of grassland throughout the Borough will not be cut during the spring and summer of 2024 as part of a trial to identify exactly what natural wildflowers grow there and how this benefits wildlife and biodiversity.
Throughout the spring and summer, the natural wildflowers and pollinating insects visiting the sites will be surveyed.
The margins of the areas will continue to be cut and the no mow areas will all be cut at the end of the summer.
The areas
The 'No Mow' sites cover an area of approximately 75,000 square metres. The sites are:
- Flodden Way, Billingham
- Daffodil Park
- Cowbridge Beck North
- Cowbridge Beck South
- Mill Lane, Billingham
- Skripka Ave
- Great North Park
- A177 Bypass
- Grangefield Park
- Primrose Hill Park
- Oxbridge Cemetery
- Leonard Ropner Drive
- Greens Beck Corridor
- Thornaby Road
- Alison Trainer Park
- Stainsby Beck
- Black Diamond Way
- Leven Park, Yarm
- Wiley Flats, Yarm
About the areas
The Council owns over 500 Hectares of grassland, ranging from hay meadows to bowling greens - but the majority of it is amenity grass that is cut on a regular basis throughout the summer.
Some of the areas chosen are known to be old 'species rich' grassland, that have not been disturbed or re-sown since they were part of larger traditional hay meadows.
Allowing natural wildflowers to grow instead of cutting them increases the range of nectar sources for different pollinators and extends nectar production into the autumn.
Many of the natural wildflowers that are often considered to be weeds are in fact great for insects. These include dandelions, nettles and buttercups.
Other species expected to be found in the 'No mow' areas include primroses, cow slips, vetches, campion, celandine, cuckoo flower and scabious that otherwise would be cut with the grass.
Why we're doing it
The UK has lost over 95% of our flower rich meadows and with them the vital food needed by pollinating insects, such as bees and butterflies. Urban development and changes in agriculture have led to further fragmentation of natural habitats.
In response to this, the Council has produced an Environmental Sustainability and Carbon Reduction Strategy that includes a number of things that can be done to address the issue of declining biodiversity. One of these is an aim to protect, extend and connect areas of natural habitat and help address the decline in native species.
Get involved
If you're out and about at one of our 'No Mow' sites and see some wildflowers or wildlife, we'd love to see a picture. Tag our social media accounts in your photos and use the hashtags #ourbeautifulborough #NoMowSummer."
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