Gwynedd Council has introduced changes to its approach to treating roadside verges in the county in order to protect and enhance biodiversity.
Councillor Catrin Wager, Gwynedd Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways and Municipal, said: “According to a recent report 41% of species in Wales have experienced a decline in population since the 70s, and 8% of our species face being lost forever (https://nbn.org.uk/stateofnature2019/).
“Protecting our county’s special environment and species is important. By changing the way we manage roadside growth, we can have a positive impact on biodiversity.
“Roadside verges can act as corridors of important habitats to support all types of creatures; from small mammals to bees and butterflies.”
Traditionally, there has been a tendency to cut roadside verges in early spring which has an impact on their value as areas to support our biodiversity. This year, the first cut was delayed, which gives plants the chance to flower and seed before mowing. This promotes the growth of wild flowers, which not only look beautiful but also act as a source of food and habitat for many species.
Where possible, this first cut will only extend 1 meter from the road, leaving the rest as habitat. A full cut will then be made during the end of Summer / Autumn once the wildflowers have seeded for next year.
As part of the effort to promote biodiversity on our roadsides, the Council will also reduce its use of herbicides and will look at other methods of managing growth and weeds.
Lea Connelly, Gwynedd Council’s Biodiversity Officer, said: “These corridors are so important to Gwynedd’s biodiversity. These wild flowers are not only beautiful to see along the road, but are an important source of food for bees and other pollinators.
“They support so many different creatures and plants and link habitats together.”
Steffan Jones, Head of Gwynedd Council’s Highways and Municipals Department, said: “This is a major step in promoting biodiversity in our county, and I am pleased that we are acting on this. Of course it is also important that our county roads are safe, so it is worth noting that there will be different arrangements at locations such as junctions, at certain roundabouts and at locations where there are footpaths.
Councillor Wager added: “It has been wonderful to see wildflowers on our roads over the last few weeks, knowing that they not only look beautiful, but also support all kinds of wildlife. I hope that the residents of the county will agree that the new arrangements will achieve a balance between protecting the special nature of our county, and keeping our road users safe.”
Trunk roads and urban areas, where there are 30 or 40 miles per hour restrictions will also see different cutting patterns.
The procedure has already started in the Dwyfor area and will start in Arfon and Meirionnydd around mid-June. Trunk road roadside cutting has begun in all areas since early June.
