97% of traditional meadows in Britain have been lost and we are facing an unprecedented decline in pollinators, according to the State of Nature Report 2019. There has also been a loss of species-rich grasslands in Winchester - the district's lowland calcareous grassland decreased by 19% between 2005 and 2018.

Road verges are becoming increasingly important for our wildlife - there are up to 700 species of wildflowers that could benefit from the space provided by verges, providing nectar and habitats for bees, butterflies and other important insects.

Through our project in Badger Farm and New Alresford, we are aiming to:

• Preserve and enhance biodiversity, particularly existing chalk grassland (part of one of Winchester’s BAP habitats) to benefit native wildflower species and pollinating insects
• Enhance the public realm by improving aesthetics and creating visual interest
• Raise awareness of the value of calcareous grassland, wildflower areas, and appropriate biodiversity management
• Benefit Health and Wellbeing

Rather than use special seed mixes for our seed beds, we’ve opted to work with existing seedbeds. Although it takes longer to create seas of flowers, working with the existing bed is better for biodiversity. It allows native flowers to set seed and supports wildflowers, bees, and animals living in the soil.

Working with local communities, we've identified pilot areas with suitable grassland containing a variety of native flowering species.

In these areas we are:

• Changing cutting regimes to allow flowers and grasses to grow and seed
• Removing the cuttings to bring fertility down
• Monitoring the increase of biodiversity
• Communicating our 'plans' to the general public through meetings with community groups and our grass cutting map: https://www.winchester.gov.uk/waste-recycling/grounds-and-streetcare   

Winchester wants to make changes which will last for decades. We're not interested in "quick wins". We want to support biodiversity long into the future. This means we need to be sure to properly manage the identified areas and ensure they produce results.

Thanks to their existing seed banks (and to interest and involvement locally!), we've chosen verges in Badger Farm and New Alresford.

We haven't chosen large areas of grassland to be part of our scheme. We want residents to be able to use those outdoor spaces for sports and leisure.

Any unsuitable areas included in this scheme will be reviewed. Their cutting regime will not be changed.

No Mow May is an annual campaign run by Plantlife to let wildflowers grow freely and help nature: https://www.plantlife.org.uk/campaigns/nomowmay. The council supports this campaign and encourages you to get involved in your garden.

We have a year-round approach to managing biodiversity in Winchester, to achieve the most impactful long-term results. The way we manage our road verges is sometimes viewed as the council participating in No Mow May, but this is not the case.

We are improving biodiversity on our grasslands in other ways for example by leaving our important meadows to flower all summer long and by reducing cutting in certain areas.

Our grass cutting is done by contractors who work across the entire district, cutting most grass areas every 4 to 5 weeks in the growing season. This allows wildflowers to grow between each cut in every month, not just May.  It also aligns with Plantlife’s advice on short grass and flowering lawns – with the highest production of flowers and nectar being seen on lawns cut once every 4 to 6 weeks: https://www.plantlife.org.uk/campaigns/your-no-mow-may-lawn-guide/

If we were to pause all grass cutting in May this would cause knock on effects for the entire grass cutting contract. Not all areas can be cut at once, so the pause would result in some areas being left for as long as10 weeks, resulting in very tall grass. These very long areas may need special machinery to cut them and would likely take longer to cut too. Our current approach to grass cutting is effective and allows time for most short grass to flower - providing the same biodiversity benefits as No Mow May.

We are progressing with the project each year and we do plan to expand our plans across the district. Expansion will depend on lessons learned from the existing areas.

All changes will need to be agreed with both Hampshire County Council and our contractors, IDverde. Management of our grass areas is agreed in advance to keep costs reasonable. Additionally, WCC doesn’t own all grass areas and therefore is not responsible for managing some areas.

We can’t just stop cutting. Without any care at all, the verges won’t grow the desired wildflowers. They will grow vigorous grasses and plants, causing problems for road users. Additionally, scrub, shrubs and trees can develop, which will cause sight line issues. The health and safety of our road users is important to us, so a certain amount of cutting will always be necessary.

We’re not looking for instant results or quick wins when it comes to biodiversity. We want the best results. To achieve this, and to really benefit the area, it’s best to allow the existing seedbed a chance to seed and flower. This means we must be patient and wait a few years until we see verges blooming with wildflowers and fine grasses.

• Nature improvement with orchids flourishing on our pilot verges

• Verges were found to have good potential for chalk grassland restoration

• Moderate diversity in flowering species across many of the verges

• Chalk grassland indicator species and notable species such as White Helleborine were recorded