Council grass cutting ban to protect bees is planned...

Council grass cutting ban to protect bees is planned...

Postby dutchman » Fri Jun 28, 2013 3:10 pm

Lord De Mauley, the Environment Minister, announced an “urgent review” of policy to protect all of Britain’s pollinators including bees, butterflies and flies.

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He said the Government would consider issuing advice to councils on how to ensure habitat is better protected, such as not cutting wildflowers when they are flowering on verges in June.

Councils could also be told to plant nectar-rich flowers on municipal flower beds and to create wildlife patches in parks full of “weeds” for bees.

Over the next ten years the Government plans to increase wild flower habitats for pollinators by 200,000 hectares.

Lord De Mauley also said “bee-friendly” measures could be written into planning policy. This could include telling developers not to knock down old buildings from April to June when solitary bees may be nesting and providing wooden boxes full of holes or “bee hotels” as alternative sites.

The National Planning Policy Framework could insist on “bee-friendly” practice as part of the local plans drawn up by councils and planning applications put forward by developers. This would ensure new developments plant wildlife friendly gardens and create space for insects to nest in log piles or specially-designed areas full of rotting wood, soil and flowers.

Insect habitat should be planted elsewhere to make up for the loss of flowers and nesting sites when 'Brownfield' sites are developed.

Lord De Mauley said a new National Pollinator Strategy will be published by November and the actions will start “immediately” so that bees are protected when they come out in spring.

“We must develop a better understanding of the factors that can harm these insects and the changes that government, other organisations and individuals can make to help.”

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Re: Council grass cutting ban to protect bees is planned...

Postby dutchman » Fri Jun 28, 2013 3:11 pm

Coincidentally this would also save councils the expense of mowing verges! :roll:
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