#RewildBroadland

We are working to enhance our local green spaces, by improving the recreational offer and their biodiversity value, as set out in our Environmental Strategy.

To help achieve this, we’ve adjusted our mowing frequencies across our local green spaces, decreasing our mowing frequency from 18 to 16 annual cuts. We are also leaving areas of grass uncut for longer to encourage a more diverse range of flowers and grasses. This will provide more food and cover for a wide range of insects, which in turn support birds and mammals such as hedgehogs and bats.

We trialled this approach on a number of sites in 2020 and we saw some excellent results. These wild patches thrived, full of colourful flowers including ox-eyed daisies, Bee orchids, Pyramidal orchids, evening primrose, selfheal, yarrow, lady’s bedstraw and various vetches, hawkbits and speedwells. We also noticed an increase in insects in these areas, most notably moths and butterflies

This year we have launched our #RewildBroadland campaign. We are including more sites across the district and we are encouraging residents to join in and do their bit to help the local wildlife too.

If you have a garden, consider leaving a no-mow patch and you could have your very own thriving mini meadow this Summer, or if space is tight then grow some wildflowers in pots and planters. 

Check out this simple three-step guide to rewilding part of your lawn. Or for more inspiration, see Rewild Britain’s short film where Chris Packham expertly explains exactly what we are also trying to achieve.

Post your rewilding pictures on social media using #RewildBroadland for a chance to win free seed packets and other goodies.

Find out more

You can also find more information at the following links:

• Wildlife gardening advice from The Wildlife Trust
• Rewild your garden tips from Springwatch on the RHS website
• Wildlife gardening advice from the Bumblebee Conservation Trust 
• Plantlife’s ‘No Mow May’ campaign
• Rewild Britain has information on rewilding on both the large and small scale 
• Buglife’s informative report ‘Managing Urban Areas for Pollinators’
• For more in depth information see DEFRA’s National Pollinator Strategy, and their Pollinator Advisory Sheets