Grass cutting pilot project aims to increase biodiversity in Three Rivers

Grass cutting will be reduced this year at several locations around Three Rivers as part of a pilot project to increase biodiversity across the district.

Every year, from the second week in March through to the end of October, the district council’s grounds maintenance team is kept busy trimming open grass spaces while the county council has responsibility for verges next to roads.

But this year some green spaces away from roads will remain uncut in order to find out what wildflowers grow naturally and the wildlife they attract.

The project will start later this month and will feed into a county-wide audit taking place this summer which aims to better understand the rich biodiversity across Hertfordshire — everything from plants to mammals and insects.

The council is currently looking to adopt a new Climate Emergency and Sustainability Strategy and is currently consulting on a new Tree Strategy.

Ray Figg, Head of Community Services, said: “The world is facing an ecological emergency. We know from the State of Nature 2019 report that 15% of species are under threat of extinction with 133 species already gone in the UK alone. Unless urgent action is taken, this decline will increase.

“Evidence from this pilot project will help us to develop an action and management plan to further increase biodiversity across the district by planting more wildflowers and trees.”

The pilot includes areas in:

• Rickmansworth Park
• Rickmansworth Aquadrome
• Fortune Common, Rickmansworth
• Mead Place, Mill End
• Hayling Road, South Oxhey
• Woodhall Lane, South Oxhey
• South border of Carpenders Park, Carpenders Park
• Leavesden Country Park
• Swillet Park, Chorleywood
• East Lane Cemetery, Leavesden

Signs such as the one shown above will be placed at these locations to inform the public.