Pollinators are declining at a fast pace which will impact our food security and biodiversity with wide ranging consequences. One of the main reasons for this decline is the loss of wild areas and flowers providing insects with food and a place to live.
As we manage our open spaces in house, we can make changes to grass cutting regimes to help stop this decline. Not cutting in May (No mow May) as promoted by the charity Plantlife will increase the number of little flowers in parks. Also, changes to cutting in certain allocations along the seafront, as promoted by the Bumblebee Trust and Kent Wildlife Trust, will create wildflower grasslands and provide pollen for a wider range of bees and butterflies.
TDC called a climate and ecological emergency in July 2019 and this change in cutting regime is the one of the first steps taken to address the emergency. It is well documented that areas high in biodiversity improves wellbeing and has a positive effect on mental health, and so the benefits of this project will go beyond protecting beautiful butterflies and bees.
Decision type: Non-key - Low
Decision status: Recommendations Approved