Page 10 - City Life Magazine - Autumn Edition

10 Issue 56 • October 2021

CLEANER AND GREENER WORCESTER

Worcester’s

wildflowers

give boost to

biodiversity

The City Council is taking action to encourage wildflowers to flourish in
areas across the city – in a bid to boost the numbers of bees, butterflies,

and other insects that play an important role in our ecosystem.

“The UK has lost 97% of The result is an abundance verges into vibrant natural small but important step
its wildflower meadows of wildflowers at sites habitats for our native to help protect the natural
since the Second World such as Dugdale Drive in wildflowers and insects. They environment. I’m delighted
War – which is incredibly Warndon Villages (WR4 not only look beautiful, but to see the wildflower
worrying because they 0AZ), where an information they also support bees and information board installed
provide essential nutrients board and posts with QR other insects which pollinate at Dugdale Drive; it’s really
for 270 species of native codes have been installed, plants and provide food to important that residents
bee,” explains Paul Snookes allowing people to find out our native birds.” understand why we’re taking
from the Worcester more about the species they this action.”
Environmental Group. spot. These include bush Warndon Parish South
vetch; red clover; wild carrot councillor Andy Roberts The authority also planted
“We are pleased the Council and herb-robert. added: “The reaction wildflowers at a number
is taking this action and look from residents has been of new sites this year –
forward to the programme “Worcester City Council overwhelmingly positive. including Hylton Road;
expanding to more sites in declared a Biodiversity Encouraging more Bromwich Parade; City Walls
the future.” Emergency in 2020, wildflowers to grow is a Road and Bromwich Road.
because we recognise
The authority has worked that action needs to be
in partnership with the taken immediately to stop
Worcester Environmental the decline of our native
Group, reducing the species,” explains Cllr
frequency of grass verge Andy Stafford, Chair of
cutting at some locations Worcester City Council’s
and introducing new Environment Committee.
techniques to encourage
more flowers to grow. Strips “The success of Dugdale
of grass will continue to be Drive shows us that with a
cut around the borders of change in mowing practices Cllr Andy Stafford, Paul Snookes
wildflower areas. we can turn barren grass and Cllr Andy Roberts

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