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Roadside verges 'last refuge for wild flowers'

 
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Rob R



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York
PostPosted: Tue Jun 09, 15 11:36 pm    Post subject: Roadside verges 'last refuge for wild flowers' Reply with quote
    

Quote:
More than 700 species of wild plants - almost half of the native flora of the British Isles - are found on road verges, according to a study.

Many plants once found in meadows now only thrive beside roads, where they provide essential habitat for insects, says charity Plantlife.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Wed Jun 10, 15 6:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Unfortunately they tend to employ monkeys for peanuts round here to cut the verges, so they wouldn't know a rare flower if they found one. The regularly mow the daffodils before the leaves are down. We have some pyramid orchids in the hedge opposite us. They can't grow further out on the verge because of the mixture of cutting and people parking there. I have noticed that there has been less cutting over the last month or so, so perhaps they are letting the verges grow where there is no danger. I realise that sight lines are necessary at junctions and bends, but generally not elsewhere.

I hope the harebells which make an appearance up a bank down the road from us come up again this year, as I love to see them.

Falstaff



Joined: 27 May 2009
Posts: 1014

PostPosted: Wed Jun 10, 15 8:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I don't know about "monkeys for peanuts" MR - I think it's hierarchically driven in a drive to "be tidy"

Round here they not only cut the verges, they regularly flail the hedges during the breeding season (illegal) and cut trees in the breeding season too - even on the "wildlife sensitive" areas.

Flora may survive such treatment fauna certainly won't - then "they say" "Where have all the butterflies gone - it must be them nasty farmers !"

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45377
Location: yes
PostPosted: Wed Jun 10, 15 9:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

english nature ,the environment agency and the "hay contractor"have managed to do a pretty good job of wiping out the fauna on the latest addition to the local sssi collection without any help from the highways agency or the council .

perhaps the worst culprits for untimely and low quality cutting are the local private school who clip and flail their hedges 3 times a year rather than do a proper job every few years with a bit of winter trimming ,they also spray under most of the hedges with herbicide just to make sure.

Nick



Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford
PostPosted: Wed Jun 10, 15 9:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

About the only good thing I can say about Newport is that the council plant the verges and roundabout islands, and such with wild flowers. They are beautiful.

Tavascarow



Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall
PostPosted: Wed Jun 10, 15 3:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Falstaff wrote:
I don't know about "monkeys for peanuts" MR - I think it's hierarchically driven in a drive to "be tidy"

Round here they not only cut the verges, they regularly flail the hedges during the breeding season (illegal) and cut trees in the breeding season too - even on the "wildlife sensitive" areas.

Flora may survive such treatment fauna certainly won't - then "they say" "Where have all the butterflies gone - it must be them nasty farmers !"
Ditto. I challenged one contractor last year who was flailing the verge of my property. I pointed out that 'I' was responsible for the borders of my property now, & he shouldn't be doing it in July.
Asked who had contracted them & it was the highways agency.

Rob R



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York
PostPosted: Wed Jun 10, 15 6:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Tavascarow wrote:
Falstaff wrote:
I don't know about "monkeys for peanuts" MR - I think it's hierarchically driven in a drive to "be tidy"

Round here they not only cut the verges, they regularly flail the hedges during the breeding season (illegal) and cut trees in the breeding season too - even on the "wildlife sensitive" areas.

Flora may survive such treatment fauna certainly won't - then "they say" "Where have all the butterflies gone - it must be them nasty farmers !"
Ditto. I challenged one contractor last year who was flailing the verge of my property. I pointed out that 'I' was responsible for the borders of my property now, & he shouldn't be doing it in July.
Asked who had contracted them & it was the highways agency.


If it's by the highway they are allowed to cut whenever for 'safety', if it's your responsibility and you don't cut it you might be liable if an insurance company sues you.

Really, IMO, we should be paying more attention to looking after the meadows we've got left, and created through various schemes, rather than getting too precious about highways. But then I would say that.

Falstaff



Joined: 27 May 2009
Posts: 1014

PostPosted: Wed Jun 10, 15 6:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Rob R wrote:


...........If it's by the highway they are allowed to cut whenever for 'safety', if it's your responsibility and you don't cut it you might be liable if an insurance company sues you........

:


Negligence doesn't work that way Rob - If it's anything like snow clearance, you cannot be sued for leaving it lay, but if you clear it and someone falls - you are liable !

buzzy



Joined: 04 Jan 2011
Posts: 3708
Location: In a small wood on the edge of the Huntingdonshire Wolds
PostPosted: Wed Jun 10, 15 11:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I'd be hard pressed to think of many plants that "only thrive on road verges". Mainly for the reasons others have mentioned - the verges are fairly thoroughly damaged, one way or the other. Either too much, or not enough or badly timed cutting.

We need to manage our meadows better, rather than pretend road verges are the answer.

Henry

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Thu Jun 11, 15 6:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

We still have some downland near us that hasn't been reseeded, but sadly one of the downs is being destroyed by people walking on it allowing their dogs to foul there, and the others are being invaded by scrub. Every so often they manage to have a scrub clearance, but as the local authority, which look after the downs here are having their money cut all the time, there are fewer people to do the work.

We have a nice bit of grass down the road that has a number of downland grass species in it, but every time they come into flower they get mown. I spoke to a Parish Councillor about it, and she said if they don't mow it people complain because it is untidy. Sadly we have a lot of people from the town living here now.

Rob R



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York
PostPosted: Thu Jun 11, 15 11:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

buzzy wrote:
I'd be hard pressed to think of many plants that "only thrive on road verges". Mainly for the reasons others have mentioned - the verges are fairly thoroughly damaged, one way or the other. Either too much, or not enough or badly timed cutting.

We need to manage our meadows better, rather than pretend road verges are the answer.

Henry



Rob R



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York
PostPosted: Thu Jun 11, 15 11:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Falstaff wrote:
Rob R wrote:


...........If it's by the highway they are allowed to cut whenever for 'safety', if it's your responsibility and you don't cut it you might be liable if an insurance company sues you........

:


Negligence doesn't work that way Rob - If it's anything like snow clearance, you cannot be sued for leaving it lay, but if you clear it and someone falls - you are liable !


Really? Well, regardless, you still don't really want someone to be injured in the first place.

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