Biodiversity has increased across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole as the council trials a new grass management programme, allowing wildflowers to thrive across the conurbation.
Last year the Cabinet agreed on a new trial for the management of grass and the installation of meadows in open spaces across BCP including roundabouts and and verges, this has already taken effect and resulted in many areas blooming with new colours. Many of the new flowers are a result of less frequent mowing which has been reduced to allow support a wider variety of plants including the declining amount of pollinators.
Bee Orchid pic from Wikipedia
Previously dormant flowers have been spotted in growth around areas of conurbation including Bee Orchids around Christchurch and Poole, along with Pyramidal Orchids blooming in Poole, Mudeford and Boscombe cliffs. These plants have been rare in the past and indicate a potential return of many other wild and beneficial flora, this would also potentially result in more animals and insects within the area to improve our environment.
The Merley Nature Group worked with local schoolchildren to create posters that can be put up around 40 Bee Orchids that were sighted in the area. The posters are to raise awareness of the flowers and the benefits to the environment brought by wildflowers and pollinators.
The new trail will be studied and the results used to inform further approaches of environmental management via ongoing reviews. There will be overwintering methods in place, where they will keep plants and animals in a specific place over the winter season to study and receive the maximum benefits.
The Council’s Cleaner, Greener, Safer initiative is running this trial and hopes to make BCP a more eco friendly area. There will be signs say ‘Let it Grow’ placed around the conurbation to protect the areas under the trials effect.