Highland Council to cut less grass to 'enhance biodiversity and protect wildlife'

The Highland Council is embracing the climate change agenda by increasing the amount of set aside and wildlife corridors across the area.

In 2019 the council declared a Climate and Ecological Emergency and have committed to being a low carbon Highlands by 2025.

The council says that "one way to do our part and locally address the global climate and ecological emergency" is to reduce both the area being mown, and the frequency of cutting. This increases biodiversity, crucially in urban areas where it is often low, and is great for habitat creation as well as absorbing more carbon in these areas, and reducing the carbon emitted in managing the greenspaces. The benefits to our pollinators, such as bees and butterflies, are evident, but the knock-on impacts to other species of plants, insects, birds and mammals are just as important. Providing spaces for more species to thrive can make our communities more biodiverse and enjoyable places to live, with cleaner air and thriving greenspaces.

Interpretation information will be available on Highland Council's website and signage will be placed at locations which are not being cut to help to identify the flora and fauna benefits of the areas, an approach being followed by many other councils to explain to the public that land is being left uncut for biodiversity reasons. Other ways in which the council will reduce their emissions will be by only cutting paths through larger greenspaces, reducing verge cutting and creating wildflower or wildlife corridors between some green spaces.

The council is also encouraging people to be responsible citizens when out and about in greenspaces and asks please to take litter home with you or use bins provided.

It also seeks to encourage community food growing initiatives in some of the areas of set aside and anyone interested in learning more about this should email: communityfoodgrowing@highland.gov.uk

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