97% of Britain’s meadows, once home to an abundance of flowers, bees and other wildlife, have been lost since the 1930s. Habitat loss is a major driver in the decline of nature with alarming consequences. In the last 20 years alone there’s been a 60% decline in flying insects, which are integral to the health of natural world and are vital pollinators for crops.

If managed in the right way, road verges can recreate the flower rich habitat of meadows to store carbon, create corridors for wildlife and support pollinators. This benefits biodiversity, mitigates climate change, improves agricultural production and sustainability on neighbouring farmland and helps to filter out pollutants from air and water. Less than 1% of Derbyshire’s road verges are managed for wildlife, so there’s a huge opportunity to make improvements for nature.

Following sustained pressure from local people, Derbyshire County Council hosted a conference in 2022 to discuss how road verges are maintained. The Leader of the Council subsequently agreed to fund a 2-year project looking into current maintenance arrangements and trialling a wildlife friendly approach on a few carefully chosen sites. These verges span rural locations in Derbyshire Dales as well as larger towns like Ashbourne and Matlock.

How are Derbyshire’s verges normally managed?

In urban areas, verges are cut a minimum of 6 times a year and in rural areas, the first metre of verge annually. Cuttings are left to rot where they lie, increasing soil nutrient levels which stimulates fast growing grasses and other nutrient-loving plants. This cycle reduces biodiversity and creates a taller ‘sward’ of growth which obscures driver sightlines, and ultimately increases on-going management costs.

What’s Happening on Pilot Verges?

Verges have been allowed to grow over the summer but will be cut again before next Spring. Stopping mowing altogether would not be a good outcome, because grasses would be taken over by shrubs and a few fast-growing species that do not have the same biodiversity value. Road verges can support 700 species of wildflowers, but only when managed in the right way, with a limited number of cuts at the right times of year.

Once mowed, the grass cuttings will be removed to stop the cycle of nutrient enrichment. While some changes are already visible, it will take a couple of years before the height of plants on the verges decrease and we see a much greater diversity of wildflowers.

How Can You Help?

Positive changes are already apparent on the trial sites where grass has been left uncut and once dormant species start to re-emerge, but it will take time to fully realise the benefits. This Autumn, Derbyshire County Council will review progress so far and decide how best to proceed with the road verges project. If you live in Derbyshire Dales, please join us in contacting one or more cabinet members at Derbyshire County Council (list here) as well as your local town or parish council, to express your support for the project. The Cabinet are the decision makers so it’s important they understand the strength of local support.

If you’d like to read more about the ecology of grasslands, check out our other recent blog about Glorious Grasslands