The borough will see 73 grass verges and open spaces left to grow during the next month, helping wildlife in the council’s support of Plantlife’s ‘No Mow May’ initiative.
The Council is keen to actively take part in this year’s ‘No Mow May’ as the borough has been identified as an important pollinator ‘corridor’ between neighbouring boroughs where insects can move between habitats and pollinate wildflowers.
As part of the Ground Maintenance Programme, areas left for the break from cutting will be clearly marked for the month of May, after this time the usual four-to-six-week cutting cycle will resume.
Careful consideration has been given to the areas left to grow to help biodiversity, whilst also making sure they do not impact on residents such as interfering with visibility whilst driving. It is not possible to leave all areas of parks to grow, as this would make the grass cutting schedule for the rest of the summer impossible to achieve.
Meanwhile, certain areas within the borough will undergo a “conservation cut” which is less frequent but more supportive of local ecosystems. This approach will help foster the growth of habitats for native pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and insects, which are vital for preserving biodiversity.
‘No Mow May’ will work alongside our Wildflower verge trials as part of our future green initiatives, which works with residents, Friends’ of Parks groups and street champions across the borough.
Residents can get involved by leaving their lawn to grow for the month of May or beyond and share the results on social media #YourCroydonPics
“We are doing our bit to support wildlife and biodiversity and ‘No Mow May’ is a big part of that support.
“Croydon is an important pollinator corridor for insects to migrate and pollinate wildflowers, so it is vital that some verges and open spaces are left wild which helps the environment whilst also making sure we have well-kept areas for our residents to enjoy.
“I hope the weather is kind on residents and wildlife, so we can all make the most out of our amazing greenspaces in Croydon during May.”
Jason Perry, Executive Mayor of Croydon
For more information about what we are doing and the location of the verges visit https://www.croydon.gov.uk/no-mow-may
