How can road verges serve as highways for wildlife?
Road verges contain extensive tracts of grassland yet their potential to enhance biodiversity remains largely untapped. Based on 25 years’ experience advising local government in Dorset, and 4 years managing the road verge cutting programme in the county, Dr Phil Sterling shows how we can achieve abundant wildlife on verges and look after it at much lower cost compared with standard mowing regimes. Low soil fertility is the key - the native wildflowers we cherish are adapted to thrive in it, and because the grass doesn’t grow as much it doesn’t need cutting so often. It’s a simple and effective win-win.