Monmouthshire buzzing with wildlife after successful No Mow May

Birds, bees, plants, flowers and trees have all received a boost thanks to a successful ‘No Mow May’ and Nature Isn’t Neat campaign.

 Over the last two months, verges and green spaces have been left to grow, allowing flowers and wild grasses to develop to support pollinators. The success of the campaign comes as Monmouthshire County Council gears up for the summer months and is reminding residents of its selective mowing policy.

Under the policy, sports pitches, path edges and road junctions will be mown while in other areas, the longer grass will gradually be cut, so residents will notice there will not be an immediate return to short green lawns. Some larger green spaces will have paths cut through them, and circles to provide areas for people to sit or children to play. 

Monmouthshire County Council’s cabinet member for grounds maintenance and climate change, Councillor Jane Pratt, said: “It’s been wonderful to hear the overwhelmingly positive and supportive response to No Mow May from residents, who have reported enjoying the appearance of longer grasses swaying in the breeze, more wild flowers, and hearing the buzz of insects feeding on them. A wide diversity of different flowers have appeared in parks and footpath verges, ranging from daisies and dandelions to cow parsley, buttercups, hawkweed and trefoils. There have been rarities too, like the exotic-looking bee orchids spotted in Chepstow, Monmouth and Caerwent.

“Now we are moving into the next phase – selective grass mowing is resuming. As the mowing teams work their way around the county, they will still be observing the key principles of Nature Isn’t Neat, which partners the ethos of No Mow May perfectly,” said Cllr. Pratt.