Eleven key locations around the borough will soon become part of the Nature Friendly Verges initiative, where nature is being put back in the driving seat.
Bromley Council’s new pilot will see carefully selected locations receiving only one annual cut, either in September or October, and then these will be left to grow throughout the rest of the year with other maintenance activities continuing.
Starting now, March 2023, and running for a two-year period, the council’s greenspace management contractor, idverde, will be carefully managing the sites, with expected important improvements in biodiversity and increased natural carbon storage.
The grass verges will act as wildlife corridors connecting habitats and greenspaces, a process that is likely to take two growing seasons to develop. These wildflower verges will help increase floral diversity and increase pollinator habitats, which is good news for bees, butterflies, and invertebrates.
Councillor Aisha Cuthbert, Executive Councillor for Sustainability, Green Services and Open Spaces said, “By allowing our verges and hedgerows to grow, we hope to bring back the natural beauty of the areas, as well as revitalising the habitats and diversity of the insects that thrive in such areas. With bee numbers decreasing year on year and natural green spaces disappearing, we want to do all we can to conserve our environment.”
The sites listed below have been specially chosen for the pilot and will be closely monitored during the two-year venture, with signage installed to explain the benefits of these nature-friendly verges. Local residents will also receive letters about what will happen, what they can expect to see, and will be invited to give their views as the project progresses.
The carefully chosen sites are:
- Addington Road (West Wickham)
- Beadon Road (Bromley Town)
- Copers Cope Road (Beckenham Town & Copers Cope)
- Court Road (Orpington)
- Downs Hill/Ravensbourne Avenue (Shortlands and Park Langley/Bromley Town/Beckenham & Copes Cope)
- Northfield Avenue (St. Mary Cray)
- Ormonde Avenue (Farnborough and Crofton)
- Pickhurst Lane and Pickhurst Mead (West Wickham)
- Rangefield Road Footpath (Plaistow)
- River Pool Walk (Penge and Cator)
- Warren Road (Chelsfield)
Bromley Council would like to hear from residents living, working or studying in the borough, and from friendly borough visitors, to find out what locals think of the Nature Friendly Verges project. As part of this, residents are being encouraged to complete a short survey which can be accessed by visiting the council’s website.
A webinar about the pilot is also being held on Thursday 6 April at 6.30pm. Residents can find out more information about Bromley’s nature friendly verges at www.bromley.gov.uk/NatureFriendlyVerges.
Residents who would like to stay in touch or find out more, including getting involved in Bromley’s Friends of Parks, Street Friends or Tree Friends groups, are invited to email parks@bromley.gov.uk.
ENDS
For media enquiries, please contact Justin Brown, public affairs officer, on 020 8461 7872 or email justin.brown@bromley.gov.uk.