Went to mow … but stopped: how UK cities embraced the meadows revolution theguardian.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from theguardian.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Last modified on Wed 26 May 2021 07.11 EDT
Road verges covering 1.2% of Great Britain, an area the size of Dorset, could be used to grow wildflower meadows and create habitat for wildlife, a study says.
In a report outlining the scale of road verges in England, Scotland and Wales, researchers from the University of Exeter used Google Earth and Google Street View to estimate that verges account for about 1,000 sq miles (2,579 sq km) of the UK’s land.
According to the report, up to 707 sq km (27.47%) of road verges are short, frequently mown grassland. The rest includes 1,062 sq km (40.87%) of regular grassland, while 480 sq km (18.73%) is woodland, and 272 sq km (10.66%) is scrub.
Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images
Millions of Britons have emerged from a year of Covid-19 lockdowns with a new national obsession: houseplants.
But while our collections of calathea and succulents can improve our immediate surroundings, they can also have a detrimental impact on the wider environment. Here is what to avoid for a “greener” approach to “plant parenting”.
Peat
The “vast majority” of houseplants are grown in peat, a soil-like substance formed from decayed organic matter, says The Telegraph.
But the mining of peat “is now widely condemned as unsustainable, environment-wrecking and carbon-emitting,” the newspaper continues. Peatlands act as “carbon sinks”, absorbing and storing huge amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere - so when peat is harvested, CO2 is released, increasing greenhouse gas levels.
No mow May HOMEOWNERS throughout Dumbarton and the Vale are being urged to let their grass grow this month to support a nationwide environmental campaign. The ‘No Mow May’ initiative has been launched by conservation charity Plantlife with a message to lock up your lawnmower for 31 days and let the wild flowers bloom. The Cardross CAN (Climate Action Network) group, Cardross Parish Church and Geilston Hall are all giving their backing to the initiative. Heather Munro, from Cardross CAN, said: “It’s a campaign to encourage us all to care more about the biodiversity in our gardens, because our native pollinators are in sharp decline due to changes in agricultural practices over decades, and collectively our gardens can make a difference.
Sustainable Strategies For Agriculture And Biodiversity: As Simple As Helping Nature Run Its Course forbes.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from forbes.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.