Biodiversity

In the summer, weekly mowing of lawns is a commonplace. However, refraining from cutting the grass could help our native wildlife, alongside humans. There are three key scientific reasons you should refrain from cutting your lawns as often:

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1. Many species require longer grass to survive and breed. These species include newts, dragonflies and damselflies, and birds. This also includes bees and other pollinating insects. A study from the charity Plantlife found that 80% of lawns supported ca. 400 bees/day from flower nectar, whereas 20% of lawns, which were cut less frequently (once a month), supported ten times this amount!

2. Alongside protecting local fauna, mowing your lawn less frequently has also been shown to increase the abundance of native flowers in your garden. This particularly helps support short-grass plants, such as daises and white clover – staples of a (British) summer.

3. Reducing your lawnmower use will also reduce your emission, through reduced gas use and/or electrical usage.

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Let it grow!

Insects are key pollinators for thousands plants, including many crop species we rely on, such as oil seed rape, apples, and strawberries. Some insects are, however, pests for crop plants and thus reduce crop yields. Neonicotinoids are a particular type of pesticide chemical used on sugar beet farms in the UK. Neonicotinoids are, however, to not only target insect pests and they are very damaging to pollinating insects.

 

A specific type of this pesticide, which was banned in the EU due to the risk they pose to pollinators, has recently been authorised by the Department of Environmental, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). The Government argue that this is due to the risk that yellow viruses, which are spread by agricultural pests (aphids), could massively reduce sugar beet yields.

 

Although the Government state they “only grant temporary emergency authorisations for restricted pesticides in special circumstances”, the impacts of this virus on the wider health of farmland ecosystems in the UK will be devastating.

A simple way to stand up for biodiversity is to become an ambassador for it! This can take many forms, ranging from merely communicating the importance of nature to your friends and family, to volunteering for your local nature reserve. There are several major charities (non-governmental organisations) which protect biodiversity, primarily via local protected areas. You can donate, be it financial or your time, to these charities to help their activities, which include environmental education, practical conservation, and political lobbying. Below are some links for two major NGOs, the RSPB and the Wildlife Trusts. Get in contact with them – they’re always looking for help!

 

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Although we understand the needs of farmers to receive a sufficient crop yield, we cannot risk dooming our vital pollinators to extinction. Here is a parliamentary petition you can sign to persuade the UK Government to reverse their decision:

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Fancy reading in details ? Find our sources below

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