Warrington Nature Conservation Forum (WNCF) are asking people to delay mowing their lawns this month and support Plantlife’s No Mow May campaign to enable pollinators and promote biodiversity.
Chair Geoff Settle said, “To put it simply, we’re asking gardeners to put their feet up and watch the grass grow tall this month. Let’s all to create an environment for colourful wildflowers. See No Mow May Registration Thank You – Plantlife”
Kevin McCready, Warrington Borough Council Area Environmental Manager, has promised Geoff that his mowing team will NOT mow this year, places where WNCF have identified a colony of wild Orchids in Birchwood and Stockton Heath.
Geoff said, “I was alerted to the new orchid sites by a local resident, Catherine (Birchwood) and Ron (Stockton Heath), a fellow Warrington Visually Impaired People board member. It was at a time when WBC suspended the mowing team to save money and put them on other duties. The grass was left to grow high, and although some people moaned that they no longer had manicured grass verges a wonderful wild flowered display emerged.
“When I saw the hundred or so bee orchids, I was amazed; they mimic a bee drinking nectar from a pink flower. Close by were the deeper purple Northern Marsh orchids, but when mowing resumed, both species disappeared from the two sites.
“This year I am delighted to report that the grass has been left to grow as promised by Mr McCready. The field has seen a magnificent display of dwarf daffodils and purple crocus in Spring, and now bluebells, cowslips, meadow buttercup, varieties of grasses, and butterflies have followed, fingers crossed the Bee Orchids and Northern Marsh orchids will emerge in the Summer.
Geoff did some volunteer work with the Manx Wildlife Trust at their Close Sartfield wildlife site in the north of the Island, whilst across for the IOM TT races as a marshal. He learnt that their six different species grow well but that they need care.
He said, “In recent years, because of mowing, no orchids have emerged. However, I had a call from a lady who works at Birchwood Office Park. She told me that she has spotted five spikes growing in the shadow of a billboard and had alerted the site manager.
“I found out this year that they are located opposite the Zen Garden, where Esther Ghey’s twenty-minute legacy walk finishes. Beccy does a brief meditation in the garden, and when she asks about our thoughts, I tell the group about the bee orchids.”
Geoff says a good place to practise No Mow May is Westy, which lies below the Westy Swifty colony skies. He said, “Last year, when I was walking around looking for the white swift boxes that Karl Green has put up for residents I was delighted to see a rainbow display of wildflowers, orange, Giant Red Poppies, Bluebells, numerous whites in residents’ gardens.
“Residents are achieving the goals of the campaign by allowing grasses and wildflowers to bloom, providing nectar and pollen for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators during a critical time when food sources are scarce, especially for the endangered swifts returning from Africa.
“Brian Martin reports seeing them feeding over Woolston Eyes Wetland now. The Westy Swift colony will soon have their chicks to feed, and every food source helps. He also told me that he believes there will soon be a positive announcement about his campaign to have the Westy Swift Colony designated. This will be a great feather in Warrington’s Local Wildlife map and wants to thank everyone who has actively supported the initiative, especially the Environmental Manager, Angus Lord.”
Geoff believes that if more people were made aware of the wildlife that exists in Warrington and recorded it on the Cheshire wildlife database, then more could be done with the data to protect wildlife places like Peel Hall, where 100 Northern Orchids went under the developers’ bulldozer last August in full bloom, and hundreds of trees were ripped up. He says more protection is needed in the New Local Plan to protect wildlife and create Linescapes (wildlife corridors) as advocated by Hugh Warwick in his book by the same name. You can have your say on the new local plan Updating Warrington’s Local Plan | warrington.gov.uk.
Why not visit the Warrington Nature Conservation Forum Facebook site or the WNCF web site Warrington Nature Conservation Forum to find out more?
