Please click the follow button to keep up to date and share to help grow this blog. Following and sharing is absolutely free and would help me out. Thanks for visiting and enjoy the blog!!!
University of Exceter, 9th -August-2020- Research that had been led by the University of Exceter had discovered that roadside verges can provide suitable refuge for pollinators despite high levels of pollution and risk of getting hit by oncoming traffic. It has been urged the positives significantly outweigh the negatives.
It has been said in this study that all verges won't have the exact same benefits as one another. It was found that verges along quieter stretches of road showed the best results. This study states that less cutting throughout the year and leaving it until later in the year to cut will have signifficant benefits to the pollinator population.
Regular cutting of grass will result in loss of shelter and nectar source and this will be amplified if done in peak summer periods where the pollinators are most active. Wildflowers are most prevalent during this period and the removal of these wildflowers will reduce many pollinator's opportunity for pollination leading to increased risk of starvation and less flowers pollinated leading to less flowers.
It has been emphasized that cuttings should be altered from peak flowering periods to Autumn, a period were pollinators are notably less active reducing the impact. The only section that should be considered being cut is the area 2m in from the roadside. This is the case as these sections were recorded to have the lowest abundance in pollinator populations and are the most important zone for visibility for road users.
These road verges creates a network of corridors providing sufficient food sources to sustain this population. These verges pose many negative aspects including pollution, collision but it has been stressed that the positive effects remarkably outweigh these negative aspects which may somewhat help the 97% decrease of meadow wildflowers since the 1930's.
Street lights cause great confusion to nocturnal insects and the University of Exceter have stated these verges can be dramatically improved through limiting the amount of street lights used.“This new research shows the potential that road verges have to help to reverse insect declines.
“By making small changes to the management of our road verge network, local authorities and others involved in road verge management can make a significant difference to support nature’s recovery.'If you enjoyed this blog, please click the follow button to keep up to date and share to help grow this blog. Following and sharing is absolutely free and would help me out. Thanks for reading!
