MIKE Fry’s letter 'Who’s caring for wildlife?' (June 29) asked how Bournemouth council managed nature conservation.
I can assure Mr Fry that Bournemouth takes this issue very seriously, demonstrated by the fact that we have a countryside service to provide advice and guidance across the council.
Bournemouth has numerous sites designated nationally and locally for nature conservation. We also recognise that nature conservation goes beyond these sites to our whole environment.
With regard to managing grass verges, sites are considered on their situation, where verges are well used by pedestrians or long grass would obscure signs we cut regularly. In many areas of Bournemouth you may have noticed our pollinator-rich flower areas and wildflower strips, whilst in others we’ve allowed natural grasses to seed. Over the last decade, the changes in Bournemouth’s green spaces have been pronounced.
In many of our parks and nature reserves, we’ve now opted for areas of longer grass and wildflowers too. To reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and vary our grasslands we also own a herd of over 50 cattle and goats. They provide the conditions for richer plant diversity than simply mowing.
We work closely with local wildlife groups and have a partnership with the RSPB. In Bournemouth we are proud to be in one of the most biodiverse areas of the UK and we strive to better ourselves each year.
CLLR LAWRENCE WILLIAMS
Cabinet member for tourism, leisure and the arts
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