The disruption caused by the Covid-19 lockdown to Eastbourne’s verge and open space maintenance has highlighted how nature can add aesthetic and ecological value when left to thrive.

The benefits of less mowing to the environment are:

• More wildflowers which support bees, birds and other wildlife
• Providing Wildlife corridors for biodiversity in our towns with rare wildflowers, such as wild orchids, cowslips and harebell, given a chance to grow and reproduce.
• Improvement of the urban environment
• More oxygen, shade and improved air quality
• A more pleasant and relaxing experience for walkers, cyclists and drivers
• Less carbon emissions from mowers
• A positive contribution to Eastbourne’s 2030 carbon neutral target
• Money saved can be spent on more urgent needs

A cut and collect grass management strategy:

• Prevents grass cuttings left behind from enriching the soil
• Encourages biodiversity as native wild flowers will flourish in poor soil.

Eastbourne Borough Council has a commitment to carbon neutrality and wildlife conservation: ‘Public bodies have a legal duty to have regard to the conservation of biodiversity in exercising their function’.

Submitted by Eastbourne and District Friends of the Earth

Started by: jill shacklock (Eastbourne and District Friends of the Earth)

This ePetition ran from 15/06/2020 to 28/07/2020 and has now finished.

88 people signed this ePetition.