Vale of Glamorgan Council
Cyngor Bro Morgannwg
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How grassland management is changing

On the current management scheme, the majority of roadside verges and grasslands are cut every 3 weeks during the growing season (late March to September). The cuttings are mulched and dropped on top of the grass. This re-introduces the nutrients back into the soil and encourages further grass growth.

 

Starting in 2023, we will be introducing a new management scheme to favour the growth of wildflowers and reduce the frequency of cuts through use of ‘cut-and-collect’ machines.

 Cut and collect machine

 

‘Cut and drop’ management 

  • Mower mulches as it mows, returning the nutrients to the soil

  • More grass grows, more quickly, outcompeting other species including wildflowers which thrive in low-nutrient soils

  • Thicker, higher growth of grasses obscure sight lines more quickly

  • Mowing needed again within 3 weeks

 ‘Cut and collect’ management

  • Mower collects arisings, reducing the amount of nutrients returning to the soil

  • Grass and wildflower growth is less vigorous and less competitive species have greater opportunities to establish increasing the diversity of plant species year on year

  • Grass and wildflower growth is generally lower preserving visibility splays

  • Cutting is reduced to two times a year

 

How grasslands will be managed going forward

Parks and Open Space and Highways manage the grasslands on road verges, parks and within residential areas. For more information and advice on managing grasslands on privately owned land and non-local authority owned spaces (for example, community councils) get in touch with the Vale Local Nature Partnership.

 

Amenity cuts (cut every 3 weeks) 

  • Open spaces and verges are cut on a 3 week cycle

  • Green Flag Parks are cut every 10 days with areas set aside that are managed as conservation areas

 

Conservation cuts (no cut during the flowering season April-September) 

  • Rural verges, residential verges and designated areas within parks and open spaces

  • These areas will be cut in early spring and autumn using a cut-and-collect machine, if appropriate, the arisings will be left in piles on site, and some sites may have edge-cuts throughout the growing seasons to maintain a neat appearance.

 

Visibility Splay Cuts (Cut as required; up to 3 times during flowering season in non-urban areas and every 3 weeks within urban areas)

  • Areas by junctions, roundabouts, bendy roads to increase visibility for motorists

  • Vision splays on strategic and non-strategic networks are cut early May, with verges on the strategic network cut another two occasions and on the non-strategic route an additional cut if required

 

Roadside verges and grasslands included in the scheme will be marked using signage.

 

Contact us

For any questions please contact: