Appendix 1 - Managed for Wildlife Report 2022
Perth and Kinross Council · 31 May 2023
Back to Climate Change and Sustainability Committee — 31 May 2023 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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1 Managed For Wildlife Trial Results 2022 A balance of wild and tamed discussion paper Viewlands Park, July 2022 Date: 23rd November 2022 By: Joanna Dick, Biodiversity and Tree Officer Hannah Wilson, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Graduate Appendix 1
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2 Contents 1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 3 2. Background……………………………………………………………………………………………………….………………………4 3. Methods……………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………….……………5 4. Results ............................................................................................................................................. 7 5. Results – Cut and Lift Sites Only – Future Baseline ......................................................................... 9 6. Discussion ...................................................................................................................................... 11 7. Recommendations for 8 Cut and Lift Areas.................................................................................. 13 8. Discussion of Options for No Mow Areas ..................................................................................... 14 9. Long Term Recommendations for PKC ......................................................................................... 18 10. Trial Site Photographs and Surveyor Comments ......................................................................... 20 Appendix 1: Plant List............................................................................................................................ 61 Appendix 2: Site by Site Analysis .......................................................................................................... 63 Appendix 3: Potential New Approaches to Biodiversity Management in Greenspace ........................ 64
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3 1. Introduction This report has been produced to share the results of the 2022 Managed for Wildlife Grassland Management Trials and to discuss options for managing grassland for the benefit of biodiversity and people. The Perth and Kinross Council Greenspace Team decided to manage eight sites for the benefit of biodiversity through cutting and lifting grass to create wildflower meadows. It was agreed that these sites would be trialled and monitored for biodiversity alongside an online public consultation to ascertain the opinions of greenspace users and residents of Perth and Kinross Council. In 2021, 34 sites were designated as ‘No Mow’ where no management of the grass would be undertaken. It was agreed to carry out biodiversity monitoring of the No Mow sites also. Biodiversity monitoring was carried out from April to September 2022 by volunteers and PKC Staff Biodiversity Ambassadors. Areas of uncut grass were compared to nearby short mown amenity grass and the number of wildflowers, pollinators and birds were noted and photos submitted. This created a baseline to provide comparison once future management regimes have been implemented. Insect pollinators have experienced global declines in major part due to loss and fragmentation of habitats. In the last 100 years, the UK alone has lost 97% of its meadows and other species-rich grasslands. To support pollinators, it is necessary to increase the quality and quantity of semi-natural habitats which provide food, shelter nest and hibernation sites. Parks and greenspaces managed by Perth and Kinross Council provide an opportunity to support pollinators in accordance with the legal duty placed upon Perth and Kinross Council to further biodiversity under the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004. In addition, there are opportunities to contribute towards 12 projects in the Tayside Local Biodiversity Action Plan (LBAP). Grassland management in parks and greenspaces presents an opportunity to respond to the climate and nature crisis through creating and restoring natural habitats to benefit biodiversity and mitigate climate change. Establishing wildflower meadows provides a pleasing aesthetic, improves the health and wellbeing of people, and enhances biodiversity, and so can present a win-win.
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4 2. Background Biodiversity is declining globally and locally with increased extinction rates and there is an increasing need for parks and greenspaces to deliver multiple benefits. Currently, two-thirds of greenspaces in the UK are managed as short mown amenity grass cut 16 times per year. An increasing number of Local Authorities are creating more diverse parks and greenspace by providing areas of long grass and wildflower meadows in high profile and well used areas. The benefits are to improve biodiversity, provide more visually diverse spaces and wider benefits to people such as improved physical and mental health and wellbeing. 2.1 Drivers for Grassland Management Changes • Edinburgh Declaration on Post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. • Scottish Biodiversity Strategy Post 2020 Statement of Intent. • Scottish Pollinator Strategy 2017-2027. • Biodiversity Duty under the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004. • PKC Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan 2019-2030. • PKC actions in the Tayside Local Biodiversity Action Plan (LBAP) 2nd edition 2016-2026. • Public knowledge and awareness of biodiversity is increasing. Research for a MSc thesis undertaken in Perth and Kinross in 2020-2021 found that 87% of respondents (n=355) felt parks should be managed to improve biodiversity. 2.2 Benefits to PKC • Contribution towards PKC biodiversity duty and actions in the Tayside LBAP. • Management tool for difficult sites to manage such as slopes and wetter areas. • Reduced time, fuel, and carbon emissions from cutting areas 16 times per year to once annually. 1 hour of mowing = 50 miles driving. Saved time and resources can be re-directed. • Creation of more interesting and diverse greenspaces with the potential to encourage people to spend more time in their local greenspaces rather than travelling to more distant areas. • Opportunities for people to experience and enjoy nature regularly on their doorstep. • People of all ages can use greenspaces for national citizen science surveys such as the Big Butterfly Watch and the Big Garden Bird Count. 2.3 Benefits to Biodiversity • Diverse greenspaces with a mix of tall grasses, shrubs and trees have been found to support more abundant and diverse species of ants, wasps, mites, beetles, and birds. Stirling University research found 50 times more butterflies and 13 times more hoverflies in managed wildflower meadows compared to short mown amenity grass. • Longer grasses and meadows provide food, shelter, nesting sites and hibernation sites for insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and small mammals. • Grasses are an important food source for over 20 species of butterfly caterpillars. • Connecting green areas and creating wildlife corridors is vital to broaden the genetic pool of species and create migration routes in a warming climate. • Enhanced diversity and subsequent species richness is essential to act as an insurance policy against climate change.
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5 3. Methods Aim: investigate the biodiversity value of sites where mowing will be altered and collect information on the wildflowers that are naturally present in the seed bank but have been suppressed by regular amenity mowing. Objectives: 1. Ascertain the diversity of wildflower species present in the seed bed in uncut areas. 2. Compare the biodiversity value of cut and uncut areas and no mow and cut and lift areas. 3. Create a baseline for 42 sites to inform future management. 4. Understand surveyor perceptions towards cut and uncut areas. 5. Create a citizen science project to encourage volunteers to monitor biodiversity in parks and greenspaces within Perth and Kinross. 3.1 Trial Areas Forty-two trial site areas were selected in parks and greenspaces in Perth and Kinross and two different grassland management styles were implemented: No mow and Cut and Lift. Eight sites were trialled as cut and lift and 34 as No Mow (Table 1). Only specific areas within the 42 sites were part of the trials, with the rest of the site cut as usual 16 times per year. Trial areas were shown on site maps on the PKC website. Table 1: List of trial sites of each management style being undertaken. No Mow Cut and Lift 1. Powrie Park, Abernethy 1. Victoria Park, Aberfeldy 2. The Green, Pitcairngreen 2. Dundee Road, Perth 3. Victory Park, Bridge of Earn 3. Greyfriars Cemetery 4. Blackloch Court, Carsie 4. South Inch, Perth 5. Davie Park and Loon Braes 5. Jeanfield Cemetery, Perth 6. Rattray Common 6. Edinburgh Road, Perth 7. Errol Park 7. Viewlands Reservoir, Perth 8. Invergowrie Park 8. Larghan Park, Coupar Angus 9. Riverside Walk, Aberfeldy 10. Ballinlochan, Pitlochry 11. Davis Park, Kinross 12. Kirkgate Park, Kinross 13. Scotlandwell Playing Field 14. Commercial Street, Perth 15. Dunkeld Road, Perth 16. Lesser South Inch, Perth 17. Seven Acres Park, Letham, Perth 18. Darnhall Park, Perth 19. Ettrick Drive, Perth 20. Glenearn Road, Perth 21. Coronation Park, Muthill
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6 22. Highlandman Park, Muthill 23. Macrosty Park, Crieff 24. Sauchie Park, Crieff 25. Guildtown Park 26. Goshen Park, Scone 27. Kinrossie Park 28. Jubilee Park, Alyth 29. Market Muir, Alyth 30. Scone Park 31. Wolfhill Common 32. Coronation Park, Bankfoot 33. Langlands Park, Luncarty 34. Willowbank, Birnam 3.2 Grassland Management Styles undertaken in Trials. 1. No Mow is a management style whereby mowing is stopped with hopes to enhance biodiversity through allowing grass and other plants to flower which supports pollinators. Regular mowing as amenity grass 16 times annually reduces wildflower numbers whereas No Mow gives them the opportunity to grow. However, with no mow management year on year, the fertility of the soil would increase causing conditions where grasses would dominate over wildflowers. 2. Cut and Lift is a management style where the grass is cut once a year and all cuttings are removed to create wildflower meadows. This encourages wildflower growth as it reduces soil fertility each year. If the grass cuttings were to be left, they would add fertility to the soil, creating an environment where grasses thrive and out-compete wildflowers. 3.3 Data Collection Volunteers were encouraged to complete our survey recording form either online or via paper (Figure 1) once each month from April to September during 2022. They also attached photos of uncut and cut areas at each site. There was a total of 44 volunteers including members of the public and PKC staff Biodiversity Ambassadors. Figure 1: Managed for Wildlife Trial 2022 Volunteer Survey Record Sheet
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7 3.4 Limitations Not all sites were monitored once a month and some sites had multiple volunteer monitors resulting in more data compared to other sites. Coronation Park in Bankfoot was not monitored due to the trial area being mown and no photos were received of Invergowrie Park. Thank you to all volunteers and PKC staff who allowed the survey data to be collected and analysed. 4. Results 4.1 Sample Size A total of 148 surveys were received from 44 surveyors. 135 of these were completed via the online form. 41 of the site areas were surveyed at least once. From 148 responses, 10 were removed due to unsuitable weather conditions and five were not trial sites. In total, 133 survey responses were analysed. Uncut areas include both No Mow and cut and lift areas. Wildflowers UNCUT AREAS CUT AREAS AS NORMAL Wildflowers present 95% 78% Wildflowers in flower present 88% 32% Number of different looking wildflower species (average) 6.2 2.3 Most common wildflower species 1 – clover 2 – buttercup 3 – daisy 1 – daisy 2- clover 3 – dandelion Uncut areas contained more wildflowers, more wildflowers in flower, and a higher number of different species providing more variety compared to amenity cut grass. A total of 64 wildflower species were recorded (Appendix 1) that would not have flowered had these areas continued to be close mown. 59% of sites surveyed contained 5 or more wildflower species and 32 sites had 10 or more species. Most additional comments (17) mentioned the greater diversity and variety within uncut areas compared to close mown amenity grass. The reduction in the number of wildflowers and increase in grasses throughout the season from April to September was shown in the data and was observed by some respondents in additional comments.
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8 Invertebrates UNCUT AREAS CUT AREAS AS NORMAL Butterflies present 30% 6% Number of different butterfly species 7 5 Most common butterfly species White species White species Bees present 46% 11% Other insects present 65% 15% A clear increase in the presence of invertebrates was recorded in areas that had been left uncut. June is classed as a ‘butterfly gap’ when less are observed due to a break between the first and second generations emerging and so more may have been recorded in other months. Bee species recorded included common carder, red tailed bumblebee, buff-tailed bumblebee, solitary bee species and honeybees. Other insects seen included craneflies, hoverflies, solitary wasp, ladybird, small moth, micromoths, damselfly, flies, and crickets. Birds UNCUT AREAS CUT AREAS AS NORMAL Birds present 31% 31% There was no difference in the presence of birds in uncut and cut grass areas. Bird species observed included magpies, house sparrow, dunnock, blackbirds, chaffinches, crow, mute swan, and mallard ducks. Mammals including rabbit were also reported. Negative Impacts of Uncut Grass UNCUT AREAS CUT AREAS AS NORMAL Evidence of litter present Yes in 46% Yes in 31% Evidence of dog fouling present Yes in 16% Yes in 10% Both litter and dog fouling were more prevalent in uncut areas. Several additional comments (17) were submitted regarding more litter and dog fouling. The concerns raised were similar to those collected by Aberdeenshire, Dundee, Edinburgh, Fife and Stirling Councils during their consultations on grassland management.
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9 Public Perception of Uncut Areas How does the appearance of trial area compare with the wider site area? More attractive 69% Less attractive 7% Other 24% The majority (69%) of those who carried out this survey scored the look of trial areas as more attractive compared to the rest of the site. Six additional comments mentioned that paths, edges, and signs helped improve the look of the site and made it look better. The unattractive aesthetic of weeds such as docks were mentioned several times in additional comments. More detailed information will be available in the results of the PKC Online Consultation when published. 5. Results of Cut and Lift Sites Managing grass as wildflower meadows through cut and lift is better for biodiversity and it is recommended that the eight cut and lift sites will continue to be managed in the way in the future. The results below create a baseline that can be used to compare the biodiversity value of the wildflowers meadows as they develop. A total of 36 surveys were undertaken on cut and lift sites. Wildflowers UNCUT AREAS CUT AREAS AS NORMAL Wildflowers present 97% 81% Wildflowers in flower present 94% 39% Number of different looking wildflower species (average) 7.3 2.6 Most common wildflower species 1. buttercup 2. lesser knapweed 3. white clover 1. daisy 2. white clover 3. buttercup A total of 46 wildflower species were recorded that could not have flowered had these areas continued to be close mown.
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10 Invertebrates UNCUT AREAS CUT AREAS AS NORMAL Butterflies present 39% 3% Number of different butterfly species 5 1 Most common butterfly species White species Ringlet Bees present 67% 25% Other insects present 64% 17% A clear increase in the presence of invertebrates was recorded in areas that had been left uncut. Birds UNCUT AREAS CUT AREAS AS NORMAL Birds present 42% 31% There was a higher presence of birds in uncut than cut grass areas. Negative Impacts of Uncut Grass UNCUT AREAS CUT AREAS AS NORMAL Evidence of litter present Yes in 55% Yes in 47% Evidence of dog fouling present Yes in 22% Yes in 17% Both litter and dog fouling were more prevalent in uncut areas. Public Perception of Uncut Areas How does the appearance of trial area compare with the wider site area? More attractive 81% Other 19% The majority (81%) of those who carried out this survey scored the look of trial areas as more attractive compared to the rest of the site. More detailed information will be available in the results of the PKC Online Consultation when published.
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11 6. Discussion 6.1 Grassland Management in other Local Authorities The Tayside Biodiversity Partnership ran a Building Better Biodiversity Series during February 2021 with four speakers from across the UK explaining how and why their organisations had altered grass management regimes for the benefit of biodiversity. Don’t Mow, Let It Go in Northern Ireland, redirected resource saving to treating invasive non-native species and organised scything sessions for volunteers. Grass cuttings were used as compost and to mulch newly planted trees and shrubs resulting in ten times less compost being purchased. Other management techniques used include conservation grazing by cattle, contractors collecting grass on 3ha of Council owned land for silage, cut and lift machines and volunteers using scythes to cut grass. Leaf blowers have been used to blow cut grasses downhill and collect at the bottom. Home - Don't Mow Let It Grow Toolkit (dontmowletitgrow.com) Stirling Council created a Pollinator Strategy with criteria of biodiversity improvements, carbon savings, benefits of enhancing parks to physical and mental health and community involvement. The enhanced tourism experience of a wildflower meadow below Stirling Castle to be captured within photographs was also a factor in decision making. Edinburgh Living Landscape added summer flowering bulbs to naturalised grasses to make them more interesting for biodiversity and more aesthetically pleasing and introduced yellow rattle to reduce vigorous growth of grasses. Dr Phil Sterling demonstrated the costs involved in different machinery used and specific large-scale projects such as new roads Meadow creation and management for butterflies and moths - YouTube Dealing with the arisings from cut grass is an issue experienced by many Local Authorities and the best method is to create compost piles on site and under trees. Edinburgh Living Landscapes Project dispose of some arisings in recycling in centres but disposing off on site is better to reduce time and carbon of transporting arisings to recycling centres. A plan showing where arisings can be deposited will be required for each site. 6.1.1 Machinery Used Don’t Mow Let It Grow use a Grasshopper Machine £17,500 Grasshopper | Chandlers ✓ Can attach to most tractors. ✓ Can clear leaves in cemeteries etc to make it look better. ✓ Can lift litter and firework display debris. ✓ Both vacuum and cutting option ✓ Can be used in very rough areas. ✓ Can be used on road verges and roundabouts. ✓ Can be used all year round and in all weathers. ✓ Can cut at different levels so versatile. ✓ Can raise cutting levels so can do all stages of meadow management.
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12 Dorset Council use a Grillo Machine, cost of machine and trailer £36,000 FD 450 Grillo Spa - Agrigarden Machines (grilloagrigarden.co.uk) ✓ Can be used in wet conditions. ✓ Noise level of the whole cutting/collecting system is extremely low. ✓ Can collect leaves. ✓ Can cut high grass heights for meadow management. ✓ Can raise cutting levels so can do all stages of meadow management. 6.2 Cost of Grassland Management Wildflower meadows and long grass areas are appropriate in many situations, but a site-by-site consideration is required. Dundee and Stirling Councils are considering cost reduction but also carbon savings and the numerous benefits meadow management in parks and greenspaces can deliver. Don’t Mow Let It Grow Northern Ireland report an annual saving of £63,000 moving from cut and leave 14 times annually to cut and lift once a year management regime on approximately 11ha of Council Land. There are also additional savings from using grass compost as mulch for planting and buying in ten times less compost. Funding from Heritage Lottery Fund and Landfill Community Fund was received to purchase machinery and money previously used for bedding plants was redirected to meadow management. Similar, Stirling Council created a business case and found savings would be realised after 3 years. Currently, managing grassland as cut and lift presents a cost to PKC through use of contractors due to a lack of machinery. However, external funding is available for PKC to purchase the machinery required for cut and lift. There are many opportunities to reduce financial costs and save carbon in the future such as planting native plug plants in the PKC Nursery at Westbank and the B-Lines project in Tayside run by charity Buglife may offer funding. 6.3 Community Involvement Friends Of groups in Dundee have delivered talks to Community Councillors and Councillors explaining the benefits of meadow management in parks. Don’t Mow Let It Grow in Northern Ireland found community engagement to be key and has over 40 volunteers managing areas and recording wildflower species. On the Verge in Stirling is an excellent example of local communities managing greenspaces for biodiversity over the past 10 years. Volunteers can collect monitor areas for biodiversity, collect and add seeds to meadows, plant plug plants, remove weeds via cutting and removing seed heads, cut meadow areas and collect the arisings using rakes. About | on-the-verge (onthevergestirling.com) 6.4 Aesthetics and Public Perceptions The aesthetic of wildflower meadows and long grass areas is one the greatest barriers to creating more in greenspaces and a MSc thesis undertaken in 2020-2021 found this to be the case in Perth and Kinross. The concerns raised in this research mirrored those reported in the MSc thesis and consultations undertaken by Fife, Dundee, Aberdeenshire, Stirling, and Edinburgh Councils. What might be good for biodiversity may not look good to all greenspace users and so orderly frames around messy ecosystems are required as without obvious signs of human intention, areas may be mistaken for neglected land, land that is about to be developed or land that the Council has forgotten
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13 about. The MSc thesis found measures that would improve acceptance and subsequently enhance support (Figure 2). More detailed recommendations are made in Table 2. Figure 2: Measures that would increase respondents support towards biodiversity friendly management in parks and greenspaces from MSc Thesis (n=79). Table 2: Recommendations to improve appearance of grass areas. On site Off site Balance of longer grass and short mown amenity grass to ensure enough space for park activities Accurate maps provided online Tall, robust signage close to/within the grass areas Information/posters in local and community noticeboards Interpretation boards explaining the benefits of management Events to explain the project and engage local communities of all ages Mown edges, meandering curves, and mazes through grasses Social media content about project, short videos worked well in 2022 Seating areas Litter collection 7. Recommendations for Cut and Lift Sites The wildflower meadow creation method being utilised in the eight cut and lift sites is natural regeneration of existing grassland where cutting is the main management intervention. While wildflower meadows require work, an established meadow is resistant to weed invasion which reduces the need for maintenance and replanting moving forward. 7.1 Mowing and Enhancement • Continue to mow and remove arisings annually. A plan showing where arisings can be deposited will be required for each site. • Methods include mowing or scything which is zero-carbon and kinder to plants. • The number of flowers is likely to decrease over the years as a higher grass content establishes. This can be enhanced via three methods: patching, plugging and bulbs. Patching 10 11 12 17 22 0 10 20 30 A long-term plan and commitment to maintenance Enhanced litter bin provision and collection More trees and proactive management and monitoring of biodiversity Enhanced dog fouling enforcement More information on benefits, education, events, community involvement Number of respondents Actions to increase support
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14 bare areas of soil with seeds adds species diversity, is inexpensive and can be done with volunteers. Plugging with individual pre-grown wildflower plug plants helps to develop species diversity and increase colour in an establishing sward. Planting spring bulbs and cowslips are more suited to municipal areas whereas native bluebells can provide a more natural look. Snowdrops can provide useful early pollinator options in parks and graveyards. • Growing native plug plants at the PKC Nursery would reduce costs and carbon of transporting plug plants. • Dependent on the sward type and season of flowering, the following species can be added: birds’ foot-trefoil, common knapweed, cowslip, lady’s bedstraw, field scabious, ox-eye daisy, red clover, yarrow, common sorrel, kidney vetch, red campion, yellow rattle, and self-heal. • Where grasses are strong and dominant, plug plant yellow rattle. Yellow rattle is a root- hemiparasite and can be used to reduce the vigour of dominant plant species. It gains nutrients from nearby plants helping to maintain an open sward structure and reducing the abundance of more competitive species such as grass. 7.2 Monitoring • Continue to monitor biodiversity of sites once each month from April to September. The method, paper sheet and online form created for this survey worked well and could be utilised in future years. It is recommended to add an option for surveyors to email a more detailed response using a generic email address and amend the form to ensure the time format is consistent. • Consider onsite face to face surveys with greenspace users on a park-by-park basis to reduce bias and obtain a more detailed picture than online questionnaires. This has been suggested to SRUC as a potential dissertation topic for students. • Information and plant identification training for volunteers is available Helping Hands for Butterflies | Butterfly Conservation (butterfly-conservation.org) 8. Discussion of Options for No Mow Areas Management of grassland for biodiversity through cut and lift affects both plant and pollinator communities present and will result in more biodiversity and will be more aesthetically pleasing than No Mow. As PKC created 34 No Mow areas in 2021, eight future management options of these areas are discussed to inform future decisions on grassland management. Some positives and negatives for each management option have been provided, but the list is not exhaustive. 1. No management – just leave. • Grassland requires management to continue as grassland. • If grass is not cut, in the short term, weeds such as docks, thistles and nettles will crowd out finer grasses and existing flower species. • In the long term, succession will take over and within 3-5 years scrub such as gorse and broom will establish and within 10-15 years small trees will start to grow. Positives Rough grass and weeds provide summer and winter food sources for birds. Poor aesthetic in some areas with high docks, nettles and thistles preventing use by people.
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15 Grass tussocks can be good for nesting bumblebees, but the locale will likely be unsuitable as less wildflowers will be present. Area becomes dominated by vigorous species and weeds leading to low abundances of flowers and variety of different flower species. As abundance of wildflowers reduces, so will the number and variety of insect species. Old summer growth will cover the growing plants in a layer of lowly degrading material acting as a barrier for regrowth of plants and seedlings. Increased fertility and more weeds. If areas are to be left to succession, ‘Managed for Wildlife’ signage should be replaced with an explanation of no further management and the expectation of the area to turn to scrub then trees. The natural process could be accelerated by planting native trees (discussed below), but neat edges should still be cut to show that areas have not been abandoned or forgotten. The Issue of Weeds High fertility grass areas will contain weeds such as thistles, docks and nettles. Whereas cut and lift reduces fertility over time, in No Mow areas where docks are not treated or managed, they will seed, increase their spread, and become dominant. This will reduce the amount of finer grass and wildflowers. Docks are native and have biodiversity value as they trap moisture and provide a dark canopy for species such as spiders, toads, and frogs so balance is required. While some docks are good for biodiversity, swaths of monoculture are not and maintaining diversity of habitat types is key to enhance areas for biodiversity. The diversity of No Mow areas will decrease where docks take over and become dominant. These areas may look neglected, forgotten about and will be less aesthetically pleasing. Dock management was discussed at the September 2022 DOO session at Denmarkfield Rewilding outside Luncarty. Denmarkfield | NRN Partner | SCOTLAND: The Big Picture (scotlandbigpicture.com) Options to manage docks include using a scythe mower (£1,000 cost) to cut and then rake by hand. Cutting and collecting the arisings twice a year will stop nutrients going to the main tap root and will reduce fertility of the area. As fertility reduces, the area will become less suitable for docks in future. Weeds can also be treated by hand weeding, topping in early summer, or cutting off seed heads before they shed. 2. Cut once a year and leave. • One cut late summer would have wider benefits to flowering plants and invertebrates than No Mow and would demonstrate proactive management to the public. Positives Negatives Maintains a grassland community which is beneficial for wildflowers and pollinators Increased fertility if grass cut and left and ultimately less wildflowers for pollinators Improved aesthetic of area Prevents old summer growth limiting regrowth of plants and seedlings
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16 3. Revert to regular mowing. • In municipal and high-profile areas such as approaches to the city on Dunkeld Road, long grass areas are aesthetically unpleasing and challenging for people to accept. Positives Negatives Improved aesthetic Time and fuel of mowing 16 times per year 4. Convert to cut and lift management. • Creation of managed wildflower meadows are better for biodiversity. • Research for a MSc thesis undertaken in Perth and Kinross in 2020-2021 found people were more supportive of more managed wildflower meadows and more trees in greenspaces than increased areas of long grass such as No Mow (n=355). Positives Negatives Contribution towards projects in the Tayside LBAP Increased cost while using contractors but a potential saving if machinery is purchased using external funding and a business case created Maintains a grassland community which is beneficial for wildflowers and pollinators Improved aesthetic of area Adds diversity to greenspaces Proven to enhance biodiversity 5. Convert to ‘Relaxed Mowing’ - retain short grass but relax the mowing regime. • The Tayside Biodiversity Partnership has created a paper entitled ‘Potential new approaches to Biodiversity management in Greenspace’ which gives a detailed explanation of opportunities to enhance biodiversity (Appendix 1). • A small adjustment to the frequency of mowing to mowing at “daisy height”. • In smaller areas the “daisy-height” cut can be tweaked so that an area around the edge (or the middle) can be left longer allowing wildflowers and fine grasses to flower. These would be cut slightly less regularly to enable flowering, but once they have seeded, the grass would be cut short for the rest of the season. Positives Negatives Contribution towards projects in the Tayside LBAP Taller species are suppressed Adds diversity to greenspaces Less species diversity Allows daisies, clover, violets, bugle, self-heal and fine grasses to flourish Short “daisy-height” sward safeguards waxcap fungi some of which are rare and present in Perth & Kinross Reduction of mowing from 16 times to x8-12 times annually. Still neat and tidy aesthetically and good for pollinators
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17 6. Consider as food growing areas. • See Appendix 1 for more details. • Some of the larger No Mow areas could lend themselves well to community food growing spaces including community orchards, orchard avenues, boundary trees, fruit bush maze plantings, edible hedges, and edible beds. • Integration of vegetables in public flower beds and raised beds for vegetable, herb and fruit growing could be part of less-used parks and may help lessen the urgency to provide large- scale allotment-type areas for the community. Positives Negatives Contribution towards projects in the Tayside LBAP Removal of grassland for pollinators Adds diversity to greenspaces Pollen and nectar sources for pollinators Native trees are good for pollinators, provide berries for birds and foraging lines for bats 7. Plant with native trees and shrubs • If No Mow areas are subject to no management, they will eventually turn into trees via natural succession. This natural process could be sped up by planting. • Avenues, street trees and orchards could be planted to connect to existing habitat and connect greenspaces. Positives Negatives Contribution towards projects in the Tayside LBAP and Scottish woodland cover targets Maintenance required for first 3-5 years Adds diversity to greenspaces Removal of grassland for pollinators Creates seed sources in areas with few trees Climate change mitigation of carbon storage and flood prevention Creation of food, nest, and hibernation sites for a range of species Creation of wildlife corridors vital for species in a warming climate 8. Create wildlife corridors for flood/water management. • With discussions now underway regarding the best way forward for amenity grassland management there are other factors that may be overlooked or not seen holistically. • Changing grassland management can be planned within the larger landscape scale. • Linking existing and creating new SUDS, to smaller ponds, swales, raingardens, and wet woodland. Positives Negatives Contribution towards projects in the Tayside LBAP Mapping and planning required Climate change mitigation of carbon storage and flood prevention
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18 Creation of food, nest, and hibernation sites for a range of species Creation of wildlife corridors vital for species in a warming climate Recommendations on an individual site basis can be considered once the results of the PKC Online Public Consultation have been analysed. 9. Long Term Recommendations for PKC A long-term plan and commitment to maintenance is required in the form of a policy or statement on grassland management in greenspaces in Perth and Kinross Council. This will improve clarity for PKC staff and greenspace users. A requirement to review and lower chemical usage across all areas including graveyards would form a valuable part of such a document. As a new area for many staff, training for operations staff would be useful. Accurate mapping of sites including species known on site would aid management as would specific management actions for each site that are regularly reviewed. There is an opportunity to contribute towards many actions in the Tayside LBAP such as creating PKC Species and Habitat Champions. There are opportunities to raise awareness locally and give communities chances to become involved in grassland management. Table 3: Recommendations to PKC from MSC thesis 2021. No. Recommendation 1 Create a long-term plan and commitment to maintenance with specific actions. Creation of a Pollinator Strategy for the Perth and Kinross Council area is recommended in the Scottish Pollinator Strategy and have been created by Stirling and Aberdeenshire Councils. 2 Arrange public consultation prior to making any changes. Plans should be shaped by the needs and demands of park users. Face-to-face surveys, on a park-by-park basis will reduce bias and obtain a more detailed picture than postal and online questionnaires. 3 Communicate the expected benefits of management changes to the public using onsite signage, social media, leaflets, and letter drops. 4 Include managing aesthetic visual expectations in information and engagement medians. Investigate use of photo-editing software to create photos of local parks with the inclusion of biodiversity friendly management measures. This will reduce influence of external factors and create a clearer picture of aesthetic acceptance. 5 Consider aesthetic acceptance during design of biodiversity friendly management to ensure areas show clear intention of management and signs of care such as mown strips, edges, paths and on-site signage. 6 Investigate increasing nature connectedness as a tool to increase support towards biodiversity friendly management in the wider population. Promotion of the 30 Days Wild campaign is recommended as a starting point but consideration of those best engaged by postal communications is required. Nature connectedness is not only increased via improved knowledge but by meaningful experiences in nature and a series of Ranger-led events is recommended. Encourage community usage of Tayside iNaturalist to be created in 2023. 7 Address issues of dog fouling and litter by enhanced enforcement and increased litter bin provision and collection. Consider a litter campaign using quirky signage.
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19 8 Investigate organising local volunteers to monitor biodiversity in parks and greenspaces to increase education and as a possible avenue to increase nature connectedness. Consider becoming part of Urban Flora Project (BSS) to encourage specialist input. 9 Consider involving schools to increase awareness as a possible avenue to increase nature- connectedness as youth experiences outdoors builds a strong connection to nature. The On the Verge project in Stirling is a successful example of widespread community engagement https://www.onthevergestirling.com/ 10 Include planting more trees in future park and greenspace management. Consider trees that are valuable to pollinators and enhance park users experience such as fruit trees.
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20 10. Trial Site Photographs and Surveyor Comments No Mow Sites 1. Powrie Park, Abernethy “The trial area is now dominated by tall grasses with few flowering spikes and hence few pollinators. The area under the trees is very dry and desiccated. I think the diversity of the open area would be better maintained if the area was cut, maybe in early July and late August”. “Most of the diversity on uncut areas comes from the one larger open patch adjacent to the tennis court. The rest of the trial area is a very narrow grass strip under trees, and I doubt it has much ecological value. There are three quite large areas under trees to the Northwest of the map which have many flowering plants but are not part of the trial area. If these could be joined up and extended to the path there could be significant benefits for wildlife.”
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21 2. The Green, Pitcairngreen Less tidy but more flowers and variety.
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22 3. Victory Park, Bridge of Earn “Many more smaller insects in trial area including damselfly and empidae”.
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23 4. Blackloch Court, Carsie It looks healthy, species-rich, and natural. It is far more attractive than the built environment adjacent to it, and if allowed to develop would potentially take on the characteristics of a meadow, a type of space we (and pollinators) need more of.
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24 5. Davie Park and Loon Braes, Rattray Nice, strimmed edges makes it look tidy. Lot of docks and grasses would prefer wildflowers.
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25 6. Rattray Common Not many wildflowers, residents are unhappy with way it looks. Looks very untidy and out of control. Mainly grasses and docks and ragwort.
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26 7. Errol Park 8. Invergowrie Park No site images. Dog fouling in wider site. Bees only present in trial area - not many but some amongst group of buttercups. Feel the trial site still needs to mature but sadly spoilt by litter. It helps to enclose the managed site. Suits the environment and blends in with mature trees and vegetation already around site perimeter.
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27 9. Riverside Walk, Aberfeldy Because of the car parking and apparent lack of attention at this site (fencing on roadside in disrepair) it may be difficult to enhance. Similarly, the dry earth patches caused by cars / canoe offloads unlikely to encourage flora and fauna.
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28 10. Ballinlochan, Pitlochry Looks good, clear signage and mown path edges. Grass is being blown by wind and there is a lot of dock going to seed.
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29 11. Davis Park, Kinross Trial area is a good use of the steep banking which surrounds the play area.
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30 12. Kirkgate Park, Kinross There are two areas chosen in Kirkgate Park. The first is on the slope on the left as you enter the park along the road. It looks amazing! A much softer appearance compared to the areas of short cut grass next to it.
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31 13. Scotlandwell Playing Field Insects in uncut area include 3-6 spot ladybird, 1 tiny brown fly, 1 white moth, black leaf beetle 10+
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32 14. Commercial Street, Perth Neat edge on all sites but no signs.
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33 15. Dunkeld Road, Perth Mown paths work very well as they meander through the long grass areas.
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34 16. Lesser South Inch, Perth Noticeably more diversity in insect and plant species in uncut grass
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35 17. Seven Acres Park, Letham, Perth The area being left to naturalise looks like a wild wooded area with paths running through it. The park also has a strip of unmown grass around the perimeter which looks really good.
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36 18. Darnhall Park, Perth Unfortunately, the trial area has a very wide mown area cutting it in half. This means it looks like 2 strips of unmown grass and not a wildlife area.
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37 19. Ettrick Drive, Perth It's more varied and greener with more flowers, and also wilder looking. Whether this is good or bad is in the eye of the beholder. For me, more natural is a good thing as it's more like the countryside and more natural than man-made.
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38 20. Glenearn Road, Perth The wild areas within the mown ones make the area look a lot more interesting and "alive”.
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39 21. Coronation Park, Muthill Site is well kept and attractive. Tree canopies provide shelter and shade; however, shaded areas are wetter. Large areas of wildflowers/uncut grasses. Provides a range of plant and wildlife environments.
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40 22. Highlandman Park, Muthill Trial area has relative shade compared to full site. It is mature and well kept.
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41 23. Macrosty Park, Crieff The semi-circle at the car park looks a bit half-hearted and messy at the entrance to the park. The top area looks more deliberately uncut.
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42 24. Sauchie Park, Crieff It adds some height and variety. It looks 'wild' but deliberately so and it doesn't detract from the look or use of the park. It looks more interesting with it than it would look without. The top section looks better and more deliberate because it is a bigger patch (although half the size of the marked section on the map, like the car park section). The location of this bigger section is good in the sense that it is not in the most frequented part of the park, so it doesn't impact on users or detract from the appearance of the park.
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43 25. Guildtown Park June 2020 (updated Summer 2022) The no mow area surrounds trees and looks neat. Good use of the space under the tree canopies.