No mow campaign aims to create wildlife havens

Gardeners are being encouraged to let their lawns become "little havens" for wildlife by letting grass grow longer in May.

Somerset ecologist Sarah Shuttleworth is supporting the No Mow May campaign run by charity Plantlife.

She said everyone could do their bit towards letting wildlife thrive in rural and urban areas by not mowing for a few weeks.

"What helps is mowing around, or mowing paths or edges, so it really looks like this is something you’ve decided to do rather than you’ve just abandoned it," she said.

Mrs Shuttleworth, senior ecological advisor for Plantlife, is calling for people across the West to take part.

"Just by being a little bit more untidy in those corners and giving a little part of my lawn, means we definitely see more wildlife coming in," she added.

She has also been working with North Curry CE Primary School over the maintenance of a grassy bank on its perimeter.

"I thought it would be nice if it was a little bit wild and had a few more flowers, so children could stop on their way to school and admire a buttercup or watch a little buzzing bee," said Mrs Shuttleworth.

Plantlife said creating established grassland is good for storing carbon, which helps tackle climate change, and that 97% of English wildflower meadows had been lost in under a century.

The charity hopes people will register their gardens to help them count the areas involved in the sixth year of the No Mow May campaign.