Life on the Verge

Life on the Verge was a project run by the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, coordinated by Mark Schofield, to map the distribution of wildflowers on the road verges in the Lincolnshire Wolds and limestone areas.  It drew attention to the invaluable resource and refuges that road verges have become, now that intensive agriculture has removed much of the native flora from most of the landscape.  The project called for better management of the verges to protect what is left of the species once abundant across the county.

Plantlife have just launched a nationwide campaign to promote understanding of the value of road verges and have written an open letter to local authorities responsible for road verge management:

Our open letter

Dear Sir/Madam

Please adopt Plantlife's guidelines for managing road verges to benefit wild flowers and other nature. I know that road verges are under considerable pressure. Priorities for safety and access, along with budget constraints and difficulties with the collection of litter and grass clippings can mean that enhancing their wildlife value is often low on the list. But we believe that the adoption of a few basic principles will improve our verges for nature, bringing benefits for wildlife, for us and for future generations.

Yours faithfully,

Someone who cares about wildlife on our verges

You can support the campaign by signing the letter on the Plantlife website.