Suffolk’s Roadside Nature Reserves Project Holly Emmens Ecologist - Suffolk County Council holly.emmens@suffolk.gov.uk
About the Project Over 40 years old There are 107 RNRs in Suffolk, in 89 parishes Estimated combined length of >38km (>23 miles) and combined area of over 250,000m² Partnership between SCC, SBIS and Suffolk Highways
We have a team of 33 Volunteer Wardens, looking after 46 sites (44% of the RNR network) 2017 Audit found that 95% of sites still met the designation criteria, and over 1/3 were in good/favourable condition
What are Suffolk RNRs made of? • Just over 1/2 support nationally or locally rare plant species
• Sulphur clover, Lesser calamint, Crested cow wheat
• 5 verges are designated for priority plant species • Tower mustard
• 1/3 are designated for their species-rich grassland communities • Chalk, Clay and Sand • Including 10 sites in the Brecks which are SSSIs
• 9 Rare Fungi Sites
• Sandy Stiltball and Pepperpot
Brandon RNR 208 Field Wormwood
Exciting!!
Problems • Damage • • • • • • •
Hedge-cutting machinery Extra cuts Trenching by utilities Telegraph poles Weed killer Footpath works Drainage Grips
• Communication – Ilketshall sulphur clover patch • People power • Highway Safety • Budgets • •
Cut and collect Timing of cuts
Problems • Damage • • • • • • •
Hedge-cutting machinery Extra cuts Trenching by utilities Telegraph poles Weed killer Footpath works Drainage Grips
• Communication – Ilketshall sulphur clover patch • People power • Highway Safety • Budgets • •
Cut and collect Timing of cuts
Problems • Damage • • • • • • •
Hedge-cutting machinery Extra cuts Trenching by utilities Telegraph poles Weed killer Footpath works Drainage Grips
• Communication – Ilketshall sulphur clover patch • People power • Highway Safety • Budgets • •
Cut and collect Timing of cuts
Problems • Damage • • • • • • •
Hedge-cutting machinery Extra cuts Trenching by utilities Telegraph poles Weed killer Footpath works Drainage Grips
• Communication – Ilketshall sulphur clover patch • People power • Highway Safety • Budgets • •
Cut and collect Timing of cuts
Problems • Damage • • • • • • •
Hedge-cutting machinery Extra cuts Trenching by utilities Telegraph poles Weed killer Footpath works Drainage Grips
• Communication – Ilketshall sulphur clover patch • People power • Highway Safety • Budgets • •
Cut and collect Timing of cuts
Problems • Damage • • • • • • •
Hedge-cutting machinery Extra cuts Trenching by utilities Telegraph poles Weed killer Footpath works Drainage Grips
• Communication – Ilketshall sulphur clover patch • People power • Highway Safety • Budgets • •
Cut and collect Timing of cuts
A&B Roads: May and July/August C&U Roads: During May, June and July Safety cut: 1.2m from road edge Extra cuts: district councils Community Self Help Scheme Parishes taking cutting on Culture of ‘tidying up’ Planting on verges
Cutting of other road verges
What we would like to achieve • Adopt Plantlife Good Verge Guidelines • Create better wildlife corridors • Support pollinators and migrating wildlife • Enable Parishes to take up their own projects • Increase volunteer numbers • Help reduce the amount of cutting and cutting at the wrong times • Recycle the cuttings
Trial sites
• Yellow Rattle • Cut and Collect
Trial sites
• Yellow Rattle • Cut and Collect
The future for Suffolk Verges… • Better verge management for wildlife! • More RNRs
• Better understanding about the benefits of wildlife verges • More engagement with Suffolk people • Better working practices with our partners
Thank you for listening holly.emmens@suffolk.gov.uk RNRs@suffolk.gov.uk