'Put up signs to prevent unneeded mowing' says council after verge re-wilding row
A council is encouraging volunteers to put signs up if they don't want contractors to mow down re-wilded verges after a row over mowing.
It follows a community group finding that the verge it looks after in south Shropshire had been mowed after they had planted new seeds.
A spokesperson for Shropshire Council said it greatly values the work that volunteers carry out around the county bit it wants them to put out signs indicating areas not to be mown.
The spokesperson said: "We greatly value the work that volunteers carry out across the county and we are aware of numerous groups that are involved in the replanting and re-wilding of verges.
"We do ask these groups to place signs on the area they are working on to advise us when they have carried out work and that they do not want our contractors to cut the grass."
The spokesperson added: "This site was inspected yesterday (Wednesday) and there were no signs displayed on this verge requesting that it is not cut, which has led to it being mowed.
"We will continue to work with volunteer groups across Shropshire to support their initiatives."
The group calling itself the 'Verginistas' at All Stretton had been ‘re-wilding’ the Shrewsbury Road between Church Stretton and All Stretton. They have been doing it for several years and take great pride in doing their bit for biodiversity.
Chris Naylor, a founding member of the Verginistas volunteer group, said: "We had put up 'No Mow' signs earlier in the year and they were respected, but after that was taken down it was mowed."
The volunteers are planning to go out again tomorrow (Friday) morning to clear up grass cuttings.
Mr Naylor said he would like to see grass cutters being able to check if an area needs cutting first before doing it.
