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July 2018 July 2018
manages verge cutting throughout the county, working with local councils to
maintain our roads’ edges. The amount of cutting depends upon the location. In rather than running water in the stream attracts a different range of insects and
urban areas, the highway grass verges are cut six times a year. Mowing usually it was good to see the broad bodied caser dragonfly there as well as azure
damselflies and pond skaters. The diversity within the pond will improve with time.
starts in mid-March and continues cyclically every five or six weeks depending on
the weather and ground conditions. Rural highway grass verges are currently
cut twice a year. But trials have taken place to reduce the number of cuts, help Cuckoo
conserve wildflowers and improve the biodiversity of the verges.
Have you heard a cuckoo this year? We would be interested to know if you
The aim of these trials was to find new ways of managing the verges to produce have and where. At the time of writing a cuckoo was heard in the trees at
cost savings. The trials involved different methods of management to reduce the Barrow Hill, also at Turnerspuddle, Wareham Forest and Arne. But, perhaps you
soil fertility within the verge itself and decrease grass growth. To achieve this, the know of others close by. Do let us know.
council have:

 Stripped topsoil to expose low fertility subsoil or mineral rock,
Bats
 Harvested "mini bales" from the roadside verges where we could,
There has been a bat maternity roost containing about 100 bats at a house in
 Monitored subsequent growth to determine success, future maintenance Bitchams Mead for the past couple of years. However the bats have not
needs, biodiversity enhancement and public perception, returned to roost there this year. If you are aware of any active bat roosts in the
area, please let us know.
 Created wildflower rich verges.
If you would like to see some bats in flight stand on Jubilee Bridge around dusk.
The exposed subsoil has a lower fertility compared to the topsoil and will require There are always several bats over the water feeding on insects.
little maintenance once initial weed growth is suppressed. Removing cuttings
rather than allowing them to rot will also reduce fertility and cutting frequency. The
verges where bare mineral rock is exposed may require no annual cutting for up Contact Us
to 10 years. Those verges which have been harvested may only need one cut and
collect after a few years. Both types of trial area can develop into wildflower rich If you would like to know more about the work of the Wildlife and Environment
meadows which are attractive and help provide a valuable source of nectar for Group or to be included on our mailing list, please contact:
bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects.
Tony Bates at tonybates19@gmail.com / 01929 471563 or
If we can encourage wildflower rich verges alongside the almost 5,000 miles of Mike Gee at mike.n.g@outlook.com / 0775 988 4942.
our rural roads it will have a fantastic effect on pollinating insects which are vital
for our agriculture. For more details on verge cutting visit dorsetforyou.gov.uk and
search for ‘verge cutting’, and for more information about the challenges faced
by verges visit www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/about-us/news/road-verge-marauders TONY SHAVE

Foster Carers Those of you who attended Tony’s funeral recently will be pleased to learn that a
total of £890.69 was raised for The Stars Appeal. This generous amount is a true
Find out if fostering is for you. If you’re interested in fostering, now is the time to find testament to how much Tony was respected and loved by so many people in the
out more. Dorset County Council’s fostering team is out and about answering village.
questions about fostering, as well as raising funds for The Fostering Network, a
charity which offers information and support for anyone involved in fostering.
The county council welcomes foster carers from all walks of life, whether single or
married, and regardless of cultural background or sexual orientation. Eligibility
criteria include being over 21 years old, and having a spare bedroom. The county
council offers its foster carers weekly fees and allowances, and full training and

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