'Messy gardens' plea from Highland countryside rangers as wildflower meadows project enters sowing phase
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
VITAL efforts to save and restore the Highlands' important wildflower habitats are set to enter a new phase – and the region's residents are being urged to do their bit to help create them.
High Life Highland's countryside rangers team has been busy in recent weeks carrying out community planting events in locations across the region as part of ambitious plans to create at least 40 new wildflower meadows.
This early ground preparation work involving community volunteers has been taking place at locations everywhere from Aultbea and Gairloch in Wester Ross, to Lybster in Caithness and North Kessock on the Black Isle – and many more besides.
And now, as sowing of seeds at the initial sites begins to get under way, the rangers have repeated their pleas for people to get involved – either at one of the future meadows, or by creating pollinator-friendly habitats in their own gardens.
Related: PICTURES: Wildflower meadow plans seek Highland communities' help
Related: Andy Summers: Creating a Highland-wide wildflower meadow mosaic
The rangers are offering workshops and training to support the public in understanding how to manage grasslands and wildflowers, how to create new wildflower meadows and how to collect and store wild seed responsibly.
The aim of the project is to create a Highland wide network of wildflower patches to help pollinator species such as bumblebees, butterflies, moths, hoverflies and other insects and birds, using local Scottish wildflower seeds or seeds collected locally.
A wildflower meadow measuring just two metres by two metres in an urban or heavily grazed area can be an important stepping-stone for pollinating insects.
And this small size means people can even help out by turning part of their garden over to wildflowers too.
High Life Highland's countryside ranger for the North Highlands, Andy Summers, said a less manicured 'messy' garden can be a real boom for wildlife. He said: “We hope to inspire others to take up the challenge to make a space for nature and end the monopoly of sterile short mown grass. Wildflower meadows don’t just look wonderful and brighten up everyone’s day they are a haven for wildlife. If we can forgo our urge to always keep our gardens tidy, we can really give a boost to local biodiversity”
Following the imminent round of seed sowing, the rangers will then lead a community-based, citizen science project in June to record what pollinators are visiting the newly created flower meadows.
The project has been made possible thanks in part to grants from the likes of Highland Council’s nature restoration fund.
With help from the Highland Environmental Forum, a website is also being created to showcase examples of best practice and showcase case studies.
Established by the Scottish Government, the Nature Restoration Fund (NRF) is a capital fund designed to help support projects that will deliver nature restoration, safeguard wildlife, and tackle the causes of biodiversity loss due to climate change.
For more information on the project contact the High Life Highland countryside rangers at www.highlifehighland.com/rangers or go to Meadow Mosaic – Highland Environment Forum at www.highlandenvironmentforum.info/meadow-mosaic.
