Councillors calls for more care on Hambrook marshes

If you have taken a walk down to Hambrook Marshes in Canterbury this week you may have noticed the havoc that has occurred.

For no beneficial reason the local firm SERCO has mown down all the vegetation and wildflowers disregarding the issues of biodiversity and left this beautiful space completely bare!

When questioned their answer was, ” this area is cut 4 times a year, and that has been the regime in previous years. This year the first cut is a little later than usual (it’s normally in April, because the dry spell held up grass growth).”

According to the Royal Horticultural Society you should not cut no later than the beginning of May and then it shouldn’t be cut down to nothing.

Having recently signed a climate emergency, making sure our natural habitats are looked after and protected is top priority. The managerial approach has to be 100% awareness of local biodiversity such as when the best time is to strim down a meadow. The month of May is far too late and especially when you looked at the meadow it was obviously in full bloom, supporting insects and wildlife all benefiting from the lushness.

To allow wildflowers to grow the lush green has to be cut back but no later than the beginning of May and to a height of around 50mm.

There is a key concept used by environmentalists which is “No Mow May” its time we made sure SERCO contracts take account of the bio diversity issues, advice from local experts would set them straight and maintain the insects and wildflower meadows which sustain us in these uncertain times and preserve them for future generations.

It seems ironic this is the spot where the council have wanted to put the controversial Wincheap Park and Ride, hence needing to raise this. 

Councilor Mel Dawkins (St Stephens)

Councillor Pat Edwards (Barton)