Suffolk's Roadside Nature Reserves Project

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