Naturalisation

Naturalisation is the process of allowing areas of grassland to be left uncut during the growing season to allow wildlife to flourish. In the past 50 years, the UK has experienced declines in two thirds of its plant and animal species. Whilst there are a range of reasons for this, a loss of habitat is a significant factor. Naturalisation helps to provide a safe habitat for wildlife. 

Naturalisation in Doncaster

Since 2021, 70 sites across Doncaster have been used as part of an initiative to help wildlife in urban areas. This five-year project will see different methods trialled across various locations and boundary sizes and will see specific areas have less maintenance works than normal to allow the site to grow naturally.

The purpose of this project is to help address the biodiversity crisis across Doncaster, which was declared by Mayor Ros Jones in 2019, whilst also providing public access to wildlife and helping to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

The 70 sites across the city make up more than 139 hectares- or over 9% of land maintained by our Street Scene team. This includes locations at Cantley Park, Leger Way, Whitton Fields, Townfields, Campsall Country Park and Springwell Lane, to name but only a few! Our team have reported signs of birds and bees returning to make use of the sites, whether it be because of the long grass, protected greenery or open wildflowers.

A further 44 sites have also been identified as "wildflower sites"- meaning that wildflowers have been sown and then allowed the space to bloom. You may have noticed them whilst out driving around the city!

Things to try at home to participate in naturalisation:

• Take part in the 'No-mow May' campaign, or even better try 'No-mow May and June'. You don't need a lot of space to do this- a small patch within your garden or shared space would still provide benefits for nature. A recent study on the nectar value of no-mow grassland (Hemmings, 2022) showed how plant nectar sugar values in no-mow plots were significantly higher than mown plots, up to 3 times more. When the no-mow plots were left to early July, they had up to 8 times more nectar sugar value.
• You don't need to introduce wildflower species to provide biodiversity benefits. The same study showed that how no-how plots also contained twice as many open flower broadleaf species compared to mown plots and over time the change in species, in-flower at any time was evident, with daisies providing an early nectar source, through to yarrow as a later source.
• Alternatively, try leaving dead heads on garden plants and/or long grass over the winter. This provides important habitats for insects over winter as well as sheltered foraging spaces and resources for species like hedgehogs. These areas can be tidied and cut back in early spring before the start of the growing season.
• Decay is part of the natural cycle of returning nutrients to the ground, so try not to tidy it up too much. Dead branches, piles of leaves, logs and rocks all provide a habitat for insects and hedgehogs, or food for beetle larvae.
• One reason behind the massive loss of insects in our countryside is in the increasing use of pesticides and herbicides- not only on farmland but also in gardens. Swap fertilisers for an organic seaweed feed.