Bringing nature closer to our homes
You may have seen nature signs popping up on grassy areas near some of your homes.
They’re all part of our work to bring a little bit of nature closer to home.
We’ve started trials to “rewild” some of the grassed areas on our schemes to increase their biodiversity and make them more attractive for wildlife.
As part of the experiment, we’re looking at different ways to maintain the grounds and communal areas and are consulting with residents in areas where we are trialling a new approach.
Other suggestions are to leave some grassy meadows close to residents’ homes to grow and provide shelter for insects and wildlife. In such areas, we would only cut the grass twice a year, around late summer or early autumn, after any wildflowers have seeded.
Where suitable, we are considering doing a mix of both, by mowing a short strip around a piece of land and letting the centre grow longer to create a “picture frame” effect.
We’ve also been working with local authorities and other environmental agencies to plant wildflower meadows, bulbs and more trees on some sites. To date these include Cradoc Close, Brecon, Gerddi’r Ffynnon, Aberystwyth and Gwelfor, Fishguard.
As well as allowing nature to thrive, this approach can help the environment as plants and trees absorb carbon dioxide associated with climate change. In the longer term, it can also help to lower maintenance costs, making our schemes more affordable for residents to live in.