Ecosystems Knowledge Network ran a Webinar on Road Verges a few weeks ago on 8 July.  It was extremely informative, and well-presented. 

In the webinar, Ben Phillips (University of Exeter), Kate Petty (Plantlife) and Phil Sterling (Butterfly Conservation) discussed their work to improve road verges for nature, the environment and people. The subjects covered were:

1. Why do road verges matter?

2. What about roadkill and pollution?

3. How can we better manage our verges?

4. How can we implement this in practice?

The talk covered the latest in road verge research (including that carried out over the past four years at the University of Exeter), road verge management guidelines (from Plantlife’s campaign – created in partnership with highways authorities and conservation organisations), and practical examples from across the UK (including pioneering work in Dorset).

This webinar was recorded, and the recording is now available by clicking here

If you would like to encourage our county council (or, in the case of trunk roads the highways authority) to manage the verges in a more biodiversity-friendly way, please contact your local councillor about it, or the council’s chief executive – not the council’s biodiversity officer! She has been on the case for years, but councils will only adopt these practices if their voters demand it.  This webinar includes information on how some councils have been able to overcome the “but it’s not tidy” argument, and explain to the public why they have changed the way they manage the verges.

Andrew