One man went to mow...and reduces butterfly meadow to nine-acre ‘desert’
A COUNCIL worker went to mow a meadow – and caused an environmental disaster. Instead of a narrow path through the wildflower haven so that visitors could walk from their cars to a seafront, he scythed down the lot.
In a single afternoon he turned a paradise for flowers and butterflies into a “desert”.
He chopped down all the flowers and grass on the whole nine acres, including beautiful orchids.
Before he struck at The Knowle in Sidmouth, Devon, visitors could see butterflies such as meadow brown, gatekeeper, ringlet and holly blue.
Red admirals, peacock and small tortoiseshell butterflies would also visit the flowers.
The day after the mowing there was just one, a cabbage white. It’s tidy but more like a desert
The lush meadow was being monitored as part of Sir David Attenborough’s annual Big Butterfly Count.
Sidmouth Arboretum’s Ed Dolphin said: “It wasn’t just the number but the variety of butterflies there – at least eight sorts.
“The day after the mowing there was just one, a cabbage white. It’s tidy but more like a desert.”
He added: “If the council had waited a week or so it wouldn’t have mattered because the flowers would have set seed by then.
“It is a blunder.”
“We agree this shouldn’t have happened and will be taking measures to ensure that this doesn’t happen again next year. However, the wild flower seed area at the top of the bank hasn’t been cut.
“Also, although the area where the common orchids are growing was cut, they had finished flowering and will not have been affected.
“We will also be bringing in a machine by the end of next week to pick up the cut grass to help the area produce wild flowers next year.”
Earlier this summer Sir David urged the public to take part in the Big Butterfly Count by choosing a spot such as a park or a garden and counting butterflies and moths for 15 minutes at a time.
Participants include Prince Charles who recorded dozens of butterflies at his home in Highgrove, Gloucestershire.
The Big Butterfly Count – until August 22 – aims to record butterfly populations.
Three in four of Britain’s 59 species have declined since the 1970s.
Butterfly Conservation chief executive Julie Williams said: “Although this incident is unfortunate, Butterfly Conservation are encouraged to see an increasing number of local authorities around Britain doing more to help butterflies, moths and other pollinating insects.
“The butterflies using this meadow will also be visiting people’s gardens, so visit www.butterflyconservation.org to see what plants are good for butterflies, moths and caterpillars.”