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09
Jun 2021
Big thumbs-up for Harrogate district's new wild look
Our story yesterday about the Harrogate district being left to grow wild to improve biodiversity and attract bees, birds and insects provoked a huge amount of interest.
Harrogate Borough Council has left large swathes of green spaces untouched by mowers and strimmers.
Even the neat and orderly Stray has a different look to previous years.
It's a thorny subject for the district, which prides itself on its well tended, floral appearance.
Almost 100 people commented on our Facebook page, and the vast majority gave the new approach the thumbs-up.
One person praised the wildflower "anarchy" on display.
'The wilder the better'
Another reader called Harrogate Borough Council "brave" for taking the new approach.
Read more:
- Harrogate’s ‘rewilding’: untidy or biodiversity boon?
- Wildflower planting starts on the Stray tomorrow
Someone on our Twitter page said other parts of Harrogate were also looking better:
However, there were some dissenting voices. Several people accused the council of not cutting the grass to save money.
Another accused it of "hypocrisy" due to the scale of housebuilding in the district.
The Stray Ferret reported last year that green spaces the size of over 700 football pitches will be lost to housing.
How wild is your neighbourhood? Send us pics and give us your views. Email us at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk
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