Readers' Letters: 'We should consider looking after the Stray differently'

Readers’ Letters is a free weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. Send your views to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.

This letter follows the debate over rewilding in on the Stray and other parks in Harrogate, which appeared on the Stray Ferret last week.

We should consider looking after The Stray differently, because since 1970, in the UK, species abundance has dropped by 19% on average and nearly one in six species is threatened with extinction. Pollinators like butterflies and bees have declined by 18%, birds by 43% and amphibians and reptiles by 31%. Over half of the former habitats of flowering plants and mosses have disappeared.

We can all do something to stop this dreadful, worrying decline. Not mowing parts of The Stray helps because it boosts biodiversity and supports pollinators by increasing their food source, it creates new and different habitat and makes a more diverse habitat. Not mowing also has environmental benefits; longer grass can capture and lock away more carbon, conserve water and improve water infiltration. It even benefits the grass itself, because it allows more effective photosynthesis leading to a stronger and deeper root system, making the grass more resistant to drought, frost and general stress.

From a council tax payer’s point of view it means less mowing, that means cost savings, including reduced costs on equipment. Many folk find a wilder, flowering area more natural, nature is not neat, nature is beautiful. It can provide an educational opportunity for children and teach an appreciation of nature.

It doesn’t have to be all of The Stray, a small part would help and could be done without impacting on many of the other activities already taking place and it could be done in the lesser used areas. It should also be for a longer period that just the month of May, perhaps leaving some unmown patches with mown areas around them, to show that not mowing is a caring, considered act to benefit biodiversity. By making a simple change to The Stray’s care routine, we can contribute significantly to local biodiversity and create a healthier, more vibrant, better loved outdoor space.

Nigel Heptinstall, Darley

Do you have an opinion on the Harrogate district? Email us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. Please include your name and approximate location details. Limit your letters to 350 words. We reserve the right to edit letters.

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