by Bill Heaney
Summer’s just around the corner, it’s a holiday weekend, and the sun is (hopefully) about to put his hat on – it sounds like the perfect opportunity to NOT cut your grass!
West Dunbartonshire Council decided not to cut OUR grass in open spaces, parks, road verges, and cemeteries as part of their budget cuts — and then decided to overturn their own decision earlier this year.
Not unsurprising that for West Dunbartonshire Council, who can be expected to do something daft when they have so much else on their plate that needs doing, but a bit strange for a big public service like the health board.
The advice to stop has come by way of advice from Lesley Donnelly, Operations Co-ordinator at Leverndale Hospital – one of two sites within NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde taking part in No Mow May this year.
The initiative will see patches of land at Leverndale and New Stobhill Hospital left untouched by mower’s blade or gardener’s hand for the whole of this month, encouraging the growth of native grasses and plants, and providing a haven for wildlife.
My god, the spin doctors have been working overtime on this one.
The council tax paying public will be hard to convince that this is not just another money-saving ploy by a cash-strapped public service.
Once May is out and summer really sets in, it has been decided that the areas will be left to let nature take its course, allowing flora and fauna to flourish and creating a seasonal spectacle for patients, visitors, and staff.
In fact, at Leverndale, work is already underway, as one of the areas earmarked for No Mow May has been seeded with wildflowers to give nature a helping hand.
Lesley Donnelly said: “Leverndale is blessed with a fair amount of green space, so it’s an ideal place for No Mow May. The land we’re using this year is a grass verge along the side of one of the access roads, and the borders of a path used to access one of our wards.
“Neither looks like much now, but we’re confident that throughout May, and then on into the summer, the simple act of doing nothing will create a real natural attraction full of flowers, plants, and wildlife.”
Across NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, many hospitals and healthcare sites sit within significant areas of green space, and the health board says it is committed to making the most of that huge natural asset, for the benefit of our patients, staff and visitors, but also for the wider community and the environment.
The big question is, did the health board consult the patients?
What about all those poor folk with hay fever, then?
Fiona Roche, Greenspace Officer at NHSGGC, said: “No Mow May is just one of the many initiatives we take part in every year, and these projects show that you don’t need a wildflower meadow or a country estate to get involved. Even the smallest patch of grass, if left undisturbed, can become a little gem for biodiversity.
“We are delighted to be able to play our part in this initiative, and I’d like to thank the teams at Leverndale and New Stobhill for their support and hard work. We hope that many other sites across NHSGGC will sign up next year.
“And the fact that these pieces of wild greenspace will remain a feature throughout the summer, as part of our wider commitment to sustainability across our sites, just adds to the good news.”
For more on NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s commitment to Sustainability and Greenspace, go to: Sustainability – NHSGGC
For more about No Mow May, click here.