News / biodiversity
Outrage as wildflower meadow destroyed
A former wildflower meadow planted by volunteers has been almost completely destroyed.
Local residents have expressed outrage over the destruction of the meadow which was only recently planted.
One group who helped plant the meadow at the foot of the Novers Steps was Good Gym, a group who run, walk and cycle to help out with community projects across Bristol.
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The Friends of Novers Hill and Crox Bottom have also been vital in creating the meadow between Knowle West and Bedminster.
Green Party campaigner Danica Priest, who unsuccessfully stood for election in Filwood at May’s local elections, tweeted a photo of the wildflowers in bloom just a few days ago.
Writing on Facebook, Priest said: “I’m so angry and heartbroken that the wildflowers we planted with GoodGym and The Northern Slopes have been destroyed…
“This never should have happened and shows that officers and councillors need education on wildlife conservation.
“They need to listen to community groups and volunteers who manage these spaces.
“How can we expect the community to take pride in their green spaces when all of our hard work is destroyed without a single conversation?
“This should never ever happen again!”
The meadow was located at the foot of the Novers Steps between Bedminster and Knowle West – photo: Danica Priest
On Saturday afternoon, Michelle Grace published a photo of the destruction on The Northern Slopes Facebook group.
She said: “Took this photo this morning of Novers Steps. It’s all been mown again a couple of days ago. A few bits left to the buttercups.
“I really can’t see the point in mowing here. There’s so many grasses and wildflowers that have been chopped off in their prime.”
Fill Stone replied: “A few of us from Goodgym started a new wildflower patch at the bottom there in April, it got decimated by the mowing. I’m pretty livid!”
He added: “The patchy areas might look pretty at first, but this is ecocide plan and simple. We need to be connecting green areas together, not separating!”
Environmental campaigner Alex Morss, agreed with Priest, tweeting: “Yes so sad. A few years ago, 3 years in a row, mind, (!) the council ‘accidentally’ mowed off wildflowers planted & sown by hundreds of school children with me in Victoria Park.
“I’d organised it all with a team of community volunteers & support from wildlife charities, as one of several educational / eco projects I’d led. It was so disheartening. So much goodwill gets crushed by this sort of thing.”
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Read more: Bristol City Council announces wildflower plans for parks
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In a joint statement, Lisa Durston and Rob Logan, Labour’s two councillors for Filwood, said that they are both “devastated to see these wildflowers needlessly cut down”.
They said: “The community came together to brighten up the area and promote biodiversity, and all this has gone – and for no reason.
“We’ve contacted council officers to get to the bottom of this and push for change, so that similar situations are not allowed to happen again.
“The Green Party run the council in Bristol. They really need to be on top of this.
“Their council leader and committee chairs are able to instruct officers to stop things like this.
“They’re in charge now. No more excuses.”
Bristol City Council has been asked for a comment.
Main photo: Michelle Grace / Facebook
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