Those of you who have been along the cycletrack between Aldcliffe Hall Lane and Conder Green during the last couple of weeks will have noticed that there’s been a good number of Orange Tips and other invertebrates. The invertebrates have benefited from a good selection of wildflowers including Garlic Mustard (a food plant for Orange Tip caterpillars). It’s been great to see. However, on the 1st of May (the first day or “no mow May”) Lancashire County Council cut the verge on both sides of the cycletrack. This madness happens every year and your Council Tax is funding it. The vegetation was not encroaching on the cycle track and, even if it was, you could drive a double-decker bus down it. there wasn’t a health and safety issue. Where is the logic for destroying precious habitat for no good reason?
I raise this issue with the Council every year but nothing changes – one voice isn’t loud enough it seems. We need more people to complain to councillors and officers of Lancashire and Lancaster Councils. Even if you do not use this area, it may be happening near you. Bottom line is your Council Tax is contributing to the loss of biodiversity – I thought Councils were supposed to be struggling for money?
One final point – some parts of the affected area has five species of breeding warbler that feed on the invertebrates along this verge. So, just as they are starting to breed, they lose potential feeding areas.
Thanks for listening and I hope you agree that this is utter madness.
