Envrionmentalist from Bleasby appeals people in Newark to take part in No Mow May campaign by Plantlife

An environmentalist has appealed to people to take part in a no gardening campaign to protect wildlife.

Kevin Thompson, of Bleasby, wants people to take part in No Mow May, a campaign that aims to help bees and other pollinators.

The national campaign was created by conservation charity Plantlife in 2019.

The charity’s research revealed that leaving lawns unmowed improved the diversity of wild flowers growing on lawns and could result in enough nectar for ten times more bees and other pollinators.

Mr Thompson said: “It is the most important month, I personally promote the idea that people mow their lawns far too frequently as do council’s of the whole country.

“There’s no need to have them like a snooker table.

“In the past I have had a guy who used to run all the outside spaces in Newark for Newark council, he told me the problem is that people don’t want to get their shoes wet.

“I think most rational people would be amazed that people offer that as a reason to fundamentally destroy nature.”

Mr Thompson suggested that reducing the frequency of mowing the lawns would save money and reduce air pollution because of the burning of fossil fuels.

“Any areas that we can rescue from the hands of man are all helpful towards wildlife. For example, one-third of British birds are critically endangered. We lost 60% of our insect life in the last 20 years.

“Anybody who is not disturbed or frightened by that, people really need to wake up. We need to start changing our mentality and create the environment that suits what we need and want.”

According to the charity, wildflowers should be set free in the lawn so they can grow wild and provide a feast for pollinators, tackle pollution, and lock away atmospheric carbon below ground.

“We really need to start and try to reverse things and have more wild areas left for wildlife and keep people as far off it as possible,” Mr Thompson concluded.

Kevin has suggested to Newark and Sherwood District Council and Newark Town Council to create a community garden at Sconce and Devon park.

“I think the majority of people would love the idea. We don’t actually have a a garden, one for the public.

“Other council’s in the country have magnificent ones and I just don’t understand why they don’t want to do it.

“It could even be done by volunteers, they wouldn’t have to employ anyone or spend money.

He believes that a referendum should be created to gather community opinion on the community garden.