They’ve been busy in Dundee. Very busy. Dundee City Council has been implementing a range of measures to help biodiversity, and, as part of a review of grassland management, the Council held a public consultation on changes to 27 parks and greenspaces. The aim has been primarily nature-friendly management.
Dundee currently boasts 49.5 ha of natural grasslands, with a further 10 ha described as biodiversity grassland. Those naturalised grasslands are cut once a year but the cuttings aren’t lifted, whereas in the biodiversity grasslands areas one or two cut are carried out each year and the cuttings are lifted. These areas already had a good range of common wildflowers
Some of the latter areas have been additionally sown with yellow rattle (aka the meadow maker) whilst others have had perennial wildflower seeds introduced to improve the sites and hopefully reduce the amount of intervention needed in future. In addition, Nature Restoration Funding allowed for the purchase of new machinery to assist in the ‘cut and lift’ management of these areas. This will reduce nutrient levels and help the wildflowers gain a foothold.
The creation of a new perennial wildflower meadow created at the city’s Scott Street was made so much easier by working hand-in-hand with the Friends of Balgay community group. Situated in the west end of Dundee, the area has several wide-open green spaces, as well as secluded areas with seating. The Friends group have been active for several years, promoting the Balgay Park and working closely with the Council to make space for nature.
At the other end of the financial spectrum, the ‘Broughty Ferry to Monifieth Active Travel project, funded by Transport Scotland through Sustains ‘Scotland’s Places for Everyone’, includes the creation of significant areas of native coastal grassland. Works along the Esplanade have seen the removal of non-native shrubs, dunes planted with Marram and sea lyme grasses, and what should in time be an impressive avenue of trees. To complete the activity, three hectares of coastal grassland seeding took place during Autumn 2023.
About one hectare of annual wildflower areas was sown and managed in 2022, and the council aimed for a similar area to be created in 2023. An additional three hectares of wildflowers were sown in partnership with the Eden Project at Morgan Academy, Riverside Drive and Camperdown Park, with striking interpretation providing highlighting the importance of these areas to pollinators.
Anyone concerned by the threats facing pollinators will have a keen interest in insecticide and herbicide use. Dundee City Council is reviewing herbicide policies with the aim to reduce overall use and to explore alternatives. Mechanical weed rippers were purchased for use on hard surfaces, and additional street sweeping carried out in 2022 to remove the detritus that builds up allowing weeds to colonise. Overall, the volume of herbicide used by Dundee City Council has reduced by 66% in the last 5 years, with a reduction of 45% since the publication of the city’s Biodiversity Action Plan in 2020.
Ornamental flower and shrub beds have also fallen under the Council spotlight.
At Seabraes, on the Perth Road, revamped flower beds were revised and pollinator-friendly plant species, provided a haven for invertebrates. Other project areas included Baxter Park, Balgay-Blackness Road seating area, Lily Walker Homeless Unit and Camperdown Park. The projects in these sites focus on tree planting, creation of perennial wildflower areas and wildlife-friendly bulb and herbaceous perennial planting to deliver biodiversity benefits.
And, in a departure from the bigger park projects, two new ‘pocket parks’ were created at Lorimer Street and Moncur Crescent. The planting within these mini-parks includes trees and herbaceous perennials and grasses, thus bringing valuable new habitats in very urban areas.
The Council obtained an additional £262,000 from the Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund for the creation of Climate Resilient Woodlands. Twelve hectares were planted with 28,000 native trees at Riverside Nature Park, Balgay Hill and an area next to Clatto Country Park. Amongst the trees are wild cherry, crab apple, hawthorn and blackthorn all of which are particularly good for a range of pollinator species.
Of course, what strikes one party as good works, may perplex or annoy another, hence changes sometimes need to be explained. In a Facebook post Dundee City Council alerted residents to the changes. They acknowledged that some residents might see change in the city’s green spaces and “wonder why small areas of local parks aren’t being mowed like they used to be?”
The answer, the council explained, is that “In Dundee we are creating carefully managed biodiversity havens. Greater levels of biodiversity helps to ensure the natural sustainability of all life, which is especially important in a time of global climate change.” Communicating the purpose of change is an oft undervalued, but essential, step if changes are to gain traction and support locally.
What is happening in Dundee is undoubtedly good for pollinators. It fits well with the European environmental zeitgeist. The forthcoming EU Nature Restoration Law includes targets to reverse the decline in pollinators and to restore degraded ecosystems.
And Dundee is nothing if not innovative. In 2014 the city was named the UK’s first UNESCO City of Design. That title recognised diverse contributions to fields including medical research, comics, video games and Dundee is of course now home to the superb V&A Dundee: Scotland’s first design museum. Now it seems the designs the city has for biodiversity, and pollinators, are drawing equally admiring glances.
Scottish pollinators 