You want to enhance your verges but aren't sure where to start...
You’ll need permission from whoever owns the verge before you start. Begin the process here. We would highly recommend asking your local community what they would like to see from their verges before starting out. Having a small consultation with nearby residents will reveal people's priorities whether they be biodiversity, safety, reducing flood risk or keeping them tidy. Having received everyone's views, you can then make a plan that seeks to align with the majority of people's priorities, and reduce the risk of negative feedback on the management of the verges in the future.
The verges need to be surveyed to identify what species are already there, and therefore what would benefit their continued diversity. A management plan can then be draw up to follow going forward.
Surveys of your verges can be done by:
- Our Community Ecologist - get in touch
- Local Ecology experts (there might be knowledgeable individuals in your village, town or parish that can help – ask around your local nature groups as a starting point)
- The Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre
- Ecological Consultants: either Freelance or from larger companies
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