NSP develops solution to environmental challenge

A team from the Norfolk Strategic Partnership (NSP) has developed a solution to maintaining roadside nature reserves, which has potential to be taken up in other areas around the country.

NSP, which comprises Norfolk County Council, May Gurney (as contractor) and Mott Macdonald (consultant), was set up in 2004 for a 10-year period.

There are 75 roadside nature reserves across Norfolk, ranging from 50-500 metres in length. They have been established to protect flora and fauna and are not subject to the same cutting regime as the rest of the county's verges.

Andrew Nicholson, NSP's Supply Chain Works Manager, explains: "Traditionally these verges have been maintained using a variety of means including by hand with a scythe, which is obviously very labour intensive and time consuming. Norfolk County Council's Environmental Department challenged us to come up with a more cost effective and practical solution.

"The key thing is that the grass cuttings need to be collected - if they are left on the ground the thatch that develops suppresses flora and fauna.

"We worked with Chris Dennis of M P Dennis & Sons, one of our specialist supply chain partners, to source a flail cutter with a vacuum to suck up the cuttings. We trialled the new system at the end of this summer, successfully cutting all 75 sites in a two week period. It was the first time the machinery had been used in the UK."

Norfolk County Council is delighted with the results. The new system appears to have the potential to solve a tricky problem - and save the council money. A post-cut survey has been commissioned to ensure that the invertebrates that reside in the nature reserves have not been affected by the cut.

Assuming this proves positive the system will be deployed for the 2008 cutting season - and with other environmental/transportation departments looking on with interest, it may be adopted in other areas of the country.

Heidi Thompson, Norfolk County Council Ecology Manager, said: "There has been considerable interest from other councils in the new machine. Removing the arisings from protected verges has always been the difficult part, and yet it is essential if the rare plants are to flourish."