Watford Borough Council has announced plans to create wildflower meadows throughout Cassiobury Park.
The council says by spring 2022, park visitors and wildlife will be able to fully enjoy the new "stunning" wildflower displays at the town's biggest park.
The project will be carried out in partnership with Hertfordshire & Middlesex Butterfly Conservation Trust and Friends of Cassiobury Park, using these organisations' extensive knowledge to plant appropriate wildflower seeds for butterflies and insects.
The species that will be planted include Tufted Vetch, which attracts bumble bees, the Garlic Mustard, an important food plant for caterpillar species and also the Sweet Vernal Grass and Crested Dogstails, both of which are a good source of food for the larvae of brown and skipper butterflies.
Members of Friends of Cassiobury Park are excited to take part in the new project which will help enhance the town's biodiversity
Elected mayor of Watford, Peter Taylor, said: "Our wildflower habitats have sadly been in sharp decline during the 20th Century.
"However, more wildflower meadows have been created in the UK in recent decades and to continue this positive change, Cassiobury Park is transforming two areas of amenity grassland into new wildflower meadows this year.
"This initiative to help sow wildflower meadows and ‘rewild’ our parks will help by a crucial part in stopping decline of insects, including bees and butterflies nationwide.
"It’s not just good for wildlife, but they also boost our own wellbeing, with the sight of wildflower meadows in bloom and teeming with wildlife.
"Pollinating insects are the lifeblood of our environment so anything we can do to support them as part of this project is fantastic."
The project will take place in one of Watford and Hertfordshire's biggest and most popular parks
Meanwhile work will be taking place this summer to restore the wetlands at Cassiobury Park Nature Reserve.
The council says this project will transform the area's former watercress beds into a wildlife sanctuary complete with reeds, ponds and scrapes.
It will create a new wetland habitat for birds, like the snipe and the green sandpiper, and for insects and mammals.
Watford's mayor at Cassiobury Nature Reserve
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel