Plans are in place to support and enhance the 2025 season growth of a Denbighshire biodiversity and nature recovery project.
Established in 2019, Denbighshire County Council's Wildflower Meadow Project currently covers approximately 70 acres of native wildflower habitat, helping and protecting local nature and supporting community wellbeing across the county.
It has also been funded by the Welsh Government, through the Local Nature Partnerships Cymru ENRaW project.
During the 2024 season, 297 different wildflower species were recorded across these sites, and a total of 5,269 individual wildflowers were logged overall, per a spokesperson.
A number of the wildflower meadows also saw a resurgence in orchid species growing for the first time across the county.
Looking ahead to this season, the council's Biodiversity and Streetscene teams are continuing to focus work on helping the development of existing wildflower meadow sites in the project portfolio.
They will work alongside new, specialist 'Nature Recovery Streetscene' operatives for a 12-month period to ensure all wildflower meadow sites can be managed as required over the season without the need for external contractor support.
The team will be looking to work with local schools, communities, and volunteers, and welcome anybody wishing to learn more about the project or get involved to get in touch with the Biodiversity team at biodiversity@denbighshire.gov.uk.
Councillor Barry Mellor, lead member for environment and transport, said: "This plan for 2025 will help our wildflower meadow sites establish quicker as nutrients are removed from these sites consistently through cutting and collecting of the grass.
"Colours and flower diversity will increase at the meadows through this work.
"The removal of soil nutrients will ensure grass growth is reduced and maintenance pressures are reduced.
"This work will also help us increase species rich habitat within Denbighshire capable of supporting more pollinators, such as bees, than regularly mown grassland."
Mr Mellor added: "We have lost nearly 97 percent of wildflower meadows across the UK since the 1930s, so this project is more than crucial for supporting local nature that has been impacted by this huge loss."
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