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Created: 02 May 2024

A new campaign by Erewash Borough Council aims to benefit people’s health and wellbeing, improve biodiversity in the borough, and reduce the authority’s carbon footprint across its 100-plus parks and open spaces.

The mission to be more environmentally friendly is called “Wild about Erewash” and will also see the use of weedkiller greatly reduced – along with less formal planting and a greater focus on encouraging wildflowers and insects.

Rewilding open spaces boosts people’s wellbeing by encouraging them to use their green spaces more and get closer to nature.

Rewilding schemes also help to improve biodiversity and have benefits for the environment including additional habitat for wildlife including bees and insects.

Councillor James Dawson, Leader of Erewash Borough Council, says:

“The council is adopting a new approach to managing its green spaces and is working towards a more sustainable environment.

“Protecting green spaces is essential for people’s wellbeing and enjoyment of their natural environment, whilst providing an ideal outdoor space to learn and study nature. We are launching a new campaign to rewild all the borough’s open spaces, which will improve local habitats for wildlife and support pollinators.”

It is anticipated that the council’s carbon emissions will be reduced alongside the minimisation in the application of herbicides.

Weedkiller such as glyphosate will be avoided on verges, which will be mown less often so wildflowers and grasses can flourish.

There are eight mixed management rewilding sites in Erewash which will include informal play areas, at:

• Petersham open space, Long Eaton
• Bare Lane, Ockbrook
• Dallimore Road, Kirk Hallam
• Wyndale Drive, Kirk Hallam
• Barling Lagoon, Ilkeston
• Beauvale Drive, Cotmanhay
• Granby Park, Cotmanhay
• Larklands, Ilkeston

In havens such as Ilkeston’s Victoria Park and Long Eaton’s West Park, which will not be rewilding sites but do include wildflower sites, visitors will notice a new more natural look as the emphasis moves away from formal bedding displays.

Play parks on all council sites will be mown around to allow a five-to-six-foot strip of separation from the long grass.  There will also be grass ‘paths’ cut along popular desire lines in bigger open spaces.

The following areas will continue to be maintained as they were previously:

• Sports pitches
• All cemeteries and churchyards
• Noskwith play area in Ilkeston.
• Areas surrounding Chalons Way in Ilkeston.
• Sawley Community Centre.
• Belvoir Close, Breaston.
• Long Eaton Library.
• Waverley Street, Long Eaton.
• Town centre car parks.
• The grounds of the borough’s leisure centres.
• Erewash Museum grounds, Ilkeston.
• Ilkeston Town Hall and Long Eaton Town Hall.

The council is also committed to planting more trees and plans to do this through securing external funding. Roots suck up excess water – while trees and meadows absorb carbon dioxide and emit oxygen. It is also anticipated that flooding could help to be alleviated with rewilded areas absorbing more rainfall.