One cut a year conservation verges to offer wildlife a habitat highway

Orkney is thought to be one of the first areas in Scotland to designate its roadside verges as conservation assets, cut only once per year to support local wildlife and wildflowers.

Starting this year, the majority of verges in the county will be cut by Orkney Islands Council in late summer, once wildflowers have bloomed and had opportunity to set seed.

Verges near bends, junctions and crests will continue to be strategically cut twice a year or as needed to maintain the safety of the county’s roads.

This approach – agreed by Councillors last September – will form a significant nature network across the whole of Orkney, supporting wildlife, wildflowers, insects and pollinators across the county – including the endangered Great Yellow Bumblebee.

Great Yellow Bumblebee queens appear from mid-May onwards. They emerge much later than many other species of bees and need access to flowers to feed. Queens and their worker bees can be seen up until the end of September. By moving to one verge cut at the end of summer, the Council can help open up a huge network of flower corridors which could support the Great Yellows throughout their active season.

The change also helps address ongoing pressure on all Council budgets.

The approach was developed in collaboration with the Orkney Verge Working Group, formed in 2024 by wildlife conservation programme Species on the Edge. The Working Group brings together representatives from the Council, RSPB Orkney, the Species on the Edge partnership, North Isles Landscape Partnership Scheme and the Orkney Field Club to work towards increasing biodiversity across Orkney, with the group advising the best time for a single conservation cut to be carried out.

Lorna Richardson is Head of Neighbourhood Services for the Council and says while it may take a few seasons before wildflower displays noticeably improve, the change in the cutting schedule will deliver many benefits.

“Roadside verges are valuable wildlife corridors, providing important refuge and sustenance for species such as the Great Yellow Bumblebee – a pollinator unique to the north of Scotland and currently on the endangered species list.

“We estimate the change to a single conservation cut will create around 2.5 km2 -  2.5 million square metres - of wildflower meadows to support wildlife and pollinators – the latter crucial in an agricultural community.

"There are other environmental benefits too - it will reduce the distance travelled by our crews by around 1500km, saving approximately 350 litres of fuel per year.

There’s tangible benefits to the community in practical terms as well – the reduction to one conservation cut for the majority of our verges will reduce our current verge cutting costs by up to 40% - meaning £60k of Council resources and around 1700 hours of staff time can be diverted to other high priority works valued by the community, such as repairing potholes and other defects and carrying out ditch maintenance.

“We’ll continue to carry out cuts at bends, crests and junctions for safety - and anyone with a concern about a particular stretch of road can continue to let us know via the Council website or MyOrkney, or the Council’s Customer Services team.”

The Council is responsible for approximately 1730km of roadside grass verge. They cover an area of approximately 2.6 km2.

Around 5% of this is already designated as conservation verges and are only cut once at the end of the summer allowing wildflowers to seed, grow and provide vital habitat to wildlife.

The move directly supports the Species on the Edge programme, a partnership programme of NatureScot and seven conservation charities working to reverse the decline of Scotland’s most endangered coastal and island species.

Orkney is one of seven Species on the Edge project areas. Orkney officers Sam Stringer and Helen Cromarty are working with landowners, including the Council, and the wider community to deliver local conservation projects.

Species on the Edge Project Officer for Orkney, Helen Cromarty, said: “If managed in a nature-friendly way, road verges can provide a fantastic habitat for a vast range of plants and pollinators. Research by Plantlife has shown that in the UK over 700 species of wildflowers grow on verges, accounting for nearly 45% of the UK’s total flora species, 87 of which are threatened with extinction. 

“Verges also provide important habitat for Orkney’s pollinators, such as the rare Great Yellow Bumblebee. Once widespread across the UK, the Great Yellow Bumblebee is now found only in the far north of Scotland and some of the Hebridean islands, with Orkney supporting one of the few remaining populations. The species requires large, interconnected species-rich habitats, which is why wildflower-abundant road verges are such an excellent habitat for the Great Yellow.

“We are delighted that Orkney Islands Council is undertaking this bold approach to verge management and we hope that other councils will be inspired to follow suit.” 

Councillor Kristopher Leask is Chair of the Development and Infrastructure Committee which oversees the county’s roads. He said it’s a step change for the Council and one he hopes the community will also get behind: “Biodiversity loss is a huge problem for everyone, and once again I think Orkney is ready to lead by example and demonstrate through action that we’re serious about protecting our natural world. 

“We do know local people and visitors value Orkney’s nature - over 50% of visitors in the 2019 VisitScotland survey undertook activities involving nature during their visit. With roadside verges all across the county, supporting our wildflowers is another way the Council can bring tourism benefits to every parish and isle in Orkney. 

“We’ve listened to biodiversity partners about the timing of that cut so that it is carried out in a way which best supports our ecosystems, creating space for an increase in both the abundance and diversity of our wildflowers. We think we are the first Council in Scotland to take this approach right across our roads network.” 

Councillor Leask also chairs the local Road Safety Forum: “We’d reassure folks that verge cuts will continue to be carried out as needed around junctions, bends and crests, and for problem weed control. Folks can report emerging concerns at specific locations to us.” 

“We’re well used in Orkney to abundant vegetation growth at the height of the long summer days. It’s something drivers and walkers adjust to every year. The greatest factor when it comes to road safety is user behaviour – we'd urge everyone to drive with courtesy and attention to the conditions and visibility in front of them, each and every time they’re behind the wheel of a car, and for walkers, cyclists and horse riders to pay equal attention to their surroundings at all times.”

The Council’s verge cutting plans are reviewed with community councils each year with regards to safety cuts and troublesome weeds. You can find out more on the Council website www.orkney.gov.uk (search for Verge Maintenance Plan)

If you have a concern about the safety (rather than the wildness) of a particular part of our road network, you can contact the Council with details via our MyOrkney website.

Catch up with some more great photos shared with us, on our Facebook page:

• A broad look at some of the Orkney wildlife supported by conservation verges
• A spotlight on the endangered Great Yellow Bumblebee - coming soon
• A spotlight on the Orkney Vole - coming soon