APPENDIX I
Generic Management Advice for Selected Roadside Verges in
Ceredigion
Produced for the Ceredigion County Council Highways, Property & Works
Department by the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales
1. Overview
This document gives general advice intended for the Highways Authority
verge maintenance team to increase or maintain diversity in selected verges
in Ceredigion. This advice is based on the Habitat Action Plan produced by
the Ceredigion Biodiversity Partnership. Sites which are both rich and poor in
terms of their biodiversity have been chosen, in order to assess the effects of
sympathetic management on different types of verge. The trials wil continue
for at least 10 years, by which time a measurable change may be expected to
have taken place.
Note- for the purposes of this document, ‘verge’ is taken to mean the area
from the edge of the road tarmac to the base of the hedge or fence bounding
it, and includes flat ground and steeply sloping banks.
1. General Good Practice
There are three factors principal y affecting sward diversity on verges:
• Timing of the cuts. Too early can lead to the need for later cuts, or
impact on ground nesting birds and fledglings. Too late can lead to
reduced diversity in verges valued for their spring flowering species.
• Frequency of the cut. Too much leads to grass dominance and a self-
perpetuating need to cut; too little can result in scrub invasion and
reduced sward diversity
• Removal of the arisings. This is essential in order to reduce nutrient
enrichment which favours fast-growing, competitive species such as
Cow Parsley. Reducing the nutrient load wil increase diversity.
2. General recommendations
Ideal y, each verge should be managed on its own merits, and cut or left
depending on its requirements. However, that is not feasible on a commercial
basis, and therefore the fol owing recommendations are intended to promote
general sward diversity, not specific verge flora.
1. Each ‘verge reserve’ needs to be clearly identified by white posts approx. 3
feet high, ideal y with an arrow indicating in which direction the reserve runs.
The posts must be situated at the back of the reserve in order to avoid
obstructing the contractor’s mowing equipment. At least one post per site
should contain contact information for WTSWW and/or CCC for queries. A
standard panel has been designed to achieve this.
2. A single cut in September is needed to promote sward diversity in most
verges. In those areas where the verges are wide, or safety is a major
constraint, only a visibility swathe should be cut early in the season, with the
rest of the verge mown on a biennial basis where possible or with a single
late-season cut. This wil prevent scrub incursion whilst maintaining diversity.
3. Where possible, verges should be cut every 2 years
4. Al arisings should be removed and composted, except where invasive
species such as Japanese Knotweed are present. They wil be targeted by a
spraying programme.
5. A monitoring programme has been established. New verges should at
least be photographed and assessed before the cutting regime begins. This
work can be undertaken by volunteers. Periodic monitoring should then
establish changes occurring.
4. Verge Sites
There are currently three categories of site in the programme:
(a) the main roadside verge nature reserves
(b) upland verge programme
(c) amenity grassland programme
Roadside Verge Nature Reserves
Site 1: Eglwys Fach SN685956 to SN684957
MINOR ROAD
A hay meadow-type verge with specific botanical interest.
Site 2: Llanilar SN617734 to SN619729
MINOR ROAD
This is a very mixed site which has been wel characterised and many
botanical records are held making this a valuable site for continuity.
Site 3: Ysbyty Ystwyth SN727703 to SN728705
MINOR ROAD
This is the only existing upland type verge in the RVNR programme and
includes specific botanical interest and general y heathy communities
Site 4: Tregaron SN678603 to SN676606
A485
A wide site with limited botanical interest at the beginning of the programme,
incorporated in order to determine the beneficial effects of the scheme on a
species-poor verge.
Site 5: Betws Bledrws SN570544 to SN579528
MINOR ROAD
This is a good example of a woodland-type verge with lots of bluebel s.
Site 6: Aberarth common SN476620 to SN473624 MINOR ROAD
Moderate botanical value at start of scheme, should improve with sympathetic
management.
Site 7: Ciliau Aeron SN496603 to SN497600
MINOR ROAD
A good species-rich site of a woodland type.
Site 8: Oakford SN468588 to SN466592
MINOR ROAD
Only example of a good damp flush habitat and which has been relatively
undisturbed.
Site 9: Post Bach - Synod Inn SN392513 to SN392512
A486
A smal site that is species rich and a good example of a meadow type
reserve with good spring violets.
Site 10: Cwmtydu SN356568 to SN357565 MINOR ROAD
A good example of a woodland type verge with good spring–early summer
flora.
Site 11: Llandysul SN407418 to SN408417 MINOR ROAD
Site nominated by local resident. Aesthetical y attractive and species rich.
Site 12: Llandysul SN450423 to SN448424 MINOR ROAD
Site nominated by local resident. Asethetical y attractive and species rich.
Site 13: Llanfarian SN584767, north side of lane
A new site nominated for the presence of Broad-leaved Hel eborine (
Epipactis
purpurel a)
Site 14: Llanilar SN625746, west verge
Site nominated for the dominance of Wild Garlic in the verge.
Upland Verge Programme
A number of upland verges were identified in 2007 that would benefit from
being excluded from the cutting regime altogether. This occurred for two main
reasons: (a) many were open to grazing anyway and did not require regular
cutting and (b) the heathy communities are slow-growing, do not present
many visibility problems and in fact cutting is leading to grass dominance
which poses greater management requirements. The fol owing sites are
currently managed with a zero-cut regime:
Site 1
Eglwys Fach
SN690959 to SN707964 (c. 2 km)
Site 2
Nant y Moch
SN694900 to SN751816 (c. 18 km)
Site 3
Pendam
SN692844 to SN743818 (c. 7 km)
Site 4
Ystumtuen
Above SN712806, SN723811 and SN742799 (c. 12 km)
Site 5
Pwllpeiran
SN778744 to SN789741 (c. 3.5 km)
Site 6
Cwmystwyth
SN801745 to SN854758 (c. 6 km)
Site 7
Pontrhydygroes
Above SN740723 and SN733715 (c. 7 km)
Site 8
Teifi Pools
SN766681 and above
(c. 3 km)
Site 9
Cwm Berwyn
SN747577 and above
(c. 15 km)
Site 10
Llandewi Brefi
SN718534 to SN740516 and SN739541 (c. 5 km)
Amenity Grassland Programme
In addition to the above two schemes, an area around the Morrison’s
roundabout in Aberystwyth has been identified as amenity grassland that
could be improved for wildlife. As a result, selected areas of the amenity
grassland should remain uncut until the end of the cutting season (late August
to early September) and they should be marked with special A4 posters
notifying the area to be managed for wildlife by the CCC-WTSWW
partnership. This marks the area for contractors and also informs the regular
users of this very public site of the reasons for the management. Although
relatively species poor at present, this scheme wil improve the botanical
diversity of the area and provide better habitat for invertebrates and smal
mammals.
