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Conservationist slams Thanet District Council for mowing lawn at Ramsgate play park

A conservationist has blasted a Kent council for mowing grass at a play park that is out-of-action due to the lockdown.

In a passionate video posted to Twitter, Nik Mitchell criticised Thanet District Council for turning the lawn at Courtstairs Park in Ramsgate from an "absolute carpet of flowers" into a "green desert".

In footage filmed at the site off Royal Harbour Approach, Mr Mitchell says: "Yesterday this park was between four and six inches tall with grass, and absolutely full with a carpet of buttercups, dandelions, daisies.

"Absolutely full of life. It was beautiful. And what have TDC done? They've wasted some more of our money aimlessly cutting the grass."

Signs at Courtstairs Park say the popular play area is closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Indicating the apparatus, Mr Mitchell added: "You're not even supposed to be playing on them. "And all they do is just cut it all and make this boring green desert."

In another video, the 37-year-old describes a patch of flowers as "brilliant for wildlife", adding: "This is what it should be like, but today essential workers are cutting absolutely everything back. Can you believe it?

A still from Mr Mitchell's video. Picture: Nik Mitchell/Twitter
A still from Mr Mitchell's video. Picture: Nik Mitchell/Twitter

"People aren't supposed to be out and generally only essential work is supposed to be carried out."

Mr Mitchell also showed a pile of "chewed up plastic and baby wipes" he had collected, which he says were caused by lawnmowers "aimlessly flying over" litter.

Cllr Steve Albon, cabinet member for operational services at Thanet District Council, described decisions about whether to cut grass as a "balancing act".

"Some residents want grass cut regularly whilst others would like to see it left longer to attract wildlife," he said.

"We have been working with the Bumblebee Conservation Trust and now have two sites in Thanet - Sunken Gardens in Westbrook and Foreness Point at Palm Bay - which are cut less throughout the year to encourage wild flowers and bees.

"Grass-cutting has been reduced for most of the lockdown period, however some of our sites are now becoming substantially overgrown which will mean they will soon be too long for our grass strimmers, tractors and mowers.

"Not managing the grass, especially at this time of year, would also require us to hire specialist equipment to tackle overgrown areas which would then come at an additional expense to the council.

Nik Mitchell is encouraging people to refrain from mowing lawns this month. Picture: Nik Mitchell
Nik Mitchell is encouraging people to refrain from mowing lawns this month. Picture: Nik Mitchell

"It’s also important to ensure overgrown grass does not pose an unnecessary risk to health and safety as longer grass can make it difficult to spot things you’re walking through, such as broken glass or dog faeces. This is especially important in areas close to playgrounds."

But Mr Mitchell encourages anybody who can to take part in the National Trust's ongoing No Mow May campaign, to help encourage wildlife to flourish during the lockdown.

"In May, don't cut your grass," he said. "We need all this for our wildlife. This looks beautiful, and it's great for our ecosystem."

Read more: All the latest news from Thanet

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