Should roadsides be mowed or not? There is discussion about this because high vegetation on roadsides would be unsafe. In Schijndel there were even three accidents on a roundabout with high antennae. As a result, vision was clouded. But nature needs that tall vegetation. Three people involved about this problem: to mow or not.
Biodiversity expert Eddy Schabbink:
“If all roadsides are mowed, biodiversity will decline and climate problems will increase as a result. People often don’t realize that. Everyone thinks it’s just about the flowers and bees, but if there are no insects, everything that depends on them has a hard time. We see fewer birds, but benthic life is also declining. And that also puts pressure on our food production.
If safety is at stake, of course mowing must be done. But often not everyone adheres to the traffic rules and then people quickly shout that the grass was too high when things go wrong. Safety then comes first. But then only mow that corner, instead of everything around that roundabout.”
Traffic expert Paul van de Coevering:
“A completely clear road can also ensure that people drive faster. They take more risks because they think they have more control. If you have to pay more attention because of trees and vegetation along the road, you will drive more carefully. A motorist must have visibility, especially when turning. But there is no need to mow in the middle of the roundabout.”
Theo Lemmens Municipality of Meierijstad (Schijndel):
“For road safety, we mow a strip of 1.25m wide along the carriageway of paved roads and cycle paths and the intersections at least twice a year.
Road verges (and ditches) form a network of green ribbons in the landscape. As a result, they also have an important ecological function, in addition to the traffic engineering function. Green verges are a place to live and through these verges plants and animals can move around in the area. We therefore deliberately keep verges along unpaved roads rough.
This is beneficial for shrub birds and other species that need brush in their habitat. In avenues with pedunculate oaks, the roadsides are important habitats for the natural enemies of the oak processionary caterpillar. If there are enough natural enemies, this is beneficial for natural control and for reducing nuisance.
Meierijstad wants to strengthen biodiversity and green verges contribute to this. But biodiversity should never be at the expense of road safety.”