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To support the reduction of glyphosate on local streets by taking a wholly manual/mechanical approach to weeding, we're also introducing a volunteer-based community weeding scheme for residents living in trial area one. 

Diversity of wild plants is key to supporting a wide variety of insects and other wildlife, and the reduced use of chemicals on streets will allow wild plants the chance to flower and contribute to local biodiversity.

We hope to work with residents to focus on encouraging biodiversity while at the same time identifying and removing plants that could damage walls and pavements or cause a trip or accessibility hazard.

Why we need to control some street weeds

Not all of the wild plants that grow on our pavements are always beneficial. Some, if left to grow long enough, could create trip hazards leading to potential injury.

Others, particularly plants like ivy or self-seeding trees such as sycamore, could cause damage to walls and pavements. Plants growing in the kerb channels can lead to a build-up of dirt and prevent effective drainage of rainwater.

While many wild plants can be tolerated as they’re unlikely to create any problems, we must be mindful of those that could, and remove them when necessary.

How the scheme works

Volunteers who sign up to the scheme will work to support our own manual/mechanical weeding work by keeping an eye out for problematic plants and remove them.

While mechanical sweeping will still take place in the kerb channels to ensure they’re kept clean, manual sweepers won’t remove wild plants from the pavement. This will ensure that many plants will be allowed to thrive and flower.

Advice and guidance

When you sign up to the scheme, you will receive guidance to support you to identify and remove problematic street weeds, as well as to identify plants that should not be removed. You will also be eligible to receive a free roll of garden waste sacks to help you properly dispose of these weeds, unless you would like to compost them.

Join the scheme

Contact

If you want to discuss the scheme in more detail before signing up, email weedingtrialslbr@richmond.gov.uk and we’ll be in touch.

Updated: 14 February 2024

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