Horfield common cutting map refresh

FOHC is working with the Council to refresh the cutting map and we need your views!

What is a cutting map?
This shows where and how often the grass is cut in the area. For example, short grass for playing fields will be cut more often: "5 cut" means it will be cut 5 times a year. 

Why do we need to refresh it?
The last refresh was in 2015! We would like to provide a better environment for wildlife/plantlife across the Common. This summer, as we maintained the meadow patches and set up protections for the cat-mint, we realised that the old map is hard to follow and can easily lead to missed cuttings/miscommunication as well.

How can I help?
An initial map has now been completed and we will be meeting with the Council on the 18th December to feed back. Please note that this is a proposed map and implementation will depend on a number of factors as we move through the process.

Please see the key and map image (also provided as downloads for easier reading) and send us your initial thoughts by the 17th December!
​Email them to [email protected].

Key:
The management descriptions of the different regimes are as follows:
 
Floral Lawn

• Applied to some 8 cut sites.
• Reduces frequency of cutting to every 5 to 7 weeks (avoiding any cutting during May), which would equate to about 6 or 7 cuts depending on the weather/season.  This allows flowering plants that can do well in amenity grass (e.g. clovers, bird’s-foot-trefoil etc)  to flower and provide nectar and pollen.
• Uses the same equipment as used currently.

 
Cut and Collect – 2-cuts

• Applied to 1 cut sites.
• Consists of one cut and collect in March/early April and one in late August/September
• Will use the Amazone Profihopper (and tractor/trailer) to cut, collect and remove the material.  Cut material will be taken back to depot and deposited into a 20 or 40 yard RORO skip.

 
Cut and Collect – 5-cuts

• Applied to some 8 cut sites.
• Consists of a cut and collect 5 times during the first year which will then be reduced each year.  This is based on the assumption that with the cut material being collected and removed it will reduce certain nutrients in the soil, and therefore reduce the vigour of the grasses.  This should mean that there will be less growth to cut each year.  This is based on the experiences of other local authorities including South Glos who have similar soils to us.
• Will use the Amazone Profihopper (and tractor/trailer) to cut, collect and remove the material.  Cut material will be taken back to depot and deposited into a 20 or 40 yard RORO skip.

 
Tussocky Grass

• Applied to 1 cut sites that are adjacent to a hedgerow or woodland, to create better edge habitat and provide important cover and overwintering habitat particularly for invertebrates including certain butterfly species.
• Consists of one cut every three years on rotation – that means ideally each area or group within a site will be divided into 3 and a different section cut each year.
• Will be cut with a flail and collected using the Profihopper (and tractor/trailer), taken back to depot and deposited into a 20 or 40 yard RORO skip.

 
Bank 50/50

• Applied to banks (mostly south/south-east/south-west facing)
• Consist of half being managed on a ‘Cut and collect – 2 cut’ regime, and half on the Tussocky Grass regime.  However the machinery used to cut it will remain as it is, and the material will be raked and collected by hand. 

 
The maps also show some areas identified as ‘Flat 50/50’.  These are areas that would be split between the ‘Cut and collect – 2-cut’ regime and the ‘Tussocky Grass’ regimes as described above.

horfield_common__1_.jpg
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File Type:	jpg

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cutting_map_image_and_key.pdf
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