WINCHESTER City Council manages more than 25 ecological sites, a recent report revealed.
The sites range from rivers, nature reserves, wildflower meadows, even roundabouts.
The city council health and environment committee heard about how the various areas are managed, at a meeting on Tuesday, December 5.
The 27 sites are: stretches of the River Itchen and Hamble Estuary, Abbotts Barton, Bar End roundabout, Chilcomb Rec, Garrison Ground, Gordon Avenue, Greenacres, Hilliers Haven, Ivy Close, Joyce Gardens, Land opposite Stanmore Rec, Magdalen Hill Cemetery, Otterbourne Common, Pitt roundabout, Sainsbury roundabout, St Cross roundabout, St Faith’s Meadow, St Giles Hill, St Matthews Field, Thurmond Crescent, Topfield, Water Lane, West Hill Cemetery, Whiteshute Ridge, Winnall Moors and Winton Close.
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In the committee's report, it said: “The council owns and manages sites specifically for biodiversity due to their ecological importance. There is a challenge to meeting the cost of creation, management and monitoring of the district’s sites of ecological importance, aimed at conserving and enhancing habitats and species, within the resources available to council. Sites with high ecological value do not deliver financially, but the benefits are significant in terms of providing natural capital assets such as biodiversity, flood alleviation, air quality, carbon sequestration, localised cooling and benefits to our health and wellbeing.
“The council’s recognition of the nature emergency also supports its Greener Faster objectives. Therefore, consideration is required regarding the long-term maintenance and management of its green spaces with a full appreciation and valuation of these spaces in terms of what they provide compared to other potential land-use types such as residential development.”
Rick Smith, service lead for sustainability and natural environment, gave a presentation on the types of sites the council manages.
The River Itchen, which is a world famous chalk stream, is classed as a special area of conservation.
Winnall Moors Nature Reserve is run primarily by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust and is a site of special scientific interest.
The council also manages sites of importance for nature conservation which includes Whiteshute Ridge, in Badger Farm.
Cllr Kelsie Learney, cabinet member for the climate emergency, said: “The report sets out what we are doing to protect biodiversity which is good for health and wellbeing.”
The committee's chairman Cllr Steve Cramoysan asked if pesticides were being used. Mr Smith said: “We don't use pesticides where we don't have to but we have a contract with idverde which is our land management company. Sometimes it is applicable to use it to combat invasive weeds.”
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