Biodiversity and Sustainability
Crystal Peaks are committed to enhancing the biodiversity within and our around the Centre and Retail Park.
In order to achieve this, we are managing our grounds slightly differently. You may have noticed that some areas have been purposely left long to allow wildflowers to grow, attracting pollinators and as the grass grows long and goes to seed this will provide food for birds and home to some insects to lay their eggs in the hollow grass stems.
As Autumn approaches you will see these areas appear to look ‘untidy’ and brown, but this will provide food for wildlife along with the seeds to provide for next year’s meadow.
We still need to manage this so it continues to be a valuable habitat for our wildlife, as winter draws to an end and food is becoming more available, we will then cut back the old growth to allow next year’s growth to come through. We would typically look at doing this in late February, early March depending on weather.
We will leave the clippings on the ground as decaying vegetation supports our underground creatures such as worms and other micro-organisms and releases nutrient back into the soil. As we will not be digging or turning over this also keeps the carbon locked into the ground. Another benefit of this is to allow all the remaining seed to stay to germinate into the spring creating a new meadow and habitat, in addition birds tend to use some of the straw to build nests.
For more information you can contact the landscape team via our care desk located in the central atrium.
