VIDEOS explaining Dorset Council's approach to maintaining roadside verges - by cutting them less often to protect and enhance the natural environment - have been created as part of a campaign.

Dorset Council has made changes to its verge management policy in recent years, which the authority says strikes a balance between cutting verges regularly to maintain visibility whilst protecting the environment.

It forms part of the council's work to mitigate the declared climate and ecological emergency.

Videos explaining the policy have now been released as part of the council's Love Your Verge campaign.

The council says that where safe, verges are cut less often and methods are used to increase biodiversity, which saves money and reduces carbon emissions.

A spokeswoman said: "Verge maintenance prompts many questions and comments from residents. While some people prefer verges to be kept short and neat, others love the wilder looking verges. The series of ‘Love Your Verge’ videos seek to clarify how verges are maintained and why. They explain the methods used to create a better environment for wildflowers to thrive, which is important for attracting pollinators."

The ‘Love Your Verge’ campaign is a countywide collaboration between the council’s Coast and Greenspace Service and Litter Free Dorset. The campaign encourages residents and visitors to value verges and open spaces. Signs situated in specific locations around the county explain how open spaces are individually managed due to the specific local habitat, while aiming to reduce incidents of littering.

Cllr Ray Bryan, Dorset Council Portfolio Holder Highways, Travel and Environment, said:

‘Safety is our primary duty and our teams will continue to cut verges regularly where it’s needed. However, there are many miles of verges where there’s opportunity to manage in a way that’s more sympathetic to wildlife and ecology.

‘The loss of natural habitats is a major threat for pollinators. Leaving verges to grow for longer and encouraging wildflowers to thrive can provide a rich habitat to help compensate for this.

‘We hope the campaign will help to inform residents and visitors about Dorset Council’s approach to verge maintenance and why it’s so important for local wildlife populations. We are committed to a healthy environment and ensuring that future generations can enjoy our natural world and the wildlife that lives within it.’