Verges, banks, parks and burial grounds in Tavistock could soon become wildlife rich habitats if the town council agrees to join the widespread No Mow May campaign.

The council is considering adopting the campaign as formal policy, which would mean not cutting grass and vegetation as part of its management of various sites during May, to encourage declining numbers of pollinating insects, other wildlife and a wider range of flowering and other plants.

The campaign was started in 2019 by the conservation charity Plantlife to encourage residents to resist the temptation to create perfectly cultivated lawns and open spaces and instead allow grass and plants to grow more freely for a month to help tackle air pollution and support wildlife.

There is a growing movement to extend the campaign into early July for more impact. Leaving grass to grow for one month can allow eight dandelions to grow, producing enough nectar to support a bee – an important pollinator to spread new flowering plants.

There is an increasing expectation on councils nationally to formally support No Mow May as a policy, even though it already allows spring wildflowers to bloom in Dolvin Road and Plymouth Road cemeteries, the canal banks, verges, before being cut. For the first time this year, native wild orchids and an increase in hedgehogs have been seen in Plymouth Road Cemetery.

For the past few years the council has worked with Tavistock Community Gardening on the nationwide Blue Campaign supporting rewilding of council and private land. The Blue Campaign covers the canal banks, St John’s Walk, Benson’s Meadow, Market Road river banks, Westbridge banks and Mrs Wedd’s Arboretum.

The council’s works department is asking for a clear policy on the management of its green open spaces and cemeteries and possible commitment to No Mow May and other rewilding projects which fit into the authority’s objectives to promote biodiversity.

Under such a policy the works depart manager suggests installing signs to let the public know why areas appear untidy and overgrown. The council only received two complaints this year from people saying the grass was too long in parts of Plymouth Road cemetery.