Local authorities are being urged to tread lightly when mowing and trimming roadside grass verges.
Charitable group, Plantlife, say that the passing of highway authorities and councils can turn a bank covered in native species into a barren strip, all in a matter of minutes.
And the charity is urging local residents to petition their council and press for grass verges to be treated as hay meadows and only cut twice a year.
Plantlife’s Dr Trevor Dines said: "Plantlife receives more calls on this subject than any other, from members of the public distraught and angry that their favourite verges full of cowslips and orchids are being mown down in the name of neatness and good management.
"It is almost ironic that the way we manage our road verges now encourages coarse and thuggish plants. Mown verges, smothered in cuttings might as well be just strips of green concrete.
"But it doesn’t have to be this way – we want people to join the campaign, log on to the website and send us your “before” and “after” photos to help us lobby for change."
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