The pledge recognises the urgent “Butterfly Emergency” facing butterflies and moths. It also sets out Lambeth’s commitment to ensuring our public spaces, such as parks and streets are more butterfly friendly. For example, by reducing the use of pesticides.
Cllr Ciara Alleyne, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency and Future Generations said: “Butterflies and moths are in serious decline, and in Lambeth, we’re taking practical steps to help them recover. I’m so pleased we are leading the way as the first London borough to pledge to such a worthwhile cause.
“We have already removed pesticides from use in our parks and we have a Lambeth Pollinator Action Plan. We are also changing how public green spaces are maintained, including increasing areas of long grass meadow on housing estates, highways, schools, parks and open spaces, and creating more wildflower-rich habitats through projects such as Lambeth Bee Roads.
We have a few more key areas to address, but I have no doubt that with the support of our brilliant residents, volunteers, partners and community groups we will make this happen.”
Simon Saville, Chair of Butterfly Conservation, said: “We are absolutely delighted that Lambeth has become the first London Borough to take our Butterfly-Friendly pledge. With so many of our beautiful butterflies and moths in decline across the UK, councils have a huge opportunity to help turn the tide by managing public spaces differently and updating policies.
Lambeth’s parks are already good for butterflies, and taking a few simple steps – such as managing more spaces for wildlife – will make them even better. We hope that people across the borough and beyond will be inspired by the council’s Butterfly-Friendly pledge to join us on this exciting journey.”
The council’s work also includes planting pollinator-friendly trees, creating rain gardens and swales, supporting residents to develop wildflower projects in allotments, community gardens and housing estates, and continuing to reduce the use of chemical pesticides where viable alternatives are available.
