With plant and animal biodiversity both in general decline, the nationwide Blue Campaign encourages community groups, councils and individuals to find suitable land where nature can take over once again. Surrey County Council has recently announced significant changes to the way it manages over 3,000 miles of Surrey's hedgerows, verges and roundabouts. 

Instead of trimming every inch of roadside flora, those verges and roundabouts with Blue Campaign sponsorship will be allowed to flourish, promoting wildflower growth and natural habitats while saving Surrey County Council unnecessary upkeep costs. There will be some exceptions, such as in areas where a road user's line of sight is impacted, but any unnecessary grass cutting will cease. In addition, the council has committed to trialing alternatives to weed sprays, which can be hazardous to animals and humans alike. 

These changes will occur as Surrey County Council takes full control of county-wide grass cutting and weed spraying on 1st April 2023 (it's really happening, though – no April Fools here!). From this date, the changes will also create two permanent full-time jobs responsible for mapping out the Blue Campaign verges and ensuring they are left unscathed. Contact the county council for more information.