Key information gathered from the Public Perception Survey, which was carried out to provide evidence to support the benefits of Don’t Mow Let it Grow, includes:
- In total, 263 people participated in the survey in 2017
- Around 98% of respondents think it is important to manage areas in NI for wildlife
- 87% of respondents prefer the longer grass shown in photos to shortly mown grass
- The highest proportion of people felt it was important to help endangered pollinators, followed by providing an area where wild flowers can provide food for wild life, providing an area where wildflowers can grow and seed, providing ‘corridors’, increasing public understanding of native plants and animals, and finally eradicating invasive species.
- The highest proportion of people felt it was important to increase public understanding of our native plants and animals, followed by providing training to local volunteers, providing training kits, and finally having attractive floral displays.
- The highest proportion of people felt that reducing the need for application of chemicals was the most important cost-saving benefit, followed by eradicating invasive species, supporting pollinators to pollinate crops, reducing the number of times the grass is cut, and finally giving grass cuttings to farmers.
- Wildlife benefits were rated as the most important benefits of the project, followed by well-being, and monetary savings benefits respectively
- Over half of the respondents (60%) did not live in CCG but were regular visitors, and 93% agreed or strongly agreed that “The quality of greenspace impacts their decision of whether or not (or how often) to visit the area.” This has particular implications for economic impacts that arise from visitors and tourism as it is strong evidence linking how the management of greenspace can increase visitor numbers and all the things that go along with it, such as visitor spending.
- 54% of respondents are not happy with the current amount and quality of greenspace in their local area
- Over 90% of respondents agree or strongly agree that:
- Greenspace should be managed to benefit both humans and other species
- Increasing the quality of local greenspace makes an area a more desirable place to live
- Over 70% of respondents agree or strongly agree that increasing the quality of local greenspace increases the value of their property/properties in the area.
