PEOPLE are being reminded that Worcestershire’s roadside verges are wildlife havens and well worth looking after.

There are about 1,435 miles (2,296km) of verges in the county, covering an estimated 695 hectares of land.

The roadside habitats are home to an incredible array of flora and fauna, from the critically endangered tower mustard plant (Arabis glabra) to colonies of glow-worms.

While there is no legislation to safeguard such sites, the Worcestershire Wildlife Consultancy has worked since 1995 to manage and maintain what are known as roadside verge nature reserves (RVNRs).

There are 44 RVNRs across the county and many species growing on them have their own protection, such as the Deptford pink plant which can be found along the A449 through Worcestershire and is protected under Schedule 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act.  “The road verge nature reserves scheme is a great example of working in partnership to maximise Worcestershire’s biodiversity,” said Alan Shepherd of Worcestershire Wildlife Consultancy.

“It’s so important that we all work together and do our bit. Next time you’re driving, cycling or walking along and see butterflies and bees flying around a glorious clump of flowers by the roadside, remember that without a little help from us all they wouldn’t be there at all.”

RVNRs have existed in Worcestershire for almost 30 years. Today more than 4.4ha of land is protected through the scheme, including verges in the Wyre Forest where the endangered tower mustard plant is thriving.

The tall, slim plant with small creamy flowers is classified as an endangered species and faces a high risk of extinction in the wild. It only occurs in 37 sites in the UK, but three of those are Worcestershire roadside verge nature reserves.

Elsewhere, there are glow-worms on a verge near Malvern and numerous verges where unusual bee and pyramidal orchids flourish.

As no complete botanical survey of Worcestershire’s road verges has been carried out, new sites are added an ad-hoc basis.

To find out more about roadside habitats, call the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust, based in Hindlip, near Worcester, on 01905 754909 or visit worcswildlifetrust.co.uk.