Mowing management

The municipality of Nuenen manages over 100 hectares of public green spaces. We don’t manage them all the same way. In areas where people play, exercise, or engage in recreational activities, we mow more frequently. In other locations, we give flowers, insects, and small animals more space. This is how we ensure a safe, well-maintained, and more biodiverse living environment.

Different Ways to Mow

Recreational Mowing

We maintain grassy areas that are used intensively—such as play fields, pickup soccer fields, parks, and lawns in residential neighborhoods—as lawns. We mow them regularly to keep the grass short, safe, and neat.

We maintain these lawns to " B" visual quality standards. Would you like to know what visual quality is? Then see " What is visual quality?"

On the Map , you can see which fields are mowed as lawns.

Ecological roadside management

We manage road shoulders and larger grassy areas in an environmentally friendly way as much as possible. This means we mow less frequently and take into account the plants and animals that live along the roadside.

By letting the grass grow longer, flowers have a chance to bloom and produce seeds. This creates greater plant diversity, which in turn provides food and shelter for insects, birds, and small mammals.

Why do we choose ecological mowing management?

Ecological mowing management offers many benefits:

• more flowers and herbs; 
• more butterflies, wild bees, and other pollinators; 
• more food for birds; 
• better hiding places for small animals; 
• healthier soil; 
• a more attractive landscape; 
• more natural pest control. 

For example, parasitic wasps and other natural predators of the oak processionary caterpillar benefit from flower-rich roadsides. A diverse natural environment helps strengthen the natural balance.

How often do we mow?

Not every roadside is mowed with the same frequency. That depends on the location, traffic safety, and the natural features present. On the Map shows how the roadside is maintained.

Meter Strips

Along roads, hiking trails, and bike paths, we mow a strip about one meter wide. This ensures that the paths remain easily accessible and that road users maintain sufficient visibility.

The meter-wide strips are usually mowed:

• mid- to late May.
• late July through early August. 

Roadside verges that are mowed twice a year

Some roadside verges are mowed twice a year:

• First mowing: June or July.
• Second mowing: October or November. 

Roadside verges that are mowed once a year

We mow roadside verges with high ecological value only once a year. This usually takes place between September and October. This allows the flowers to fully bloom and self-seed.

Staged Mowing

On many roadsides, we don’t mow everything at once. During each mowing, part of the vegetation is left standing. Depending on the location, approximately 20% or 50% of the vegetation is left standing. During the next mowing, a different section is left unmowed.

As a result, there are always places available where, for example, insects, spiders, small mammals, and other animals can take shelter, hibernate, or reproduce. Nectar and pollen also remain available to pollinating insects.

Why do we remove grass clippings?

After mowing, we remove the clippings as much as possible. This makes the soil less nutrient-rich. That may seem strange, but it is precisely on poor soil that a greater variety of flowers and herbs grow. If the clippings are left on the ground, the soil actually becomes richer, and fast-growing grass species will take over.

Removing the grass clippings will eventually result in a more flower-filled roadside with greater biodiversity.

Preventing Lignification

When grasslands are not mowed at all for years, shrubs and young trees can grow. We call this woody encroachment.

By mowing at the right time, we prevent roadside verges from gradually turning into thickets or woods. This way, we preserve the character of a flower-filled roadside verge.

Road safety is always the top priority

Ecological management must never come at the expense of safety.

That's why we mow more frequently in areas where good visibility is important, for example:

• at intersections and the like
• along bike and hiking trails. 

This keeps traffic conditions manageable and ensures that paths remain easily accessible.

Laws and Regulations

In all mowing operations, we take protected plants and animals into account. Management is carried out in accordance with the Omgevingswet, the national code of conduct for responsible nature management, and the Kleurkeur guidelines .

We perform all work according to the Nature Protection Act and the national code of conduct.