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16 NORTH EAST WEEKLY 17TH MAY <strong>2018</strong><br />
Road verges: 20% drop in diversity of wild flowers puts<br />
bees at risk as plant 'marauders' take over<br />
* 'Silent killer' air pollution and poor management have<br />
reduced floral richness by nearly 20% on verges<br />
* Plantlife reveals the 'dirty dozen' plant marauders that are<br />
increasingly rampant on road verges<br />
* Wildlife at risk: Red clover and lady's bedstraw - two<br />
particularly wildlife-friendly plants - are experiencing the<br />
most rapid decline on verges<br />
* BUT ALL IS NOT LOST; better management of our road<br />
verges could have spectacular results for wild flowers and<br />
wildlife, delivering an estimated 400 billion more blooms<br />
(or 6,000 flowers per person).<br />
A marauding gang of invasive native plants including nettle<br />
and bramble) are thriving on a diet of ‘junk food’ and taking<br />
over our once flower-rich road verges reveals Plantlife, Europe's<br />
largest conservation charity dedicated to wild<br />
flowers and other flora.<br />
Almost 90% of Britain’s wild flowers prefer lower-nutrient<br />
soil but they are being crowded out of the countryside as a<br />
result of air pollution creating unnaturally rich conditions,<br />
particularly on our road verges. Analysing trends since<br />
1990, Plantlife has identified that our road verges are undergoing<br />
a dramatic change with plants that enjoy soil rich in<br />
nitrogen - much of it deposited from vehicle exhausts -<br />
spreading like wildfire including stinging nettle, bramble,<br />
rough meadow-grass, cow parsley, Yorkshire fog and<br />
creeping buttercup. The boom of these 'nitrogen guzzlers' is<br />
crowding out wild flowers that had found a haven on our<br />
road verges, including some of our rarest and most threatened<br />
species such as fen ragwort and wood calamint which<br />
are now clinging on at a handful of verges, their last<br />
remaining habitat. Victims of the changing verge include<br />
BRIAN HENDERSON<br />
STAR BUY<br />
2015 Citroen DS 3 1.6 D-Style, Grey/Black Roof<br />
22,000 miles, Zero Road Tax.......................£8,995<br />
2014 (64) BMW 320D M Sport, Black, Black Leather, 80,000 miles, SatNav,<br />
£20 Tax...................................................................................................£12,995<br />
2014 (14) Vauxhall Zafira 1.8 Exclusive, 7 Seater, White, 38,000 miles...............£6,995<br />
2013 (63) Vauxhall Zafira 1.6 Exclusive, 7 Seater, Black, 38,000 miles...............£6,495<br />
2013 Ford Fiesta 1.6 TDCi Zetec S, 3Dr Hatch, 38,000 miles, Zero Road Tax,<br />
1 Owner......................................................................................................£8,495<br />
2011 (61) Audi S3 Quattro 2.0 T Technology, Sprint Blue, Black/Cream Leather<br />
6spd, Heated Seats, Sat Nav. 52,000mls.................................................£POA<br />
2010 (60) Vauxhall Insigna 2.0 CDTi SRi, Star Silver, 6spd, 80K, 5Dr Hatch.......£3,995<br />
2010 Ford Ka 1.25 Zetec, Black, Alloys, 55K, Rear Spoiler...................................£3,995<br />
2009 (59) Vauxhall Astra 1.6 SXi, Grey Met, 39K..................................................£3,995<br />
2009 Jeep Patriot Ltd 2.0 CRD, Black, Black Leather, 6spd, 73,000mls,<br />
1 Owner............................................................................................................£POA<br />
2008 Kia Sorento 2.5 Turbo Diesel XE, Black, Alloy Upgrade, 70,000 miles,<br />
Side Step........................................................................................................£4,995<br />
2008 Alfa Romeo 159Ti JTD, Grey Met, Black Leather, 105,000mls.....................£3,495<br />
2007 (57) Volvo XC70 SE Lux DS AWD, Auto, Gold, Black Leather, 120,000mls...£POA<br />
2007 Vauxhall Astra 1.6 SXi Estate, Star Silver, Only 34,000mls.........................£3,495<br />
VANS<br />
2017 VW Caddy Van 2.0 TDi Highline, White, 1 Owner, Only 9K,<br />
Factory Rear Seat Conversion...........................................................£13,995 + VAT<br />
2015 Citroen Berlingo 1.6 HDi Enterprise, Silver, 3 Seater, 70K..................£6495+VAT<br />
2009 Ford Transit 350 MWB, White, 1 Owner, 53K.................................................£POA<br />
FINANCE AVAILABLE<br />
St Fergus, Peterhead<br />
Tel: 01779 838213 * Mob: 07715 176650<br />
wild flowers like tufted vetch, bugle, tormentil, red clover, lady's bedstraw, white campion and greater knapweed. Air<br />
pollution combined with decades of poor management has seen the floral richness of our verges decline by nearly 20%.<br />
Wanted!!! Dead or alive<br />
All types of 4x4s<br />
Land Rovers - Isuzu’s - Toyota’s - Ford’s - Nissan’s - etc<br />
all types of small commercial vehicles & motorhomes,<br />
any make, any year, company or farm used<br />
runner or none runner<br />
No mot or high mileage, anything considered<br />
vehicles will be collected anywhere in Scotland<br />
£££ cash payment £££ instant decision<br />
Contact me with what you have give me a call 07555 941745<br />
Stewartcommercials@gmail.com
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