• Most of the current short-grass lawn (about 95%) will be planted with trees and pollinator habitat.

• A short-grass path and play area will stay in place, so the lawn remains walkable and usable for everyday activities.

• Very quickly, the mowing and maintenance costs currently carried by residents will significantly come down.

• The redesigned space will include a small community orchard, log-pile habitats, bug hotels, and a polllinator demonstration areas.

• An outdoor classroom area will support learning visits from local schools.

 The proposal creates a mosaic of habitats featuring mini forests, an urban orchard, pollinator-friendly flowering ground covers, log pile habitats, areas of exposed soil for ground-nesting bees, bee posts, and bug hotels. These are complemented by a roadside hedgerow barrier, a connected short-grass access path, an annual summer meadow, rotational meadows on a four-year cut cycle, short-flowering edge zones maintained on a six-week cycle, and a resident-managed short-flowering lawn, together with a short-grass play area. Leaf mould cages, grass composting areas, and an outdoor classroom for community learning further support the site.

Short-grass lawns need frequent cutting, offer little for wildlife, and cost residents money to maintain. This project reshapes the space to cut long-term maintenance, support pollinators and birds, and give the estate a green amenity that needs less upkeep — while keeping room to walk, play, and gather.

Design and funding are now approved. The next steps are detailed scheduling and a call for volunteers, ahead of on-site works beginning.

Status: Brief ✔  Concept Design ✔  Community Support ✔  Feasibility, Design & Costing ✔  Grant Funding ✔  →  Detail Design & Scheduling  →  Community Call To Action  →  On-Site Works

This page is part of the wider proposed Biodiversity Park for Johnstown. For the full technical brief, partner organisations, and project background, see the Biodiversity Park overview page.