Smithsonian Magazine · People & society

English Heritage Replaces Lawnmowers with Scythes for Bee Conservation

English Heritage is employing volunteers to use scythes for grass cutting in Somerset meadows as part of a three-year project to protect endangered wildlife.

The initiative aims to maintain meadows without disturbing the shrill carder bumblebee (Bombus sylvarum), one of the UK's rarest bee species, which nests in the ground. Traditional scything is less disruptive than mowers, which can harm the bees and their habitats.

Volunteers, trained by Exmoor National Park Authority, are using scythes at Muchelney Abbey and other English Heritage sites. This traditional skill helps create diverse, flower-rich habitats essential for pollinators.

The shrill carder bumblebee's population has declined with the loss of flower-rich grasslands. While mowing can help wildflowers grow, fast-moving mowers pose a risk to the bees.

Beyond landscaping, volunteers will conduct wildlife surveys, recording bee numbers, flower blooms, and plant-bee interactions to gather data on the ecosystem.

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