Curo: Space for Nature winner (Business), Bee Bold Awards

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I'm Carl McMurtry.

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I am the Estates Director for Curo Housing Group.

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And part of that role is to look after

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all of our grounds maintenance and outdoor services,

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which includes the rewilding of the estate.

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We're changing our grounds maintenance strategy

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in that we started off with No-Mow May in 2021,

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which is only for a month. Now

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we're doing Do Nothing for Nature for a whole season,

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which allows all your flowers to drop seeds

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and you do a cut and collect,

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at the end of the season so you’re rewilding all year round.

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I’m a massive fan of

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David Attenborough

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And my passion is to rewild

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and working from a big housing provider,

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I think we have a duty of care

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to reduce our carbon footprint by rewilding and

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let nature do its thing

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You can inform people

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the benefits of why you’re rewilding

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and what that does for the environment.

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You're pretty much pushing at an open door

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environments are psychologically informed

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So the more green outdoor spaces

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that people have, the better

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their mental health

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and we're all about giving the land back to the people.

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So we're seeing more and more engagement

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from our certainly our younger customers.

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We have an appetite to rewild

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do it collectively,

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do it collaboratively,

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but make sure you communicate while you're doing it

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and what it’s for.

What they did

Curo owns and manages 650,000 m² of grass across its estates, and first rolled out 'No Mow May' across some areas in 2021. In 2022 it took this a step further by taking part in 'Nothing for Nature' across 30 Curo sites which involves just one 'cut and collect' of the grass each year in September, leaving these areas to rewild beyond May. Curo are using outdoor signage in all areas where they have reduced mowing to explain why the areas were being left for nature.

Curo also has a partnership with More Trees B&NES (a not-for-profit community group) and has planted 900 trees across their estates in 2022, including two community nurseries with residents and a community orchard.

Curo has also redesigned its grounds maintenance contracts so that they can boost biodiversity wherever possible. Steep banks and areas of rough ground are now being left to grow, creating habitats and food sources for pollinators.

The impact for Curo estates and beyond

The changes to the management of the Curo estates has meant that local residents benefit from having access to nature-friendly green spaces, which in turn has wider health and well-being benefits.

Educating and working with stakeholders and communities including local residents and councillors has been key to the success of the changes in the grassland management across the Curo estates and now community groups and younger housing customers are wanting to get involved with the rewilding and 'greening' of the estates.

Gavin Heathcote, Chairman of the Peasedown Community Trust and Cllr Karen Walker, Peasedown St John, said: “It’s been fantastic to work with Curo on the creation of the new Community Orchard in Peasedown St John. The space has become popular with residents and so many often tell us how beautiful it looks. Trees are one of the best solutions to our climate emergency. They improve poor air quality, alleviate the risk of flooding, lock up carbon, boost our wellbeing – making us feel healthier and happier – and create habitats for wildlife.”

The impact for pollinators

The removal of grass cutting each year reduces the nutrient levels in the soil which , in turn, allows other native wild plants such as pyramid orchids to grow. This all helps to improve the habitats for our foraging pollinators.

Videos created by Eight Creative Agency (eight.org.uk | @createwitheight)