Habitat Management at Cheltenham Substation
Many of Electricity Distribution's primary substations contain large swathes of mown grass, and in 2024/25 we selected our Cheltenham substation for a habitat management pilot project.
Working with our maintenance contractor Hortech (now Nurture Landscapes) and Evidence Nature, an ecological consultant, the project trialled different grassland management techniques and aimed to quantify any changes in biodiversity at the site. Insect and pollinator populations were surveyed by the ecologist, and any changes tracked over time alongside the changes in vegetation, giving a clear indication of the benefits of each habitat type.
These studies have shaped our thinking about how we can move away from a traditional grounds maintenance approach to include principles of habitat management. Evidence Nature also conducted biodiversity training for grounds maintenance contractors who work on the site, helping to further their understanding of the initiative. The hope is to use the contractors' working knowledge to identify further sites where the same biodiversity management techniques can be applied.
We are now working with our grounds maintenance and vegetation management contractors to modify existing cutting regimes at Cheltenham, reducing the frequency and intensity of grass cutting. The aim is to allow for the seeding of wildflowers for pollinating insects and the development of scrub for birds.
Building on the success of this initiative, 17 additional sites were surveyed in summer 2025 to baseline their habitat type and quality. The results of these surveys will be used to develop habitat management plans to guide our approach to vegetation maintenance on these sites.