16 March 2022
Pesticide-Free Cambridge gave an update to the Friends of St Matthew's Piece regarding the City Council's Herbicide Reduction Plan and the herbicide-free street adoption scheme. It was only possible to give a broad picture as the details of the adoption scheme have not been announced, nor has Pesticide-Free Cambridge been invited on the Herbicide-Free working group (see our Facebook post here for further details). The Friends of St. Matthew's Piece, however, have already pledged their support for a Herbicide-Free Petersfield (the ward in which St Matthews Piece falls) and wholeheartedly back Pesticide-Free Cambridge's campaign, having passed a motion to that effect at a previous meeting.
The Friends group is actively working to boost biodiversity in the park, working with On the Verge Cambridge and the City Council's Biodiversity Lead. Also present at the meeting was a representative of Community Action for Nature, with whom On the Verge Cambridge helped establish a St Matthew's Street Biodiversity Action Plan. Despite having the smallest amount of green space per capita of all Cambridge's wards, Petersfield residents are clearly passionate about where they live. It is very possible that, when the details emerge, several streets in Petersfield put themselves forward for herbicide-free adoption.
