The three wildflower planting areas can be found outside Customs House, on the Eastern Perimeter Road opposite the British Airways Maintenance Base and opposite Aviation House on the Southern Perimeter Road.
The seeded areas should bloom from June to Dec providing an alternation in colour through the year and offer a natural colourful display to welcome passengers to Heathrow that is less expensive than traditional formal planting.
The trial has been designed with advice from Heathrow’s bird risk advisors to ensure the planting also makes a positive contribution to reducing bird strike risk.
The airport manages 13 different conservation sites which cover an area of approximately 170 hectares around the perimeter of the Heathrow.
These conservation sites are carefully managed by Heathrow to promote biodiversity whilst reducing the risk of bird species that present a risk to aircraft safety. They are home to rare bats, moths, grass snakes, spiders, stag beetles, butterflies as well as three orchid species, many of which are protected or endangered.
This trial is the first time that steps have been taken to introduce elements of biodiversity into the formal landscaped areas of the airport where it is appropriate to do so.
Heathrow’s conservation efforts have been rewarded by the Wildlife Trusts who have presented Heathrow with the Biodiversity Benchmark award for the last 6years in recognition of our biodiversity efforts. The strong partnerships Heathrow maintains with local authorities, conservation and environmental groups helps to link our conservation efforts with those beyond to support the ecology of west London more widely.
This contributes to Responsible Heathrow 2020, our commitments to doing business responsibly by maximising the positive impacts of Heathrow whilst reducing the negative impacts.
The trial will be evaluated at the end of the year so let us know what you think by emailing your comments to sustainability@heathrow.com
