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November 2024 Special Feature Professional Groundscare
Councils invited to shape new initiative to improve access to parks Nature Towns & Cities, a new initiative set up by The National Trust, The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Natural England aims to help Councils and communities tackle this by bringing nature and green space into their urban communities and places. The three organisations are also working closely with NatureScot, Natural Resources Wales and Northern Ireland Environment Agency to take the initiative UK-wide.
A new initiative will enable at least 100 towns and cities across the UK to become better places to live and work, by putting nature and green spaces at the heart of their plans and priorities. The initiative is starting in ‘beta phase’ to enable Councils,
communities, partners and funders to shape it together. It aims to attract further investment and support for greener and fairer urban communities, improving people’s health and wellbeing, creating better connected and more climateresilient neighbourhoods.
It will focus on those currently lacking nature and access to parks and open green space. Pressure on budgets and competition for urban space has meant that nature, historic parks and green spaces have been neglected or lost from many neighbourhoods over the last few decades.
Local authorities and their partners, including community and other civic organisations, are invited to apply for capacity-building grants as part of the initiative. From early next year there will also be the opportunity to join a peer network to share learning and practical solutions and take advantage of schemes to attract new investment. Nature Towns & Cities builds on the legacy of the Future Parks Accelerator, a previous
partnership between The National Lottery Heritage Fund and the National Trust, as well as closely aligning with Natural England’s Green Infrastructure Framework and standards. Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, says: “We are delighted to be part of this partnership initiative to ensure nature is championed across our urban environments and across the UK. It fits with our ambitions to increase our support for strategic projects that help habitats and species thrive, reducing and mitigating the impacts of climate change, while helping people and communities connect to our unique natural heritage and supports our vision for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future.” National Lottery Heritage Fund Enquiry 1
Husqvarna reveals AI-ready platform of robotic mowers Husqvarna has unveiled its latest innovation: a new platform of autonomous robotic lawnmowers designed for commercial use. The AI-ready platform includes two new robotic mowers launching in the UK – the Automower 580L EPOS and Automower 560 EPOS, which are set to disrupt turf care in sports fields, golf courses and other commercial areas. Designed with a focus on performance, power and efficiency, the duo offer advanced autonomous capabilities, including wirefree mowing and selectable cutting patterns. The two new mowers, which will be available from March
2025, will enable businesses to effortlessly maintain their turf care whilst saving time, cuttings costs and enhance turf quality. The platform expands Husqvarna’s portfolio of autonomous solutions, aligning with its vision of advancing the future of landscaping through smart technology and ensuring that commercial users have access to state-of-the-art solutions that drive productivity and deliver superior results. “The demand for reliable commercial autonomous turf care solutions continues to rise. With the new products we can now address more customer needs and develop a new market segment for commercial robotic lawn mowers, building on the success from Husqvarna CEORA,” said
Glen Instone, President Forest & Garden at Husqvarna.
Product News An industry round-up including new launches & case studies Pages 6-9
Hard & Soft Landscaping The latest news & products from the urban environment Pages 10-11
“Husqvarna is taking this opportunity to redefine the segment, drawing on our unrivalled expertise in robotics and innovation to deliver cutting-edge solutions for professional landscapers. We’re ready to lead the charge.” The new platform is engineered to be future-proof, with the capability to incorporate new features as they become available. After launch, it will offer benefits like compatibility with a new solar panel charger for remote sites, tailored to work seamlessly with the platform. Husqvarna Enquiry 2
Grass Seeds & Wildflowers New products to create the perfect surface & colourful displays Page 12
MT503 SALTEX SHOW SPECIAL Save up to £2,400 on a First-Year Maintenance Kit!
Between October 30, 2024 and October 25, 2025, receive a free air filter and cutting unit kit with the purchase of an MT503. Coupon must have valid redemption code. Duplicates will not be accepted. Please see your distributor for more details.
READER ENQUIRY 3