Mowing at some of Wellington's parks and reserves is being cut back after a 'low mow' trial found huge benefits for biodiversity.
Twelve sites around the capital were left largely unmown since August last year.
Wellington City Council's mowing team manager Mark Manning said it's turned out to be a win for the public, his staff, and flora and fauna.
Low mow sites had about double the plant species - an average of 21.8, compared to 11.3 on regularly mown sites.
Bugs were also more abundant, with 5.5 invertebrates on low mow sites, but just 1.2 on sites mowers frequent.
Bird life was about the same, but the ground absorbed rainwater twice as quickly.
"For Wellington and its topography, it's probably a bit of a win to have areas like this that can soak up that moisture," said Manning.
Wellington City Council's mowing team manager Mark Manning. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Of the twelve trial sites, nine across Aro Valley, Brooklyn, Paparangi, Tawa, Churton Park, Berhampore and Johnsonville would now be permanently 'low mow'.
They were areas less frequented by the public - like a sloping, noisy roadside section of Central Park in Brooklyn, which was not the best place for a picnic or kicking a ball around.
That meant Manning's team was freed up to focus on more popular areas, like the playground just up the road.
"You can clearly see, flat, usable space, tamariki are playing, parents are having their coffee, this can't get long, it should always be mowed."
Nine sites less frequented by the public would now be permanently 'low mow'. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Low mow sites would still be trimmed once a year, in midsummer.
"It's actually a good idea to mow them fully once a year because it promotes them to regrow and re-flower, which is obviously great for the bees," said Manning.
"But also we do take seriously fire risk, so in the middle of summer and previous summers, we have had areas where it's got quite dry. For that reason, we'll always give them a full cut once a year."
The team of nine would be kept busy, with 525 sites to stay on top of throughout the city.
One of that crew, Pesamino Ulugia - who was mowing a path through the longer grass in Central Park, so tamariki could still run through it - said his favourite part of the job was keeping the community happy.
"If they happy, we happy," he said.
Pesamino Ulugia mows a path through longer grass in Central Park. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Manning said there had been some complaints about the slightly rough appearance of the sites, but when people learned the reason behind it, they were supportive of the new low mow look.
In Aro Valley, locals told RNZ they were supportive of the low mow site on Aro Street opposite Holloway Road.
"I think it's probably a great option in the name of biodiversity," one woman said.
Others said the area wasn't used much, and longer grass with daisies and buttercups poking through looked more interesting than a plain mown patch.
"I'm all for more flowers around that I can look at while walking to university," a student said.
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