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Scythe the Meadows
English Heritage recruited volunteers to replace lawnmowers with traditional scythes at historic sites in Somerset. The deliberately old-fashioned approach protects endangered ground-nesting bees, encourages wildflowers and gives a striking human angle to an otherwise routine conservation project.
Why it worked: It flipped a modern default—lawnmowers—by proving scythes measurably spare rare ground-nesting bees, bundling data, nostalgia, and vivid visuals.
The lesson: Consider pitching a counter-technology swap: replace a ubiquitous machine with a low-tech method, then document quantifiable gains and human stories.
Coverage over time
How this story spread across the media
| Publication | Headline | Date |
|---|---|---|
| cbs19news.com | Can ancient scything save a rare bumblebee? | | cbs19news.com | Thursday 17th September, 2026 |
| smithsonianmag.com | A Cutting-Edge English Initiative Replaces Lawnmowers With Scythes to Restore Wildflowers and Save the Bees | Monday 21st September, 2026 |
| smithsonianmag.com | A Cutting-Edge English Initiative Replaces Lawnmowers With Scythes to Restore Wildflowers and Save the Bees | Monday 21st September, 2026 |