Please stop cutting down our blackberry bushes! Of course there’s no harm in trimming them to keep them neat and tidy but to remove them completely is both harmful and unnecessary. There are many benefits of blackberry bushes such as: food for wildlife like birds and a shelter for wildlife such as hedgehogs, foxes, raccoons, robins and many others. They also allow us to go blackberry picking which is a fun outdoor activity for children and encourages them to stay active and eat fresh fruit. Just as trees help to filter the air, bushes also contribute to improving air quality by trapping harmful pollutants such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and ozone in their leaves. This process is very important as air pollution can contribute to various respiratory issues in humans. Along with keeping the air clean and breathable, these plants absorb greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, which helps to mitigate the effects of climate change.  Another important factor of blackberry bushes (and plants in general) is trying to keep as much nature as possible because current lifestyles have led to a separation between residential homes and green environments, which means that access to green space is becoming more challenging. A lack of access to green space is thought to make people more vulnerable to the negative effects of stressful life events. Blackberry bushes can help re-connect those spaces to help combat this effect.

Overall, blackberry bushes benefit everyone and everything from physical well-being and mental well-being of both humans and wildlife.