A north-east council could save £360,000 by transforming lawns into wild meadows.
Aberdeenshire Council needs to slash £26million from its annual budget and is currently consulting residents on proposals such as reducing bin collections and cutting road maintenance.
In a more unusual suggestion, the authority could also save cash by allowing grass areas to grow into wild meadows.
Instead of cutting lawns up to 14 times a year, many community spaces would be replanted with wild flowers and trees. It would not affect playgrounds or pitches.
The possibility has been welcomed by environmentalists and tax campaigners alike.
Last night Eben Wilson, director of Taxpayer Scotland, said budget pressures can lead to positive “innovation”.
“This is an example of the fact that our councils do everything – they are mega-conglomerates,” he said. “We need a big debate about what our council’s do.
“Innovation like this can lead to change.”
Helen King, from the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, said the move would bring environmental benefits to pollinators such as bees and butterflies.
She said: “In the last 80 years, an astonishing 97% of our wildflower habitat has disappeared from the countryside, leaving the bumblebees with little to feed upon and is strongly correlated with range declines in bumblebees.”
It is estimated the pollinating insects are worth around £600million to the UK economy thanks to the effect they have on fruit and crop production.
“Turning grass areas into wildflower meadows is beneficial to help bumblebees thrive and for them to provide the vital pollination services we need,” she added.
Aberdeenshire’s official pollinator champion, Councillor Peter Argyle echoed those comments. He said: “The idea is we don’t need every blade of grass cut within an inch of its life in every area managed by the council.
“This encourages bio-diversity, pollination and wildlife of all kinds.”
And Green councillor Martin Ford added that the council must make “significant” savings and this policy will have little impact on “most” residents.
“It will affect appearance and some people will complain it looks untidy – but are alternative cuts more palatable?” he asked.
Aberdeenshire Council’s budget consultation is open to the public via the authority’s website.