Councillor Martin Smart is overseeing the creation of two native wildflower meadow areas on Parker's Piece in central Cambridge.
The project is a partnership between Cambridge City Council and King's College Cambridge. Heavy horses are being used for traditional ground preparation and to move 30 bales of green hay through the city centre.
The hay comes from the established meadow outside King's College Chapel and will supplement the same local wildflower seed mixture at Parker's Piece.
The King's meadow stayed green during this year's heat and drought and supported pollinating insects, orchids and native flowers. The council hopes the new areas will develop similar ecological value.
Smart, Cambridge's Labour cabinet member for nature, open space and city services, said the work formed part of the council's biodiversity strategy to reverse species decline and strengthen ecological resilience.
Cambridge City Council is under no overall control following the May elections. The meadow project is a defined local intervention rather than a citywide funding announcement.
