POLLINATORS
Pollination • Pollination = fertilization of plant
• 2/3rds of plants are zoophilous – depend on pollinators
Our pollinators – a huge diversity
Bees, butterflies, moths, beetles, wasps, flies - you might be surprised at how many species are involved – at least 4,000 species in Britain!
Why is insect pollination important? Insect pollination is essential to growing our food “One out of every 3 mouthfuls” 90% of world’s crop species In UK worth c.£600m p.a. or 13% of UK agricultural revenue . £13 billion across EU £132 billion around the world
Our National Strategies
Using Land to benefit pollinators • Local Wildlife Site Management • Reviewing parks management and opportunities to manage land for the benefit of pollinators • Reviewing amenity plantings • Changing mowing regimes on road verges etc. • Reviewing pesticide policy and looking to cease use of neonicotinoids • Providing training to staff to raise awareness of the needs of pollinators
Opportunities within public green space
emeteries
Schools Allotments
Roadsides
Raising Awareness in the community • Providing advice to local gardeners, allotment holders and community groups • Raising awareness of pollinators to local residents and businesses • Working with schools to create pollinator-friendly habitats
B-Lines – a network of wildflower-rich areas
B-Lines – a vision To create a network of B-Lines linking wildflower-rich areas across the UK from the west to the east, and from the north to the south, linking our hills to the coast, and linking our towns and urban areas to the countryside.
The B-Lines network
Roscommon Way, Canvey Island, Essex. 2006 aerial image
Roscommon Way, Canvey Island, Essex. 2006 aerial image (2018)
Roscommon Way • Dual carriageway proposed bisecting a key landscape for the Shrill carder bee (Bombus sylvarum). • Shrill carder needs an extensive landscape of flower-rich resources throughout the year until the end of September. • Proposed route cut through flower-rich habitat between the Canvey Wick SSSI and Canvey Village Marsh LoWS. • Identified as essential for growth on Canvey Island and for building of future employment areas. • Concern about fragmented populations and potential for ‘queen strikes’ and affecting Shrill carder populations. Shrill carder also has small nests so the loss of workers is potentially problematic. • Buglife involvement led to: – Funded study of the impact of the road on bumblebees- would it be a barrier to movement? – Enhanced flower-rich verges
Just a Bap
UK BAP
Roscommon Way verges in 2012
Purfleet Centre Thurrock- original 2012 masterplan
Purfleet Centre Thurrock- original 2012 masterplan •
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• •
Worked with developer as site was within B-Lines to reduce the impact of the development by increasing flower-rich resources Site supports Shrill carder bee (Bombus sylvarum), Brown-banded carder bee (Bombus humilis), Five-banded weevil wasp (Cerceris quinquefasciata), Black-headed mason wasp (Odynerus melanocephalus)… Entire plan will lead to significant loss of Open mosaic habitat on previously developed land and the loss of a number of Local Wildlife Sites Buglife worked with the developer to ensure site both maximised its potential to protect the known species and also to contribute to the B-Lines network and maintain connectivity of r invertebrates through: – Flower-rich open spaces sown with flowering seed mixes – Living roofs mimicking brownfield conditions and flower-rich – A 3ha brownfield and wildflower area near the estuary to provide an extensive area of habitat – Sympathetic landscaping for pollinators – The provision of nesting resources for solitary bees
Christy Way, Basildon
Christy Way, Basildon • An application Buglife supported! • Application site owned by water company was lacking management but had high level of interest and great potential for grassland, scrub and brownfield features • In return for developing southern portion, the northern portion was retained. • Buglife supported but tailored the mitigation plan, engaging to ensure best site practice for invertebrates around the management methodology, timings of management actions for the scarce invertebrate interest, quantum of habitat types
Planning • Its not always the financial side its often lack of guidance and management plans • Lack of wildlife friendly options from preferred suppliers • Buglife has been doing management plans and working with Roofing companies on prototypes
Urban Buzz
8 cities across the UK over 3 years
Creating flagship cities for pollinators to inspire others to follow lead
Urban Buzz Why Urban Buzz? • •
50% population live in Urban areas Contain many patches of mown grass under-used land
•
Low biodiversity value but potential for change
•
Improve areas for pollinators and people
Urban Buzz The Urban Buzz - Vision Through collaboration increase pollinator habitats Engaging with land owners and communities to sustain these wildlife havens in the long term
Urban Buzz •
100 Buzzing Hotspots per city (a UK total of 800)
•
25 hectares of pollinator habitat per city (a UK total of 200 hectares)
•
20 Flagship Buzzing Hotspots (>0.5ha) established within each city
Urban buzz Ipswich • Set up by Buglife funded by Biffa • IBC and Greenways contribution • Working in partnership with other organisations
Partnership working
Launch Event
Urban Buzz Ipswich • 70/100 sites 17/25 hectares • Mixture of parks, roadsides allotments schools and private landowners, • Mainly meadow sites -few woodland, hedgerow heathland and wetland works • A couple of formal plantings, lavender catmint etc.
Site numbers Grassland
Wetland 55
Parks
5
Roadsides
28
Woodland/hedg 12
Schools
5
Heathland
Allotments
9
4
Nature reserves
7
Nesting 10
Community
8
Other
8
10
Hectares Grassland
Wetland 12
Parks
Heathland
1
Roadsides
10
Woodland 2
Schools
2
Nesting
Allotments
1.5
2
Nature reserves
1.5
0.5
Community
2
Other
1
1
100m
50m
Hectarage explained
100m
50m
Hectarage explained
100m
50m
Hectarage explained
Habitat creation- Planning for people
Turf stripping • Turf stripping has a much higher germination rate than scarifying/overseeding • It also retains its wildflowers for longer before weeds take over • Greater bare ground allows for more annuals in second year and reduces need for cutting • Good for Warmth loving invertebrates
Year 1
Year 2
Site assessment example
Sowing
Haven power seeding an area of bare soil
Planting
Parks • Hotspots in town parks, annuals most visible in year 1
Flowering lawns
Roadsides
Formal plantings
Schools
Green roofs
Hedgerows/Woodlands • Early spring forage
Orchards Traditional Suffolk varieties
• • • •
Kiln Meadow Alderman canal Holywells Chantry
Wetland sites • Good late nectar• Ponds provide water and nesting habitat
Heathland
Management by machine
Management by hand
Costs Rytec (flail collector)
Gang mower
Reciprocating
Hand Scythes
£35.88. 1000m2
£3.10 / 1000m2
£100 per 1000m2
/…
£350 per hectare
£30 per hectare
£750 per hectare
Usually Volunteers
1 cut p/a
10-20 cut p/a
Collects iself
1 cut p/a Raking required
Will go through Saplings
Covers hire etc.
N
Depends on volunteer breakdown
Time Rytec (flail collector)
Gang mower
Reciprocting
Hand Scythes
2,000m2/hr
10,000m2/hr
1,000m2/hr
200m2/hr
(raking needed on top)
Can be done with large groups of volunteers
(collection and bailing) (Thick vegetation)
(Quick and easy usage)
High repair costs
Events
Training
Training
Monitoring
POMS- FIT Counts • Choose an area of flowers • Pick a species and Count the number of flowers present within a 50x50 cm area • Lay down a quadrat • Record number of pollinators for each category for 10 minutes
Flagship species
Other taxa
Social media
Urban Buzz video (AVIVA)
Urban Buzz Ipswich
https://vimeo.com/227758199
Summary • Pollinators are a crucial part of the ecosystem • Pollinators have very little legal protection • Bee lines maps will help to flag up Pollinator habitat on Planning applications • There is a lot of easy land-use changes that can be achieved to benefit them. • Pollinator habitat management incurs a cost but is cheaper than horticultural management. Thorough management plans are key • Native species are better for wildlife but are also cheaper and tend to require less maintenance • Good Pollinator habitat tends to be structurally diverse and good for other species.
POLLINATORS