It is well known that pollinators are in significant decline. Buglife, the Invertebrate Conservation Trust aims to help combat this with the national Urban Buzz project. Recently launched in Bristol the project will inject colour and wildlife back into the Greater Bristol area, transforming mown and unused urban spaces into vibrant areas, buzzing with life!
The Urban Buzz project is funded by The Biffa Award, Bunzl, Garfield Weston Foundation and supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.
100 sites across Greater Bristol will be made more pollinator friendly with the support of Bristol City Council, Friends-Of groups and a huge team of volunteers. At Netham Park volunteers have planted Cowslips, providing an early source of nectar for bees and butterflies. At Eastville Park, the ambitious task of planting 15,000 Crocus bulbs is underway, and in the northeast of the city meadows have been sown with native wildflowers. The project is transforming urban spaces into wildlife friendly hotspots in many different ways, for example, planting wildflowers and trees for bees, creating floral lawns and meadows and installing bee hotels. Project Officer, Hayley Herridge says “there are many different ways we can help pollinators in urban spaces, even if it is simply planting one lavender plant. Pollinators need our help, and it’s time to take action.”
The Urban Buzz project addresses the serious declines in Britain’s pollinators over the last 70 years. Pollinators are vitally important for the health of our ecosystem, and pollinate many of the foods we eat. Urban spaces can provide a safe haven for our flying friends, but there is a real opportunity to make more pollinator friendly spaces and better ones too. Potential ‘buzzing hotspots’ are identified, assessed and then enhanced to increase the forage seasonality and nesting habitats required to support pollinator life cycles. This will help increase invertebrate populations, habitat connectivity across Bristol and enhance the cities overall green infrastructure. Making happier pollinators and happier people!
Urban Buzz Bristol is looking for more sites to transform. Community groups, organisations or individuals are invited to get in touch if they have a potential site or would like more information. Please contact Hayley .
