The Urban Buzz Leicester project began back in July 2017 with funding from Biffa Award, and HLF, tasked with creating 100 sites for bees and other pollinators across the city, is now over the half way mark!
Working with Leicester City Council, the University of Leicester, Naturespot, local wildlife groups, community groups and other volunteers, Urban Buzz has now completed work at 51 sites, moving the project over half way, a fantastic milestone to reach. Key projects have included wildflower urban meadow creation at key parks such as Western Park, and Aylestone meadows. Woodland enhancements have been introduced at sites such as Spinney Hill Park, and Castle Hill Country Park is now home to a large new bee bank.
A further 45 projects have been planned and scheduled in for the autumn and winter, with October being the key time for wildflower habitat creation, and December being a good month for woodland enhancements. Future scheduled projects include work at the Attenborough Arboretum, the University of Leicester’s Brookfield Campus, and Abbey Park.
In celebration of the Urban Buzz work, Leicester City Council’s commitment to pollinators and the wider environment, the local authority’s park department has commissioned a mural, packed full of pollinators such as bumblebees, butterflies, moths and beetles, as well wildflowers and other bugs. The friends of Abbey Park group, who are also pollinator fans, helped raise money for the mural which is located at Abbey Park, close to the main entrance car park and is well worth checking out!
