Saving the small things that run the planetImagine trying to travel around the UK without our road and rail network. Or imagine if nine out of every ten miles of road just didn’t exist – life would be impossible! That is the situation faced by our vital pollinators and other bugs. B-Lines is Buglife’s unique solution.
Not on a B-Line? You can still help pollinators! Click here for some helpful advice
Access the B-Lines Shapefile on Buglife’s GIS Data Hub.
Our bees, butterflies and hoverflies have suffered badly over the last fifty or so years, due to changes in land use as a result of modern farming methods, urban spread and new transport links. Over 97% (an area the size of Wales) of all flower-rich grasslands have been lost in England since the 1930s, (and this is mirrored in other parts of the UK) reducing pollen and nectar sources and leading to a serious decline in the wildlife depending on wildflower-rich habitat.
B-Lines are an imaginative and beautiful solution to the problem of the loss of flowers and pollinators. The B-Lines are a series of ‘insect pathways’ running through our countryside and towns, along which we are restoring and creating a series of wildflower-rich habitat stepping stones. They link existing wildlife areas together, creating a network, like a railway, that will weave across the UK landscape. This will provide large areas of brand new habitat benefiting bees and butterflies– but also a host of other wildlife.
The National Pollinator Strategy for England 2014 sets out a 10 year plan to help pollinating insects survive and thrive across England. The Action Plan for Pollinators in Wales – Scottish Pollinators Strategy set out similar plans for Wales and Scotland. These strategies outline actions to support and protect the many pollinating insects which contribute to our food production and the diversity of our environment. They also look to everyone to work together to help our pollinators.
Our B-Lines are already showing the way! We are demonstrating how a joined-up approach can help conserve our native insect pollinators. We are creating a network of flower-rich pathways – The B-Lines across our countryside, towns and cities – linking together the best of our existing wildlife areas to benefit pollinators, other wildlife and people.
B-Lines bring a range of benefits to wildlife, people and agriculture, including:
B-Lines: insect superhighways launch event
B-Lines aims to create and restore at least 150,000 hectares of flower-rich habitat across the UK.
Making this happen will take time and will need farmers, land owners, wildlife organisations, businesses, local authorities and the general public to work together to create flower-rich grassland in the best locations.
B-Lines have been mapped across England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland. Along with conservation partners, land managers, businesses and local authorities, we are helping to fill the mapped areas with restored and new wildflower-rich areas.
Further details on some of the projects can be seen on the regional and country pages.
Please add your information so we can see how the B-lines are growing by clicking on the appropriate region/country and clicking submit details.
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MembershipEvery contribution helps us to save the small things that run the planet by restoring vital habitats and rebuilding strong invertebrate populations in the UK.
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