Projects are taking place across Highland Perthshire and Scotland to help tackle biodiversity loss and support the pollinator insects.
According to The Pollinator Strategy 2022 Progress Report, a number of environmental bodies, local authorities, scientific colleagues, and community groups have been working hard to create wildflower meadows, connect habitats, and gather evidence on how climate change is affecting pollinators. These projects all aim to help halt biodiversity loss by the year 2030 and restore nature by 2045.
Nature Pollinator Strategy Manager, Jim Jefferey, said: “Collaboration lies at the heart of the Pollinator Strategy for Scotland. We are fortunate that across Scotland a range of inspirational partners continue to help achieve a better environment for pollinators.
“Projects such as the ambitious Irvine to Girvan Nectar Network and Glasgow Pollinator Plan show an increasing emphasis on creating and managing habitat for pollinators. This year our annual pollinator conference will focus on monitoring, drawing on the expertise of speakers from across the UK and beyond, and our hope is that this will encourage even more people to engage in work to help pollinators under Scotland’s Pollinator Strategy.”
This is the fifth Progress Report which contains details of the progress made by projects that are helping to deliver The Pollinator Strategy for Scotland.
One such project is the Irvine to Girvan Nectar Network which is establishing a Scottish Wildlife Trust-led Partnership. The project aims to build connected habitat networks and increase the resilience of local pollinator populations. So far the project has seen the creation of 12 new pollinator-friendly meadows in places such as Eglinton Park, areas near Royal Troon Golf Club, and two hectares of public greenspace. The project has also seen other projects launched including the trials of green hay being used to create large meadows. All the meadows created have managers who are committed to care for the fields in the future.
The Pollinators Along the Tweed project has set an ambitious target for itself to create, restore, and enhance up to 40 hectares of habitat across 50 sites within the next five years. The project is led by a group of funders including Nature Scot.
Sterling Council are also doing their bit to restore biodiversity. Following similar aims by councils in Aberdeen, Falkirk and Glasgow, Stirling have set a target of managing 50% of their open space for biodiversity.
For tips on what you can do to help support pollinators at home, visit https://www.nature.scot/make-space-nature-spring and follow https://scottishpollinators.wordpress.com/ for updates on projects taking place across the country.
To read the full report, visit https://www.nature.scot/doc/pollinator-strategy-2022-progress-report