Broxbourne Council has launched an initiative to support butterflies, bees and other pollinators across the Borough.
There are 100 packets of flower seeds available to residents, which have been selected by the Council to support pollinators in local gardens. The first 100 households in the Borough to email the Council will receive the seeds for free.
The UK has pollinators to thank for a third of everything eaten. Not only do they pollinate food crops, but they are also vital for the survival of other wild plants that support wildlife.[1]
In recent decades, three bumblebee species have become extinct. The European Red List for Bees reports that almost one in ten species of wild bee faces extinction, and over the past 50 years, half the bee, butterfly and moth species studied in the 2013 State of Nature Report have declined.[2]
Meanwhile in the East of England, out of 228 bee species recorded, 73 species are threatened, regionally extinct, or are of conservation concern.[3]
There are simple steps that can be taken to support pollinators in the Borough.
- Choose nectar-rich flowers, including sunflowers, lavender, catmint, asters, heathers and wallflowers
- Stop using pesticides as they can harm pollinators and other beneficial vertebrates
- Leave grass to grow longer and when you do remove cuttings to let plants flower
- Build a bee hotel to provide a nest for solitary bees, which are the most commonly found bee. To find out how, go to www.wildlifetrusts.org/actions/how-make-bee-hotel.
Residents should email communications@broxbourne.gov.uk with the subject Seed Giveaway. You must provide your full name and address. The giveaway is only open to residents of the Borough of Broxbourne.