Tag: plants

NE North America | About 94% of wild bee and native plant species networks lost

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A recent report from Toronto’s York University titled “Wild bee declines linked to plant-pollinator network changes and plant species introductions” was published in the journal Insect Conservation and Diversity last month. This report was perfectly summarised by EurekaAlert! under the heading “About 94 per cent of wild bee and native plant species networks lost, York study finds”. Their opening sentence is seriously concerning, given all that we now understand about the importance of pollinators and insects in general.

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Plantlife | Road verges: a silver lining?

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“In these challenging times, wild flowers on our verges and waysides are an uplifting sight, contributing significantly to our wellbeing. It’s been wonderful to see on social media many photos of botanical gems that people have spotted whilst out for their daily exercise; there is some solace to be found in nature. Roads have fallen quiet as lockdown is observed, as has the drone of many councils’ mowers. Councils are under considerable pressure due to the Coronavirus crisis and many have understandably reduced grass cutting down to essential management to maintain visibility and ensure road safety.” Plantlife press-release

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Podcast: Kate Bradbury | Minister of Urban Spaces One Year On

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Kate Bradbury is an author, campaigner, and gardener. She is passionate about organic, wildlife-friendly gardening and brilliantly detailed her struggle to bring lfe back to a ‘decked, barren backyard’ in ‘The Bumblebee Flies Anyway’. She works tirelessly to inspire others to create better habitats for wildlife in their own gardens and outside spaces, and was the perfect choice to take on the role as Minister for Urban Spaces.

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Podcast: Road Verges Campaign | Dr Trevor Dines, Plantlife Botanical Specialist

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Most of us are aware now that biodiversity is in decline. Plant biodiversity here in the UK has especially suffered: wildflowers have been lost from huge areas of Britain, and so have the pollinators and other invertebrates that depend on them. Conservationists are having to look to protect what’s left of our wildlife in areas that may not be optimal, but that nevertheless holds a surprisingly important range of flora and fauna. Along with our gardens, one of those areas is our rural road verges, those largely county council-owned strips of land next to our roads which, according to the UK charity Plantlife, make up a network that is equal to half of the country’s remaining flower-rich grasslands and meadows.

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