Let’s Get Buzzing

Community, Local Gov't • Bath and North East Somerset

Let's Get Buzzing is part of Bath & North East Somerset Council's mission to support healthy and diverse populations of pollinators to benefit the people, economy and environment.

  • Wildflower planting in Widcombe

Bath and North East Somerset Council's story

There are over 1,500 species of insect pollinators in the UK, including bumble bees, honey bees, solitary bees, hoverflies, wasps, flies, beetles, butterflies and moths. They play a vital role in the pollination of agricultural crops and wild flowers.

Bath and North East Somerset's 'Let's Get Buzzing' Action Plan sets out the Council's vision, aims and actions for pollinators around Bath and the broader Bath & NE Somerset area.

The council maintains approximately 260 hectares of grassed areas including parks, open spaces, playing fields, golf courses, residential verges and roadside verges. We have reduced the cutting frequency of approx. 42 hectares of grass to improve habitats for wildlife and create wildflower meadow areas in parks to increase biodiversity and provide better access to wildlife for the residents of B&NES.

The council will continue to provide areas of short grass in parks and playing fields to ensure that there are still plenty of spaces for ball games and picnics and we will continue to ensure that grass is kept short close to pavements and along sight lines on roads.

'Let's Get Buzzing' has also seen a call for residents to help increase biodiversity by creating new wildflower meadows and planted green spaces in their neighbourhoods.

The Neighbourhood Nature Area project aims to add extra interest and ecological value to small areas of land currently managed by the council. Residents can request to improve an area for their neighbourhood by entering into a simple, free, licence agreement.

In Bath, residents will be invited to help create a new meadow in front of the Royal Crescent in Royal Victoria Park and at Brickfields and Alice Park in Bath. Ward councillors in Twerton will also be leading volunteers to help plant spring bulbs on road verges across Twerton and Whiteway.

Useful learnings from Bath and North East Somerset Council

We are taking steps to improve habitats for pollinators on Council-owned land through changes to grass cutting and planting plans.

We are also working with local communities to encourage biodiversity.

Bath and North East Somerset Council's metrics

Making at least 30% of Council owned parks and green spaces better for wildlife by 2030

Feeling inspired? Discover more about this story...

Positive Impacts

Thriving Wildlife

Response to climate crisis

Adaptation

Reach

Area

Organisation

Community, Local Gov't, 250 to 10,000 people

Shared by

South West Net Zero Hub

Updated Feb, 2024

Recommended for you

  • Tree Musketeers
    Hackney

    Tree Musketeers

    Growing, planting and caring for trees in Hackney.

    Nature
  • Plant One
    Cornwall

    Plant One

    Helping to restore the Celtic rainforest by planting more woodland habitats in Cornwall.

    Nature
  • Ealing Wildlife Group: Beaver Project
    Ealing

    Ealing Wildlife Group: Beaver Project

    Bringing beavers back to London, to learn how to live alongside them in urban areas.

    Nature
  • High Hirst Woodmeadow Project
    Calderdale

    High Hirst Woodmeadow Project

    Boosting biodiversity, reducing flood risks and capturing carbon with the creation of a woodmeadow.

    Nature