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
