The problem - Can you help us to save the sound of summer?
Bumblebees are the iconic sound of summer and an essential part of our natural world. Along with other pollinators, they are responsible for 90% of wildflower pollination and 66% of crop pollination. However, in the last century we have lost at least 97% of our wildflower habitat and those remaining are under threat from inappropriate management and neglect, resulting in fewer flowers. With their habitat rapidly disappearing, bumblebees are at severe risk of extinction.
The Solution - Bee Connected
Dr Nikki Gammans, South East Project Manager, who leads the project together with the Project Officer, Trainee and 90 very supportive volunteers said “The South Kent and East Sussex Coast is a key priority area for bumblebees because it is home to four of our rarest bumblebees: the Ruderal bumblebee, Moss carder bee, Brown-banded carder bee and Red-shanked carder bee.
We have been working in the area for years to lay a solid foundation of bumblebee awareness and to forge connections with landowners and farmers. We are now focused on actively increasing the amount of habitat available for both rare and common bumblebees around the Dungeness Peninsula through our project ‘Bee Connected’.”
This three-year landscape scale project now in its third year is focused on three key goals and your funding will help deliver the following:
Goal 1 - Surveying and monitoring bumblebees - £25,000
The Trust needs to know how bumblebees are doing, without this we can’t tell if what we are doing works. To do this we recruit and train volunteers to identify bumblebees correctly and then record the abundance and distribution of bumblebees through our national citizen science monitoring programme, BeeWalk.
Goal 2 - Advice & support to landowners - £25,000
The Trust owns no land, so we work together with others; land owners, farmers and the general public to raise awareness of what pollinators need to survive and thrive.
Our advice and support enable others to implement habitat management plans, creating the much need habitat for our mighty winged warriors. Volunteers also help others by sowing wildflower mixes or planting native bulbs.
Goal 3 - Traineeships - £25,000
Our year long traineeships help young people gain experience in the four main areas of the project:
- recruiting and supervising volunteers
- advising landowners on improving flower rich habitat
- creating and maintaining habitat suitable for bumblebees
- conducting outreach events
At the end of the traineeship individuals will have acquired the right tools and experience to continue into a paid conservation sector job.
Aydan, 22, former trainee said: “The paid work placement available is a god send! The placement will allow me to get practical experience after finishing my degree in habitat management, public outreach events, and bumblebee and wildflower surveying.”
The numbers – what does success look like?
The project will have:
- 100 volunteers actively involved in supporting the work on the ground.
- 100 active BeeWalk transects set up and records entered onto our national monitoring programme.
- Over 200 landowners and farmers actively involved in the project.
- 1500ha of habitat improved for bumblebees.
- 3 trainees secure employment in the environmental / conservation sector.
Over time;
- the distribution and abundance of all bumblebees, especially the four rare species: Ruderal, Moss carder bee, Brown-banded carder bee and Red-shanked carder bee, in the area will be understood.
- there will be strong evidence that their numbers will be increasing and their range expanding.
Together, let's make a difference for our wonderful furry winged warriors and thank you for looking.