Action for pollinators

Our pollinators play a vital role. They pollinate food crops and support wildlife by helping our native plants reproduce.

  • A third of the mouthfuls of food we eat rely on pollination.
  • Nearly 80% of all flowering plants are pollinated by insects.
  • There are at least 1,500 species of insect pollinators in the UK.

Unfortunately, our pollinators are under threat and so populations are in decline. That’s why we have made a Pollinator Pledge and are asking you to make one too.

What is a Pollinator Pledge?

A Pollinator Pledge is a promise to help our pollinators. This could be by making a bug hotel or by creating a wildflower meadow.

One small change can have a big impact. So, join us and make your own Pollinator Pledge.

Heath Bumblebee

Your Pollinator Pledge

Whether it’s by making space for nature or learning more about pollinators, we can all do something to help.

    Information for individuals    
Illustration of a cinnabar moth
Illustration of a red soldier beetle

Parish Pollinator Pledge

For local councils and community groups.

Local communities can pledge to help enhance their local environment and raise awareness of pollinators’ importance.

    Find out more    

Why are pollinators in decline?

There are a number of threats to pollinators.

Loss of habitat happens for many reasons, including:

  • changes in farming practice
  • building developments
  • urbanisation
  • poor quality land management
  • pollution

Over the last hundred years, Hampshire has seen a decline in chalk grassland, traditional meadows, heathland, and ancient woodland. These habitats are important for providing pollinators with sustenance, shelter, and the right conditions for breeding.

Most pesticides are toxic to insects and plants, and can affect foraging, reproduction, and population survival. Herbicides can affect insects and reduce the number of flowering plants. This means there’s less food available for native pollinators, making their survival more difficult.

Climate change has already affected plants and pollinators, as even small changes in temperature can impact their life cycles and behaviour patterns. While we don’t fully understand the impact of these changes yet, the differences in pollinators’ distribution will continue to impact plant and crop species.

Bacterial infections and parasites, especially among species that live in colonies, are causing serious problems for pollinators. Although there are government honey bee health programmes delivered by the National Bee Unit, less is known about the impact of pests and disease on the health of wild pollinator populations.

What we are doing to help

We are delivering on our Pollinator Pledge by:

Hampshire Countryside Service manages over 3,500 hectares of land. This includes 5 National Nature Reserves, 31 Local Nature Reserves, and 32 Sites of Special Scientific Interest. We manage our land so that our chalk grasslands, heathlands, wildflower meadows, coppiced woodland and wetlands provide rich environments for pollinating insects and contribute to biodiversity.

We are supporting local councils and community groups to make their own Pollinator Pledges. The Parish Pollinator Network is a group of local communities across the county who share ideas, best practice, and work together to help pollinators.

Find out more

 

Roadside verges can be flower-rich grasslands and important wildlife habitats for pollinating insects. Notable species and species rich semi-natural habitats may mean that a verge is qualified as a Road Verge of Ecological Importance (RVEI). Currently 223 verges have been identified as a RVEI. These are maintained with a specialised cutting programme to encourage biodiversity.

We are working with Forestry England and Butterfly Conservation to improve habitats for the Duke of Burgundy and the pearl-bordered fritillary butterflies in central and west Hampshire. Both butterflies have experienced sharp declines in recent years. We’re working to restore suitable habitats and improve links between existing colonies. The Duke of Burgundy is amongst the most threatened UK species.