A conservation body has praised the enthusiasm of East of England landowners involved in a project to support habitats for pollinating insects which has scooped a prestigious award.
The B-Lines network, co-ordinated by Buglife, has won the prestigious European Landowners Association’s Bee Award. The award recognises the work of the B-Lines programme in encouraging farmers and other land managers to make changes to their land management to provide habitats for insect pollinators.
The East of England supports a number of areas of national importance for pollinators, including the Brecks, the Thames Estuary, the Broads and the coasts of Norfolk and Suffolk, which are home to a number of bee species and other pollinators which are under pressure due to urban expansion and agriculture.
The B-Lines project aims to expand and re-connect wildflower-rich sites to help declining pollinators to move across the landscape.
Matt Shardlow, chief executive of Buglife, said: “The recognition of the B-Lines network through this European Award highlights the enthusiasm landowners have for conserving bees and other pollinators and we hope it will encourage authorities and conservationists to develop and implement the frameworks and financial support that will facilitate the restoration of our declining pollinators.”
B-Lines manager Paul Evans added: “We are really grateful to the large number of individuals and organisations who have already come forward to help develop the B-Lines network. This award is for everyone who has been involved.”
Buglife continues to be on the look-out for new partners to join the ambitious project, which is still in its early stages.
Significant amounts of wildflower-rich habitats have already been restored and created by individual farmers and larger wildlife organisations, said Buglife.
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