In the last seventy years the UK has lost a staggering 97% of wildflower meadows, making them one of the UK’s most threatened habitats and putting hundreds of species of native wildflowers and plants, bees, birds and other wildlife at risk.
Between 1980 and 2013 every square kilometre of the UK lost 11 species of bee and hoverfly (according to research by the University of East Anglia). Bees in upland areas of Britain are in particular need of urgent help.
Sustainable Swaledale are campaigning to protect pollinators and encourage wildlife in both Swaledale and Arkengarthdale by engaging with the Yorkshire Dales National Park and the Tees-Swale Project and making applications for funding to cover both small local projects and larger more ambitious schemes.
Habitat loss is a significant risk to biodiversity and agriculture, which depends on bees for crop pollination. However, species-rich wildflower habitats are of high nature conservation value and can support up to 120 different species of wildflowers and other plants, as well as invertebrates, bats, mammals and birds. They are a vital habitat for many species of bumblebee, many of which are now threatened with extinction, and additional wildflower strips in gardens and on farms are credited with promoting localised growth in bee populations.
We hope to encourage local families to allocate part of their gardens – a border, pot, hanging basket or larger patch to grow wildflowers to contribute to our ‘Two Dales One Acre Meadow’ scheme.
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