Bees are pollinators – animals or insects which move pollen around to fertilise plants. This helps plants to grow, reproduce and create food that other species depends on – it is fundamental for the survival of our ecosystems. Bees are some of the best pollinators, accounting for around 80% of wildflower pollination in Europe[1]. Without bees, many plants varieties would become extinct, meaning that other species that rely on these plants as a source of food, including humans, would also struggle to survive.
Bees have an unparalleled impact on our natural environment and are a great indicator of the current state of our ecosystem. Over the last 25 years, we have seen an estimated 53% decline in the number of managed honeybee colonies in the UK, along with an estimated 52% decline in the number of wild bumblebees and solitary bees[2]. Bee colonies around the world have been collapsing at an unprecedented rate, and if we are slow to act, scientists warn that the loss could create problems in years to come, including the ability to grow food crops.
One of the key issues causing bee populations to decline is loss of habitat. Since 1930, the UK has lost 97% of flower rich meadows[3]. Bees rely on these networks of connected habitats that allow them to travel around and collect pollen. With the loss of connected habitats, remaining wildlife sites are becoming isolated, unable to thrive and grow. Another issue is the lack in variety of plant species. With the industrialisation of farming, vast areas of monocultured land means that there are gaps in the seasonal year where no pollination occurs. Bees rely on pollen for food throughout the year, so when gaps occur this is extremely detrimental to bees.
So, what can we do to help resolve these issues? Architects and designers, often take a human focused approach when it comes to placemaking. But what if we made it the norm to create places where bees and humans co-exist?
In his 2010 review ‘Making Space for Nature’, Professor Sir John Lawton identified a need for more, bigger, better, and joined-up wildlife sites that function as a network and allow wildlife to move between them more easily. At JTP, our mission is to take a ‘landscape led’ approach to all projects – following Lawton’s idea to create a ‘mosaic of habitats’ – helping to protect, enhance and restore habitations that respond to the context of the wider ecological network. Having worked with The Wildlife Trusts for many years, we incorporate their vision of ‘Nature Recovery Networks’ into our projects, helping reconnect habitats and provide them with space to move and flourish.
