You are visiting the Pollinator Project in Guernsey
How we
Help
Science
Bumblr
We created a citizen science app called Bumblr – (for iPhone and Android) for people to list when and where they saw one of the species of Bumblebee found in Guernsey, Alderney, Sark and Herm. So far we have tracked more than 10,000 sightings of Bumblebees in one year. The app was developed on island by a father of three who is also a firefighter. The data is being analysed by researchers at the University of Bristol ecology department, to provide a baseline measurement to assess future Bumblebee sightings against. We hope to roll this out to Jersey and to a second app for Guernsey Bailiwick butterflies.
We worked with ecologists in 2020 and 2021 to set malaise insect traps in multiple countryside and garden locations in Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney and Sark, as the start of a five-year scientific survey to track the number and variety of pollinators in the Channel Islands. This will be repeated each July and the data will be analysed to inform future conservation action plans.
Science
Insect Traps
Science
Biological Records
We regularly record the number and variety of butterflies and moths in the islands, submitting thorough records to the Guernsey Biological Records Centre and the UK Butterfly Conservation Trust.
We collaborate with pollination ecologists around the world – including the University of Ulm, Germany who is running an ecology project in islands including the Bailiwick islands.
Science
Collaborations
Listen to the Podcast to find out more about what we do
How we work with other environmental groups – Fiona Bateson talks about the potential new Nature Commission for Guernsey.
Education
Wildlife Habitats at Schools
For three years running we have engaged 3500 of the islands school children in conservation – they went on create wildlife habitats outside their classrooms and in their own school grounds. The hugely enthusiastic students, of all ages, dug and planted nectar rich patches, pollinator shrubs and trees, put up bee hotels and built wildlife refuges such as log piles and bee banks. Students have been on pollinator hunts and begun identifying and recorded the species that they have found on school sites with a view to developing an island-wide school recording project.
Education
Educational Talks
Education
Art Competitions
Our Pollinator Project lockdown initiative, together with Guernsey Mind was two connecting competitions, an educational butterfly art competition and a Pollinator Patch competition.
The Guernsey Post delivery of a leaflet about pollinators went to 28,000 Guernsey households in one week. The leaflet had lots of ideas about how to garden with wildlife conservation in mind, which pollinators we can see in Guernsey, and enjoying the mental health benefits of spending time in green spaces and ways to connect with nature.
Education
Free Garden Advice
Education
Butterfly Art
Designing a ‘Create A Guernsey Butterfly’ sheet, which was sent with the above-mentioned leaflet pack. The idea was that people could create a butterfly artwork (of one of the butterflies seen in Guernsey) and learn about conserving them at the same time. This ran as a creative competition, open to everyone. Local primary school teachers loved this idea with whole classes sending in their butterfly art. And as we had 18,000 pieces of beautiful butterfly art sent in, a swarm even, we created a giant display of these at St James and an exhibition post-lockdown at Le Friquet garden centre. These exhibitions had information about bees and butterflies too.
We also give advice to land owners about creating larger wildflower meadows on fields or Pollinator Patches on disused agricultural sites. We put up Pollinator Patch signs so that people can spot them around the island, encouraging the feeling of belonging to something bigger, and showing them what a pollinator habitat looks (and sounds and smells like).
Education
Advice on Pollinator Patches
Education
Facilitate Learning Locally
Another part of our educational work for adults is to facilitate learning and provide a local focal point for conversation about positive action – how people can help pollinators. We do this via traditional media and social media. To date 1,300 local people have joined our Pollinator Project Guernsey group on Facebook to ask questions, show their Pollinator Patches to each other, give each other encouragement and advice about their own Pollinator Patches (or public sites). More than 4500 people have viewed our pollinator-engagement videos
Our international work caught the attention of a UK conservationist and TV presenter Nick Baker, who got involved, becoming an ambassador for the Pollinator Project and creating a video about how to garden to help wildlife in Guernsey.
Education
Nick Baker
Education
Conservation Forum 2021
The Pollinator Project flew the Guernsey flag high when we presented our work to international conservationists at the UK Overseas Territories Conservation Forum in March 2021, including the UK environment minister Lord Zac Goldsmith, the Gibraltar environment minister and the Isle of Man Wildlife Trust among others.
We were part of the organising committee for the inaugural Island Wildlife Garden competition – which encourages people to improve their gardens with sustainability and wildlife in mind. 28 garden owners entered, recording species seen in their gardens. Feedback will be given on wildlife gardening best practice and the highest scoring gardens will be used as case studies for best practice examples for others to follow.
Education
Island Wildlife Garden
Education
30/30 Auction
We have worked with 30 local artists to use art to highlight the plight (and beauty) of our declining pollinators. We are working with Les Bourgs Hospice team to organize exhibitions to display the art (to further the message’s spread). We are also working with Martel Maides and St James to auction for these artworks to raise money for the artists and Les Bourgs Hospice building work later this year.
Action
Pollinator Patches
We have helped people create Pollinator Patches, with native seed (of flowers that are already recorded in Guernsey) in gardens. These seeds have not been treated with insecticide. We have also planted pollinator-friendly flowers (food) in many local primary school grounds, at St Matthews Church fields, the Brothers Cemetery, St John’s Church, Princess Elizabeth Hospital, Bulwer Avenue and on Guernsey Water land at Church Road, St Sampsons. We have also planted spring bulbs for pollinators at public gardens like Bruce Russell gardens. These areas did not previously have food planting for pollinators.
Action
Seed Packets
We obtained funding to create packets of insecticide-free, organic flower seeds, that we then packed and distributed to over 4000 local households in 2020 and 2021. These came with advice about how to create Pollinator Patches and lots of people said they found joy in watching their seedlings grow into flowers that fed pollinators nectar and pollen.
Action
Pollinator Patch Competition
The free seeds giveaway blossomed into a Pollinator Patch competition, where 10 people won a £100 voucher each from GROW Limited. The prize fund was kindly donated by a corporate sponsor, which benefitted another local charity. As GROW sells a pollinator-friendly range of plants, the prizes help the environment even more. The idea was that Pollinator Patch winners can spend their vouchers at GROW on more pollinator-friendly plants. In many cases, the Pollinator Patches are still there as many seeds were perennial flowers or set seed.
We also manage habitats, for example removing invasive, non-native plant species such as Sour Fig at Les Tielles. This was dominating other plant species that the caterpillars of the Glanville Fritillary butterfly feed on and the plants where the butterflies lay eggs. This butterfly is dangerously low in numbers and if we do not clear its habitat of this invasive plant we will watch the eradication of this species and others from our island. We also support the Guernsey Conservation Volunteers who also manage this important task.
Action
Habitat Management
Action
Protection of the Bee Cliff
Another habitat that we have provided hours towards – to proactively create and protect – is the bee cliff at Fort Le Marchant on L’Ancresse common. Some solitary (mining) bees burrow in sandy soil so need an area that is clear from gorse and bracken and not walked on (by humans and dogs) to be able to safely nest and breed in.
We worked with Guernsey Waste and States Works on a pesticide-amnesty day where people disposed of almost 900 items of unwanted pesticides safely at Longue Hougue. We also provided information on best practice about how to remove weeds/pests organically instead of using harmful chemicals. There is an ongoing communication plan for this, also involving Guernsey Water (regarding safe disposal of pesticide containers).
Action
Pesticide Amnesty
Action
Nature Trail for Herm
We advised on the wildlife element of the Nature Trail for Herm Island.
We worked with Guernsey Waste and States Works on a pesticide-amnesty day where people disposed of almost 900 items of unwanted pesticides safely at Longue Hougue. We also provided information on best practice about how to remove weeds/pests organically instead of using harmful chemicals. There is an ongoing communication plan for this, also involving Guernsey Water (regarding safe disposal of pesticide containers).
Action
St Peter Port Bee Trail
Action
Free Pollinator Friendly Plants
We provided 150 pollinator-friendly plants for free, at St Peters Gardens weekend in June. These were all organic, pesticide-free in peat-free compost and in recycled plastic.