“Unfortunately, Irish pollinators are in decline, with one third of our 98 bee species threatened with extinction,” said Dr Úna FitzPatrick from the National Biodiversity Data Centre. The full document can be found here and there is also a version for children found here.
The pollinator plan is a strategy to be put in place as a means of education to drive change in areas that will increase nesting areas and food that the landscape provides for bees. It is also about creating awareness about pollinators and how they can be protected by allowing wild flowers in fields to protect natural habitats.
It is n0t just about protecting bees as this pollinator service is the core service behind a crop industry that is worth an estimated €53 million to the Irish economy.
It is a shared plan of action. Some of the organisations involved are the Department of Agriculture, Food & the Marine, Teagasc, Bord Bía, Heritage Council, Fáilte Ireland, An Taisce Green Schools, Federation of Irish Beekeepers’ Associations, Iarnród Éireann,National Trust, RSPB, Tidy Towns and Waterways Ireland.
It is worth noting the 5 key points of the policy
1 Making Ireland pollinator friendly
2 Raising awareness of pollinators and how to protect them
3 Managed pollinators – supporting beekeepers and growers
4 Expanding our knowledge on pollinators and pollination service
5 Collecting evidence to track change and measure success