IN THE past year, Sustainable Crediton launched a project designed to protect pollinators such as bees.

The project is part of a national scheme called Bee-Lines, which is aiming to build a country-wide grid of wildlife friendly corridors to assist and protect our pollinators which are vital for our crops.

Crediton is located in a rural area where farming forms an intrinsic part of producing the crops we need. However, it is a heavily built up town and in the next few years a considerable area of land will be taken up with urban extension from new housing, further degrading the habitats available in our area.

Together with the loss of habitat from modern growing practices, Sustainable Crediton believe this project will assist our pollinators and hopefully start to reverse their decline.

·There are lots of ways the project could support our pollinators, for example: Identifying and planting areas that aid pollinators with plants that would protect and support them. Areas could include public places, local authority land not in use, local gardens of homeowners, businesses and farms

·A community orchard

·Habitat restoration

Education – suitable sites, plants that provide the food, right habitat and which mitigate against future changes due to climate change, bee and pollinator types and individual pollinator needs

Encouraging School activities

Bee Hotels and Bee banks – making and installing

Installing a Green Roof on properties, sheds, etc.

The Pollination Group has a number of people with pollinator expertise to guide the project and they believe the public are fond of our bees and other pollinators like butterflies.

With the right help everyone could make a valuable contribution towards saving our pollinators.

Sustainable Crediton worked with Mid Devon District Council to obtain permission and a licence to manage the plot of land on Belle Parade.

In its first year it has survived through winter, a drought, then heavy rainfall and difficulties in weeding because of the Covid-19 outbreak. Despite all that it is looking great and buzzing with bees.

Another success is the wildflower space at the Tesco store at Wellparks. Sustainable Crediton, Granny’s Meadow, The Turning Tides Project and Tesco collaborated to make a small wildflower meadow in the car park.

Several other plots around Crediton are in the pipeline.

The group is working with residents where possible and plots include some similar spaces to Belle Parade, a wildflower area in a housing estate and the project is also supporting a proposed Community Orchard.

Both Crediton Town Council and Natural Devon kindly encouraged the project with a grant last year.

If you would like to get involved contact: [email protected] .