Lambeth’s work on projects to protect our pollinators have won three 2019 ‘Bees’ Needs’ awards. Wildflower meadows created in partnership by Lambeth and the local community will be recognised by Government Department Defra and the Bee Farmers Association at an awards ceremony in November.
Word from the Cabinet
Cllr Sonia Winifred, Cabinet Member for Equalities and Culture, said: “Just days ago, the Earthwatch Institute defined bees as the most important living being on the planet . But in many places, bees are endangered species because of pesticides and changes in the environment. We are delighted to see Lambeth’s bee-friendly projects receive this public recognition and we hope more projects will be inspired to create pollinator-friendly spaces.”
Lambeth’s winning bee-friendly projects
-
Operation Centaur’s horses brought traditional ploughing methods to creating bee-friendly meadows in Brockwell Park and Clapham Common
Brockwell Park: A new wildflower meadow in Green Flag-winning Brockwell Park is just one step in a longer-term plan for the park to be recognised as an important London conservation site. The Wildflower Meadow is a recently-created 0.43 hectares on an area of redundant hardstanding. It offers bees (and other pollinator species) new and improved foraging habitat. It was funded by SUEZ Communities Fund and Lambeth Council, and delivered by the conservation charity TCV in partnership with BPCP, Operation Centaur (who provided the heavy horses to prepare the site) and Lambeth Landscapes.
- “Colour Your Common”: Clapham Common’s improvements provide new pollinator habitat and other environmental improvements through creating over 200 square metres of wildflower strips on old amenity grassland and on the Bandstand Beds Community Garden. The project was delivered by Clapham Common Management Advisory Committee (CCMAC), Bandstand Beds Association and Lambeth Landscapes. Funding came from the Mayor of London’s Greener City Grant Fund, Lambeth Council and the Parks Investment Levy provided from large scale events on the Common.
- Palace Road Nature Garden: Palace Road’s Improvement Project: increases both biodiversity and people’s access to nature, with additional habitat for not just bees but birds, amphibians and bats. Funded through a grant from the Western Riverside Environment Fund (WREF) and Lambeth Council (from s106 planning contributions), and delivered by the conservation charity TCV, the Friends of Hillside Gardens Park and Palace Road Nature Garden and Lambeth Landscapes
For more about Lambeth’s award-winning parks and green spaces, see the Council’s information pages
