PRESS RELEASE : Hundreds of wildflowers helping to attract rare bees to Walsall [July 2024]

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 25 July 2024.

Volunteers helped to plant 400 wildflowers at Purple Horizons Nature Recovery site in Walsall to attract rare bees.

Wildflowers planted by volunteers in Walsall are helping to attract rare bees to the area as part of a project to restore nature in the West Midlands.

The wildflower planting was part of the Purple Horizons Nature Recovery Project, a partnership that includes Natural England, Birmingham and Black Country Wildlife Trust (BBCWT), Walsall Council and the University of Birmingham.

It aims to restore and connect areas of heathlands across 12,000 hectares on the fringes of the urban West Midlands to support the species which rely on it and is part of a national initiative to develop a Nature Recovery Network.

Much of the project aims to make space for bees and wasps in freshly dug earth including the Tormentil Mining Bee, a priority species in desperate need of ‘bee beaches’ – areas of soft soil banks where they burrow and build their nests. The bee is scarce in the UK due to the loss of heathlands, with around 80% of heathlands lost over the last two centuries.

Earlier this year 60 volunteers took part in the planting at Pelsall Common, Heath End and who helped to plant 400 plug plants of the Tormentil, Harebell and Cat’s Ear species. These attract the Tormentil Mining Bee and provide a source of food for the bees and their young.

Emma Johnson, Natural England’s Deputy Director for the West Midlands said:  “We are so grateful to the volunteers who have given their time to help plant hundreds of wildflowers to provide vital food for these important and amazing species.  A thriving population of wild bee species is critical to supporting healthy natural systems and for pollinating crops such as apples, strawberries and oilseed rape.

Volunteers were also able to visit the Turner’s Wood Nature Reserve, where Birmingham and Black Country Wildlife Trust were holding an open day.

The Purple Horizons Nature Recovery Project aims to create a network of heathlands, wetlands, woodlands and grasslands which will help the recovery of and ensure long-term resilience of the area’s reptiles, birds and pollinators.  Within this initiative, several partners are trialling different habitat creation methods for bees.  This includes Lichfield District Council, Staffordshire County Council, Walsall Council and the Canal & River Trust.

Councillor Gary Flint, Portfolio Holder for Wellbeing, Leisure, and Public Spaces at Walsall Council said:  “Walsall Council is proud to be a part of the Purple Horizons Nature Recovery Project. This initiative not only restores vital habitats for rare bees but also fosters a strong sense of community through volunteer engagement. The efforts of our volunteers today demonstrate our collective commitment to enhancing our natural environment and supporting biodiversity in the West Midlands.”

The effectiveness of the habitat creation methods is being monitored by Aaron Bhambra, a researcher at the University of Birmingham.

Aaron said:  “The work we are carrying out restoring locally important sites like these is critical for conserving threatened pollinators across the region.  The wildflowers are starting to flower and seem to have established well at the sites, we had bees foraging on them whilst we were planting them on the day so I am sure they are being used.”

Advice and funding is being provided by Natural England, and the Birmingham and Black Country Wildlife Trust are helping communities get involved.

Walsall Council was recently awarded a Defra Bees Needs Champion award in recognition of the flower planting and creation of bee-beaches.