Published: Wednesday 12 October 2022
Last night the Environment Select Committee looked at the developments in the borough’s Bee Superhighway, which was created in 2019 and has been expanding ever since.
It’s resulted in more than 23 sites with wildflower meadows, pollinator-friendly bulbs, climbers or bug hotels installed across the borough. In the parks 40,000 native pollinator-friendly bulbs have been planted, with Holland Park also getting 400m of native hedges planted.
The Council’s 57 Community Kitchen Garden initiative has been encouraging plot holders to grow 20 per cent pollinator-friendly companion planting.
Nearly 380 people have received training on what they can do to support the Bee Superhighway and the Council has provided 10,000 free wildflower seed packs for residents, schools, community groups, businesses and institutions wanting to get involved in the project.
The Ecology team, who oversee the Bee Superhighway initiative, were keen to draw the committee’s attention to the future as well. The next stage of the Superhighway is to ensure a high quality joined up series of places to allow nature to thrive, which will support the movement of animals, plants, seeds and spores. The team also want to link up with borough wide initiatives as part of the Council’s wider climate emergency response.
Following the select committee, Cllr Emma Will, Lead Member for Leisure said:
“The Bee Superhighway is a real success story and has been welcomed by many of our residents. It is part of our commitment to maintaining and improving the environment in the borough. Bees and other pollinators are vital to all of us, from our food to the simple enjoyment of the world around us, we need pollinators, and we are supporting them.
“The select committee were buzzing hearing about the Bee Superhighway. I’d encourage everyone to get involved and help support our bees, you can change what you have planted in your garden, or your window box, it all helps.”
Find out more about upcoming Bee Superhighway projects and get some tips
If you would like to share your wildlife and pollinator-friendly spaces, you can use our hashtag #KandCBeeSuperhighway on Instagram or Twitter.
The Council set an ambition to be a carbon neutral council by 2030 and a carbon neutral borough by 2040. Green ambitions include boosting access to nature, improving air quality and helping to tackle fuel poverty.