Free Wildflowers To Feed Into Biodiversity

Tuesday, 4 April 2023 17:50

Islanders are being encouraged to plant free wildflower seeds to boost Jersey's insect population.

The Jersey Pollinator Project wants to increase biodiversity in the island to not only help our insects but our crops, food chains and the wider ecosystem.

Environment Manager, Nina Cornish, says she wants islanders to embrace how important insects are for biodiversity.

"They're responsible for quite a lot of the pollination, so it's really key that if we enhance and have lots of wildflowers, there's lots of food plants and lots of availability for all our pollinators that we have across the Channel Islands."

The wildflowers also act as places for animals and insects to live, creating more island habitats.

Islanders can also help biodiversity by letting a section of their lawns grow wild and to stop pesticides and insecticides.

Bee boxes and bug hotels can also be added around gardens and the outside of houses.

The project says that the Channel Islands doesn't record any long-term pollinator abundance data, but the UK sits at 189th on the 'Biodiversity Intactness Index' making it one of the most nature-depleted parts of the world.

You can request the free seed packets by emailing wildaboutjersey@gov.je