Wildflower project in Lerwick aims to support Shetland bumblebees
NATIVE wildflowers are to be introduced to two sites in Lerwick as part of a new project to boost biodiversity in the town and support the local species of bumblebee.
Seeds will be planted at Breiwick Road and Rudda Court in Sound, with preparation works including turf lifting to start next week.
Shetland Islands Council, Shetland Amenity Trust and nature conservation programme Species on the Edge are working together on the project.
The seeds, which include bird’s-foot-trefoil and red clover, have been collected locally by Shetland Amenity Trust and Species on the Edge staff and volunteers.
The sites will be monitored during this pilot project, as part of the broader programme by Species on the Edge – a partnership of NatureScot and seven conservation organisations including the RSPB.
It is hoped the newly planted areas will prove to be a haven for pollinators including the Shetland bumblebee (Bombus muscorum), a native species which is only found in Shetland and the Western Isles.
It is regarded as a priority species in the UK due to marked population declines.
Funding for this pilot project has been provided by the Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund.
Shetland Islands Council senior climate change strategy officer Elizabeth Clarke said: “This is a small project and the grassy areas are currently underused. We hope with the planting of these wildflowers the areas will become a place for nature to thrive and communal spaces for people to enjoy.
“We will be planting different types of flowers at the two sites so this will allow us to compare them over time.”
Becca Jackson, project officer for Species on the Edge, said all bumblebee species across the UK are seeing a steady downward trend, and “being able to support our local species is so important, especially due to the Shetland bumblebee having a very restricted area”.
“It is a great step in the right direction to be able to provide a habitat from local seeds,” she added.
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