The cutest little big bees from a city primary school helped to launch a project which will create a chain of pollinator-friendly wildflower meadows all over Aberdeen.
The primary three classes at Airyhall School held a special performance of The Bee Musical after learning about bees and other pollinators.
After the event, the youngsters helped to officially launch the city’s B-Lines project, a partnership between Aberdeen City Council and Buglife Scotland with the aim to transform 20 hectares of grassland into nature-rich, pollinator friendly wildflower habitats across 12 sites along the coast, River Don, and River Dee.
Council Co-Leader Councillor Ian Yuill said: “The B-Lines project aims to change the way grasslands are managed. It will both provide suitable and more well-connected habitats for pollinators to flourish and improve the mental and physical wellbeing of city residents by providing more nature-rich green spaces.
“The primary three pupils at Airyhall School gave a splendid performance of The Bee Musical. They showed their knowledge about how important bees and other pollinating insects are for the city.”
Ruth Quigley, Conservation Officer at Buglife Scotland, said: “We are so pleased to receive such generous funding to enable us to expand Buglife’s B-Lines network into the north east of Scotland.
“Aberdeen B-Lines is an opportunity for us to provide tangible support for our local pollinator species, but also to help increase awareness of why these insects are so important. By creating this network of wildflower meadows, we can work as a community to give local pollinator populations a helping hand.”
The B-lines wildflower meadows are like special routes for insects like bees, hoverflies, and butterflies as they can fly along them and find food and habitat to nest and hibernate, pollinating as they go. Walkways will be cut through the meadows for local routes and also so people can see the array of wildflowers and insects inhabiting them.
The 12 sites which are the focus of Aberdeen B-Lines are:
• Torry Battery at Greyhope Road;
• Donmouth Local Nature Reserve;
• Beach Esplanade;
• Seaton Park;
• Duthie Park;
• Riverside Drive at Garthdee;
• Riverview Drive at Dyce;
• Stonehaven Road;
• Garthdee Road;
• Deeside Way old railway stations;
• Westfield Park;
• TECA (P&J Live).
These sites will be enhanced by creating diverse and colourful wildflower meadows with locally relevant and sourced plant species to provide vital forage and nesting sites for a range of pollinator species such as bumblebees, hoverflies, and butterflies. The habitat creation and monitoring will be undertaken closely with community volunteers to get people inspired by nature and more invested in their green spaces.
Communities can also get involved through a series of opportunities including volunteering, habitat creation events, training workshops, and Get Close to Nature walks. Volunteers will be sought to help with wildflower plug planting and seeding, assist with pollinator monitoring activities, and add their own pollinator sites to the B-Lines map.
The Aberdeen B-Lines project is being made possible with funding from NatureScot, Milkywire, the Hugh Fraser Foundation, and an anonymous funder.
More information and advice about taking part and creating a B-Line pollinator-friendly area is available at Aberdeen B-Lines - Buglife projects.