Posted 20th May 2021
The following blog was written by Social Value UK’s Digital Marketing, Communications and Events Assistant, Maddy England. Social Value UK continues to show a commitment to accounting for social and environmental value, thus working to decrease environmental degradation and inequality.
Bees are vital for the preservation of ecological balance and biodiversity in nature and a huge contributor to the entire eco-system life cycle. They are perfectly adapted to pollinate, helping plants grow, breed and produce food. They do so by transferring pollen between flowering plants and therefore keeping the cycle of life turning. Over 90% of wild plants and 75% of food crops rely on animal pollination, this demonstrated how vital bees are to stable, healthy food supplies and varied, colourful native flora and fauna.
Sadly, however, the species is facing an uncertain future. There are many reasons for this, but to cover just a main few:
- Habitat Loss: Essentially, all threats to forest areas are also having a knock on impact on the insect world. Many species of bee call woodland or wildflower meadow areas home, the destruction of these for urban development means the pollinators face habitat fragmentation and thus lose important nesting and food resources.
- Use of Pesticides: Neonicotinoids are common pesticides used to keep away pests, however, when ingested by bees and other insects they can cause irreversible damage to the central nervous system.
- Climate Change: Extreme weather changes caused by climate change have led to disruptions in both nesting behaviour and blooming patterns of wildlife, as the two become out of sync, pollination becomes scarce.
There is no plan Bee, so to speak. Without the help of bees, it has been estimated that it would cost farmers in the UK an incredible £1.8 billion per year to manually pollinate their crops, not to mention the man power it would take – this just further emphasises the importance of bees.
This year The Food and Agriculture Organization have organised a virtual event, at 1pm on the 20th May, under the theme “Bee engaged – Build Back Better for Bees”. Join here.
‘The event will call for global cooperation and solidarity to counter the threats posed by the COVID-19 pandemic to food security and agricultural livelihoods alongside prioritising environmental regeneration and pollinator protection. It will be an occasion to raise awareness of how everyone can make a difference to support, restore and enhance the role of pollinators.’
Small steps we can do to help:
- Donate to conservation expert organisations, such as the Fauna & Flora here
- Plant nectar-bearing flowers in your outdoor areas
- Avoid using pesticides
- Preserve old meadows – which feature a more diverse array of flowers
- Buy honey and other hive products from your nearest local beekeeper
- Provide shelter in the form of wooden Bee Hotels
- Raise awareness of the importance of bees in our ecosystem
At Social Value UK we are committed to accounting for social and environmental value – therefore issues regarding environmental degradation, such as this, are close to our heart. These small changes can make a huge difference, so please do get involved!