Big news: Your small garden can help save struggling pollinators - really!
We need pollinators, but many species are in decline, with habitat loss being a factor. Large-scale conservation efforts have proven effective, but the average person doesn't have spare acres of land lying around.
So a new study looked into small-scale planting and the possible effects it could have. The paper focuses on previously-overlooked spaces - like urban gardens and the land around businesses.
Analysis of 31 studies performed over three decades finds small wildflower plots - less than 500m² produced a 1.4-fold increase in pollinator abundance.
Plant a garden - the bees will thank you. (Submitted to The Weather Network by Dale Matthies)
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The researchers tested this out by creating 11 small patches, measuring 30m² each, populated with floral strips and pollinator nests.
During that experiment, the number of recorded bees increased from 1,360 in 2014 to 3,550 in 2018.
This suggests you don’t need a lot of land to make a difference. While the study didn’t look at urban plots specifically, the authors say there’s a strong chance that a small wildflower strip in a residential garden can make a big difference.
SEE ALSO: Adorable study finds bees like to play
"We're seeing these huge benefits to pollinators from small-scale interventions that we used to ignore, this is hugely encouraging for both conservationists and the general public," Dr. Philip Donkersley, lead author of the study, said in a statement.
One caveat: the results work best when there are several wildflower plots close to one another - so why not recruit your neighbours this spring and create a pollinator-friendly community?
