Buzzing News: Cornwall’s Urban Green Spaces Flourish, Becoming Havens for Pollinators

Cornwall Council, in collaboration with Cormac and the University of Exeter, has spearheaded a remarkable transformation of urban green spaces across 15 Cornish towns into vibrant community areas teeming with wildlife. The project, Making Space for Nature, has covered 78 hectares, incorporating parks, road verges, and other urban areas in towns including Bodmin, Falmouth, and St Austell.

Scientific Findings Enhance Green Credentials

Research led by Exeter PhD student Oliver Poole, during his MSc in Conservation and Biodiversity, indicates a significant increase in pollinator visits to these revamped spaces. Findings published in Insect Conservation and Diversity reveal that areas with both wildflowers and ornamental flowers saw a 3.5-fold increase in hoverflies and other flies, compared to those with only wildflowers.

Floral Impact

The study, which evaluated 50 sites across 10 towns, found that even small areas of planting could have substantial ecological benefits. Notable native wildflowers like common knapweed and oxeye daisy, and non-native plants such as lavender cotton, were highlighted as particularly effective in attracting diverse pollinators.

Photo: Shows pollinators at the Making Space for Nature sites – Photo Credit: Oliver Poole

Community and Ecological Benefits

Councillor Martyn Alvey, Portfolio holder for Environment and Climate Change, emphasized the dual benefits of the project, enhancing community access to nature while creating vital refuges for wildlife. Melissa Ralph CMLI, from Cormac, also celebrated the evidence of these green spaces helping to reverse the decline in local insect populations, attributing this success to the nature-positive management methods employed.

A Flourishing Future

This collaborative effort not only enriches Cornwall’s urban landscapes but also provides critical data underscoring the importance of such enhancements for pollinator populations, aligning closely with broader environmental and biodiversity goals.

This transformation of Cornwall’s urban landscapes into pollinator-friendly environments is not just a local win but a hopeful beacon for similar urban green space projects worldwide.

Photo: Shows pollinators at the Making Space for Nature sites – Photo Credit: Oliver Poole