In the days prior to mechanisation and intensification farming was very pollinator friendly because it was rich in flowering plants, hay meadows and annual flowers in cereal crops. There were more wildflowers along lanes and in field corners due to less spraying, more flowers in hedgerows due to less mechanisation and we grew more of our own fruits and vegetables.
In the past 50 years, advances in farming have reduced the amount of flowers and the result is that we now have fewer bees.
Actions that can be taken to encourage pollinators include:
- Maintaining native flowering hedgerows
- Allowing wildflowers to grow around the farm
- Providing nesting places for wild bees
- Minimising or eliminating artificial fertiliser use
- Reducing or eliminating pesticide use
For more information see the following links: