What are B-Lines?
B-Lines offers a new, imaginative and attractive solution to the problem of the loss of flowers and pollinators.
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| A example of a B-line © Richard Smith |
B-Lines are wide strips of permanent wildflower-rich habitat. They will link existing wildlife areas together creating a network that will weave across the British countryside. This will provide large areas of brand new habitat which will benefit not only bees but a whole range of wildlife.
Making B-Lines
Buglife, in conjunction with the Co-operative Group launched the B-Lines initiative in May 2011.
B-Lines proposes the creation and restoration of at least 150,000 hectares of flower-rich habitat across Britain. To deliver this target farmers, land owners and wildlife organisations will need to work together in partnership to target and deliver grassland creation in the most appropriate locations. New sources of funding will also be needed in order to make B-Lines a financially viable proposition for the farming community.
The B-Lines concept is currently being piloted in Yorkshire. Over the coming 8 months the Yorkshire project is carrying out a range of work including:
- Mapping potential B-Lines
- Working with farmers and landowners to explore the feasibility of creating B-Lines
- Creating 5 ha of new wildflower-rich grassland
- Working with other wildlife organisations and local authorities to explore options for developing B-Lines
This map shows a potential B-Lines network across Yorkshire. The proposed B-Lines have been identified in such a way that they could link together many of the already existing important wildflower-rich grassland areas. Please note this is a draft map produced by Buglife (with the technical input of Natural England) and is subject to ongoing development. However we are using this map to contact and work with interested farmers and landowners
In addition to the work in Yorkshire B-Lines will also be working nationally, developing the concept with wildlife and farming partners, exploring how B-Lines can complement existing agri-environment scheme measures and other landscape-scale initiatives, and preparing to extend B-Lines across the country.
The Benefits of B-Lines
B-Lines aim to provide a wide range of benefits to both wildlife and agriculture. These include:
- The potential to make significant contributions towards the UK Biodiversity Action Plan targets (habitats and species) in a strategic and joined up manner
- Providing a range of ecosystem services, in particular the conservation of pollinator services and the benefits these bring to our farming sector
- Bringing nature to people in a highly visible form
- Reducing fragmentation in our wildlife resource and create landscapes more resilient to climate change
- Bringing together partners working around the country to deliver a truly landscape-scale initiative
Making Progress on B-Lines
Regular updates on the both the Yorkshire pilot project and wider developments in the world of B-Lines will be provided on this web page or you can click here on the link to sign up to the B-Lines mailing list online.
B-Lines update no. 1
B-Lines update no. 2
November 2011 - B-Lines workshop entitled “Making Landscapes work for pollinators – now and into the future: the role of B-Lines”. Please click on the follwing links to download to download a copy of the workshop agenda, the workshop report and the presentations please click on the links below:
Pollinators, their decline and the decline of their habitats by Matt Shardlow, Buglife CEO
Linking evidence to delivery: knowledge exchange for pollinator conservation by Lynn Dicks
Habitat recreation strategies and connectivity by Jenny Hodgson
