Saving the small things that run the planet
The ‘Strathmore B-Lines ~ People & Pollinators in Strathmore‘ project ran from April 2022- April 2024, and was funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Gannochy Trust. The project aimed to increase the area and quality of pollinator-friendly wildflower-rich habitat across the Strathmore Valley and B-line, at sites between Dunkeld and Montrose.
Quick Facts:
- Name of Project: Strathmore B-Lines ~ People & Pollinators in Strathmore
- Duration of Project: April 2022 – April 2024
- Location of Project: Along the Strathmore Valley from Dunkeld in Perth & Kinross to Montrose in Angus; including the towns Alyth, Blairgowrie, Kirriemuir & Brechin.
- Species benefitted from Project: Bilberry Bumblebee (Bombus monticola), Small Blue Butterfly (Cupido minimus), Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Boloria selene) and other generalist pollinators
- Project funded by: National Lottery Heritage Fund & Gannochy Trust
- Habitat enhanced/created through project: 24.8 hectares of wildflower habitat.
What did the project do?
Buglife Scotland worked in partnership with Angus Council, Perth and Kinross Council, Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT), The National Trust for Scotland (NTS), Biodiversity Blair and others to restore, enhance and create habitat for pollinators across the Strathmore Valley, benefitting both pollinators, and the people that live, work and visit the area.
The project also worked with communities by supporting the involvement of local groups, schools and residents in the creation of these wildflower areas. A series of workshops and events helped to raise awareness of pollinating insects and encouraged people to spend more time outdoors and get closer to nature. Workshops on the management of greenspaces for wildlife were delivered and there were plenty of volunteering opportunities to get involved with. Additionally, urban wildflower meadows improved the quality of greenspace for people to enjoy, which in turn improves people’s health and well-being.
The Strathmore Valley, supports a variety of fragmented pollinator habitats in the foothills of Highland Perthshire and Angus and so the project has aimed to increase flower-rich habitat for pollinating insects by creating habitat corridors and stepping-stones which will enable them to freely disperse and re-colonise the area and surrounding landscape.
Yellow Rattle (Rhinanthus minor) sown at the Auld Kirk, Montrose © Fiona GuestHow can you stay involved?
Try out our local pollinator spotter sheet to record your pollinator sightings on iRecord or take part in the UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme and carry out a Flower Insect Timed (FIT) Count.
Do you live, work or manage land along the Strathmore B-line or are you part of a community group or school? We’d love you to help us create B-Lines; once you have created your flower-rich habitat please add your site to our B-Lines map.
Information, advice and support is available to landowners who would like to know more about B-lines, and how to improve their land for pollinators through our Pollinator Guidance.
Or get in touch [email protected]
FIT Counts with the National Trust for Scotland © Claire Pumfrey“Strathmore B-Lines ~ People & Pollinators in Strathmore” was funded by National Lottery Heritage Fund and Gannochy Trust
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