Saving the small things that run the planetThe West Lothian’s B-Lines project was a partnership between Buglife and West Lothian Council, with funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, to create wildflower habitats throughout West Lothian for the benefit of both pollinators and people. A total of 15 new areas of wildflower-rich habitat was created across 10 sites and engaged over 550 people with the project.
Quick Facts:
West Lothian has seen a significant loss of species-rich grassland to urbanisation, industrialisation and agriculture: 13.2% of the land area is urban and 36 % is grassland, 70% of which is cultivated and biologically poor. Currently, most grassland in West Lothian’s urban greenspace is managed strictly for amenity use with frequent cuts close to the ground. This results in low floral species diversity, significantly reducing the vital foraging habitat available for pollinating insects.
By transforming intensively managed amenity grassland into colourful species-rich grassland, West Lothian’s B-Lines will help to reverse the declines in our pollinator species whilst also establishing more healthy functioning ecosystems.
The project also had huge benefits for people; community groups, schools, local residents, and other people from all over West Lothian were involved in the creation of these wildflower areas, whilst learning more about pollinating insects and how to manage greenspaces for wildlife through workshops and events. The addition of these colourful urban wildflower meadows have improved the quality of greenspace for people to enjoy.
Do you live, work or manage land along the West Lothian 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.
The West Lothian’s B-Lines project was funded by Heritage Fund and West Lothian Council.
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