Pollinator Action Plan

2019-2022A Commitment from

West Sussex County Council

1

POLLINATORACTIONPLAN2019-2022

ACommitmentfromWestSussexCountyCouncil

WestSussexCountyCouncil(WSCC)iscommittedtohelpingtoconservetheUK’spollinatorsbyensuringthecouncilwillconsidertheneedsofpollinatorsinthedeliveryofitsdutiesandwork.WSCCwillseektoprotectandenhancetheamountandqualityofpollinatorhabitatandmanageitsgreenspacetoprovidegreaterbenefitsforpollinators.WewillensurelocalpeopleareprovidedwithopportunitiestomakeWestSussexmorepollinatorfriendly.

Ourvision:Ourlocalenvironmentwillberichinflower-richhabitats,helpingsupportsustainablepollinatorpopulationsandmakingplacesmoreattractiveforpeopletoliveandworkin.

Aims:TheCouncilwillworkto:

-Encouragelocalplans,policyandguidancetorepresenttheneedsofpollinators

-ProtectandenhancetheamountofpollinatorhabitatinWestSussextopreventextinctionsandimprovethestatusofanylocallythreatenedspecies

-Improveourknowledgeandunderstandingofpollinatorsinourlocalarea

-Increaseawarenessofpollinatorsandtheirhabitatneedsacrosslocalresidents,businessesandotherlandowners

-Increasethecontributiontopollinatorconservationoflandundertheownershipof,ormanagedby,theCountyCouncil

BackgroundtothePlan

Theimportanceofpollinators,pollinatorsunderthreat,factorsleadingtoadeclineinpollinatornumbers,andthenationalpollinatorstrategyisincludedasdetailinAppendixA.

PollinatorsinWestSussex

ThisplanhasbeendevelopedtoraiseawarenessoftheplightofpollinatorsandtoensuretheCouncilanditslocalresidents,businessesandlandownersareprovidedwithinformationtohelpusallprotectandincreaseourpollinatorpopulations.ThisplanisdesignedtoensuretheneedsofpollinatorsareenshrinedacrossthebreadthofCouncilworkandtoincreaseawarenessandunderstandingofpollinatorsacrossourlocalcommunity.

ContributingtoourWestSussexPlan

OneofourWestSussexPlanprioritiesisourcountybeinga‘Strong,SafeandSustainablePlace’.Ourcommitmenttopollinatorscontributestouslookingaftertheenvironmentandourbeautifuloutdoors,andstrengtheningourcommunities.BreathingBetter(apartnershipapproachtoimprovingairqualityinWestSussex)highlightstheco-benefitsofimprovingpollinatorfriendlyhabitatandairquality.Itstates‘……..inadditiontoimprovingairquality(they)arealsoshowntoimprovewaterquality,reduceflooding,improvehealthandwellbeing,increasepropertyvalues,increasebiodiversityandcreatearesilientenvironment’.

2

StrategyObjectivesandActions

Aim1:Toensuretheneedsofpollinatorsarerepresentedinlocalplans,policyandguidancewhererelevant:

Objective SpecificActionsforWestSussexCountyCouncil1.1 Increasetheprotectionaffordedto

pollinatorhabitatsandthespeciestheysupportbyensuringappropriatereferenceinlocalplansandpolicieswhererelevant

CarryoutareviewofexistingsurveysandbiodiversitymappingtoidentifykeypollinatorhabitatspresentinWestSussex

Reviewandrevisecurrentmanagementplans/policiesastimetabledtotakeaccountoftheneedsofpollinators

1.2 Increasetheprofileofhabitatsofvaluetopollinatorsinbiodiversityasset,greeninfrastructureandothermaps,plansandprojects

ContributefundingtotheSussexLocalWildlifeSitesInitiativetoreviewstatusandidentifynewsites.

IdentifyfundingforSussexBiodiversityRecordsCentretoundertakeaconditionassessmentofWestSussexNotableRoadVerges.

1.3 Recogniseandcapitaliseonopportunitiestocreatepollinatorfriendlyhabitatsaspartofnewdevelopment

WorkwithDistrictandBoroughPlanningServicestoencouragedeveloperstobringforward-pollinatorfriendlyenvironments/landscapingaspartoftheirrequirementsthroughGreenInfrastructureandotherpoliciesinadoptedplans.WorkwithLocalPlanningAuthoritiestoincorporatetherequirementthroughreviewsofthepoliciesandevidencebase.

Aim2:Toprotect,increaseandenhancetheamountofpollinatorhabitatinWestSussexandpreventanyextinctionandimprovethestatusofanylocallythreatenedspecies

Objective SpecificActions2.1 IncreasethevalueofLocalWildlife

SitesforpollinatorsEnsuretheneedsofpollinatorsaretakenintoaccountinthemanagementofallLocalWildlifeSites(LWS)whichareownedormanagedbytheCouncil

Provideinformationontheneedsofpollinatorstootherowners/managersofLocalWildlifeSites,viatheSussexLocalWildlifeSitesInitiative.

2.2 Increasethevalueofparksandothergreenspaceforpollinators

Highwaystoidentifyareasofvergeswhichmaybenefitfromareducedcuttingregime.Researchbestpractiseandpracticalities.

WorkwithDistrictandBoroughParksandGreenSpaceteamsandothergreenspaceownerstosupportabalancedapproachtoparkmanagementtosupportarangeofusesandwildlifebenefits

2.3 Reducetheimpactofpesticidesonpollinatorsandotherwildlife

ReviewuseofpesticidesbytheCouncilasevidenceorlegislationchangesNBNoevidencetosuggestuseofneonicotinoidsinWSCCestate.

3

Aim3:Toincreaseawarenessofpollinatorsandtheirhabitatneedsacrosslocalresidents,businessesandotherlandowners

Objective SpecificActions3.1 Increaseawarenessofpollinators

inthelocalcommunityandwithinlocalbusinesses

WorkwithDistrictandBoroughteams,andcommunityteams,toprovideinformationonpollinatorfriendlygardeningactivitiestolocalresidentsandlocalallotmentholders

EncourageDistrictandBoroughteamstocreatepollinatorfriendlyflowerbedsinparks.

3.2 Increasethenumberofyoungpeoplewhounderstandthevalueoftheirlocalpollinators

Encouragelocalschoolstodevelopwildflowerareasinschoolgrounds.Encourageschoolstoparticipateinlocalornationalpollinatorawardschemes.

Aim4:Toincreasethecontributiontopollinatorconservationoflandundertheownershipof,ormanagedbytheCouncil Objective SpecificActions4.1 Makecouncilownedlandand

buildingsmorepollinatorfriendly

Identifyareasonourestatewherepollinator-friendlyplantingcanbetrialledandmonitorsuccessandfeedback.Specificareasincludeclosedlandfillsites,solarfarms,andmorepubliclyaccessibleareas.

Ensure management for pollinators is included in contractrenewal.

Follow guidance on Green Infrastructure (GI) on capitalprojects,toinclude:AGreenInfrastructureAuditAGreenInfrastructureStrategyforthesiteFollow any local GI policies set out by the Local PlanningAuthority.ProductionofaSiteConstructionEnvironmentManagementPlan,GIManagementandMaintenancePlan

4.3 Increasetheareaofpollinatorhabitatsonlocalgreenspacemanagedbylocalgroups

ResearchwhetherourHighwaysGreenOffercouldbeextendedtovergemanagement.

Aim5:Toimproveourknowledgeandunderstandingofpollinatorsinourlocalarea

Objective SpecificActions5.1 Establisheffective

monitoringofworkbeingcarriedoutinourarea

Carryoutabriefreviewofachievementsannuallyandpublicisesuccesstolocalresidents

Encouragestaffandcontractorstofeedbackonactionstheytakeforpollinators.

5.2 Increaseinformationonthestatusofpollinators

Encouragelocalpeopletosupportnationalpollinatormonitoringschemes

4

APPENDIXA

TheImportanceofPollinators

Ournativepollinatorsincludebumblebeesandotherbees(250species),butterfliesandmoths,flies,beetlesandwasps.Inallthereareover4000speciesofinsectintheUKthatcarryoutpollinationofournativewildplantsandourfoodcrops.InsectpollinationisextremelyimportanttotheUKeconomy,withestimatedvaluesof£691millionannually.Withoutpollinatorswewouldstruggletogrowmanyvegetablesandfruitsincludingapples,pears,strawberries,beansandpeas.

Pollinatorsunderthreat

Ourpollinatorsareintrouble

-Halfofour27bumblebeespeciesareindecline

-Threeofthesebumblebeespecieshavealreadygoneextinct

-Two-thirdsofourmothsareinlongtermdecline.

-AcrossEurope38%ofbeeandhoverflyspeciesareindecline

-71%ofourbutterfliesareindecline

Themostsignificantfactorsleadingtothesedeclinesinpollinatornumbersinclude:

1.Habitatloss–Themostsignificantcauseofdeclineisthelossanddegradationofhabitatswhichprovidefood,shelterandnestingsitesforpollinators.Thelossofwildflower-richgrasslandsisoneofthemostimportantissues.Over3millionhectaresofthesehabitatshavebeenlostinEnglandalonesincethe1930s,thelossbeingattributedtomoreintensivefarmingandurban/industrialdevelopment.

2.Pesticides–Thereisgrowingevidencethattheuseofpesticidesishavingharmfuleffectsonpollinatorsincludinghoneybees,wildbeesandbutterflies.Widereffectsthroughoutecosystemsarealsoofconcernandpesticideshavebeenimplicatedinotherdeclinessuchasfarmlandbirdsandsoilorganisms.Theuseof26neonicotinoidsisofparticularconcern.Thesearesystemicpesticideswhichcanbeappliedasaseeddressing(thepreferreddeliverymechanism)orsprayandhaveahightoxicitytoinsects.

3.ClimateChange–longtermchangescandeprivepollinatorsoffoodsuppliesattimeswhentheyneedthem,increasetheirexposuretoparasitesanddiseases,orchangehabitatssothattheyarenolongersuitable.Theremaybegainsaswellaslossesbutaresilientnetworkofgoodpollinatorhabitatacrosstheareaisneededforthemtobeabletoadaptandtakeadvantageofchanges.

Whatpollinatorsneed

Pollinatorsneedmanyofthethingsweneed–food,shelterandnestingareas.

5

Food–Pollinatorsneedfood(nectarandpollen)throughouttheseasonfromMarchthroughuntilSeptember.Manyplantsandtreescanprovidethesefoodresources,includingmanysocalled‘weeds’suchasdandelionsandthistles.

Inadditiontoflowers,manypollinatorsneedotherfoodresourcestosupporttheirdifferentlifestages–forexamplebutterflyandmothcaterpillarsneedparticularplantstofeedon.

Shelterandnesting-Densevegetationsuchastussockygrassland,scrub,maturetrees,andpilesofwoodandstonecanprovideessentialhabitatforhibernatingpollinators.Manyspeciesoverwinterasadultsincludingqueenbumblebees,andsomebutterfliesandhoverflies,othersaseggs,larvaeorpupae.Oldburrowsanddensevegetationareusedbybumblebees,withsunnyslopesanddrygroundusedbyground-nestingbeessuchasminingbees.

NationalPollinatorStrategy

TheGovernment’sNationalPollinatorStrategyforEngland(2014)setsouta10yearplantohelppollinatinginsectssurviveandthriveacrossEngland.TheStrategyoutlinesactionstosupportandprotectthemanypollinatinginsectswhichcontributetoourfoodproductionandthediversityofourenvironment.Itisasharedplanofactionwhichlookstoeveryonetoworktogetherandensurepollinators’needsareaddressedasanintegralpartoflandandhabitatmanagement.

InparticulartheStrategyaskslocalauthoritiestotakealeadacrossmanyoftheirworkareasandduties,includingtheirroleinlocalplanningandalsoasmanagersofpublicandamenityspaces,brownfieldsites,schools,carparks,roadsidevergesandroundabouts.

www.westsussex.gov.uk

WS32425 December 2018