We need a variety of wildflowers to provide pollinators (bees and other insects that pollinate plants) with a food source. More than 97% of wildflower meadows have been lost over the last 70 years, reducing the occurrences of butterflies by 70%. One third of our food crops need insects to pollinate them and 87% of all plants need animals to pollinate them - and most of this is thanks to insects. Wildflowers provide many things that insects need: food, nectar, pollen, shelter & places to breed.

We will create more wildflower areas across some of Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole's 450 parks, verges and open spaces. Replicating the success of last year, we will again get local families involved in the wildflower planting days. We will also run a series of events to share the importance of wildflowers and their positive impact on nature, giving advice about how this can be replicated in residents' own gardens and schools.