Integrating good land management practices to support pollinators was the key message at this year’s Kent’s Plan Bee virtual summit.
The event was convened by Seán Holden, Chairman of KCC’s Environment & Transport Cabinet Committee and Kent’s Plan Bee, and took place on Tuesday 22nd November. Held virtually for the third year running, the event attracted 126 delegates.
The virtual Plan Bee summit took place this week
It brought together speakers from Natural England, Kent Wildlife Trust, Kent Country Parks and the Bumblebee Conservation Trust.
Farmers and land managers also spoke at the event to say how they have changed the way they do things to help pollinators thrive.
Bees, butterflies, moths, flies, beetles and wasps are all part of the pollinator family and key to many of our fruit, food and flower growth in the county.
Speaking after the event, Seán Holden, said: “Farmland and open landscapes provide a wide range of habitats and features that are beneficial to pollinators.
“To support these populations, these landscapes’ features need to be well managed and joined up, so pollinators can move around to find the food and shelter they need.
“I was delighted to host the third virtual summit for Kent’s Plan Bee and hear the excellent work that had been done by farmers and land managers alike, and hope it has inspired more to do similar.”
KCC’s Cabinet Member for Environment, Susan Carey, said: “The Kent’s Plan Bee summit has shown there’s a continuing interest in helping pollinators thrive across Kent – in our countryside, parks, towns, gardens, indeed wherever we can make space for them.
“KCC has adopted a refreshed action plan setting out the next stage of our work for pollinators and how we will deliver on our commitment to see their numbers grow.
“I want to thank everyone who attended this year’s conference, along with the speakers who shared so much that’s inspiring and worth following.”
It comes as KCC has recently published a refreshed Kent’s Plan Bee action plan. This revised plan reflects on the achievements of the initiative of the past two year and updates its actions, to reflect the next stage of our work for pollinators and better emphasise our priorities for action. The plan now also includes a new objective, which commits the authority to monitoring and evaluate, so that Kent County Council measures the actual impact of our action and the progress being made.
Search for Kent’s Plan Bee on Facebook to learn more.
Visit https://vimeo.com/774196475/d1deb45654 to view a recording of the Plan Bee Summit.
ENDS