Wildflowers for pollinators appeal

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Thank you for helping us raise funds to turn scrubland into a wildflower meadow for pollinators to thrive

Pollinators are vital for the food we eat and the health of our ecosystems, yet they continue to face unprecedented challenges for survival. Money raised from our summer appeal will enable us to create a wildflower meadow to provide essential habitat and food sources for bees, butterflies, moths, hoverflies and many other pollinating insects.

Why pollinators are important

Pollinators play an indispensable role in maintaining biodiversity and supporting agricultural systems. They are responsible for the reproduction of over 75% of the world's flowering plants and global food crops*. Pollinators are also critical for the health of natural ecosystems, contributing to the beauty and resilience of the countryside.

However, the UK is experiencing a significant and worrying decline in pollinator populations. Since the 1950s, 23 species of bees and flower-visiting wasps have become extinct. More broadly, between 1980 and 2022, there has been a long-term decline in overall pollinator abundance.

* UN Food and Agriculture Organisation

Creating an insect haven

Pollinator expert, Jeff Ollerton, who spoke eloquently at one of last winter’s online CRT talks, emphasises that maintaining pollinator diversity requires more than just providing flowers. Flowers are essential, but pollinators also need nesting sites, nesting materials, and host plants for reproduction. For example, many caterpillars, which are the larval stage of butterflies and moths, rely on specific host plants to survive. A truly effective pollinator habitat is a complex landscape that addresses all these needs, and this is precisely what we intend to establish.

Our pollinator paradise plan

Our project aims to transform an area of scrubland into a vibrant ecosystem teeming with life, specifically designed to support a wide variety of pollinator species. Volunteers are at the heart of our work at the CRT, and it was the Pierrepont Farm volunteer team who had the original idea for this project. We were excited and impressed by their vision for the area and are very appreciative that the work will be carried out by these dedicated volunteers, supported by our conservation team.

They will carefully select and sow a diverse range of native wildflowers, ensuring a continuous supply of nectar and pollen from early spring to late autumn. Beyond just flowers, we will also incorporate elements crucial for pollinator survival, such as areas of bare earth for ground-nesting bees. The volunteers will also install an owl box, made by the team at Bere marsh Farm, Dorset, on an old oak tree in the field.

Insects that benefit

We expect our dedicated pollinator field to attract a range of essential pollinator species, each playing a unique role in the ecosystem. While bees are often the first pollinators to come to mind, many other insects are equally vital. We anticipate welcoming diverse species of bees, hoverflies, butterflies and moths, various wasps, beetles and other flies to this precious area.

Brimstone butterfly

Hoverfly

Honey bee

Flowers and grasses

Pierrepont Farm is located on sandy and acidic soil, so a seed mix which can tolerate these conditions and provide food for both adult and caterpillar stages of many pollinating species will be sown. This includes:

Sheep’s fescue - This grass is a food plant for several butterflies, such as the gatekeeper and meadow brown.

Sheep's sorrel - Food plant of the small copper butterfly.

Lady’s bedstraw - A nectar provider for bees and butterflies, and a food source for several moth caterpillars.

Devils-bit scabious - Rich in pollen and nectar, it attracts a variety of pollinating insects.

Tormentil - A low-growing plant that is a food source for several butterflies and moths.

Common centaury - Produces small pink flowers and is loved by bees, butterflies, moths and hoverflies.

Bird’s-foot-trefoil - An important food plant for the caterpillars of common blue and silver-studded butterflies. It also provides nectar for bees.

Betony - Loved by many pollinators, but particularly the wool carder bee.

Through regular ongoing management, we expect species-richness and diversity to increase as wildflowers from surrounding areas also establish in the sward, and we start to see seeds germinating from within the existing seedbank as a result of the change in land management.

Thank you for helping us to raise over £4,000 for this appeal

This funding will help us bring this vital project to life, covering the costs of seeds, plants and site preparation. Every penny contributed will directly impact our ability to build a thriving habitat for these essential creatures.

Pollinators Q&A

How many pollinators are there?
Worldwide, there are over 200,000 species of pollinators, including insects, birds, and mammals. The majority are insects, particularly bees, butterflies, moths, flies, and beetles. Each plays a unique role in maintaining biodiversity and supporting ecosystems worldwide. In the UK, Defra states a figure of 1500 pollinating species, but some experts believe this is too low and the number is nearer 6000 species that contribute to pollination. To break this down, we have approximately 270 species of bees, a similar number of hoverflies, 60 species of butterflies (though not all visit flowers), and 9000 species of larger moths, plus a much larger and more diverse range of other flies, beetles and wasps that also pollinate.

Why are pollinators declining?
General pollinator decline is due to a number of complex factors. Not all species are declining, and some species are doing much worse than others. For example, since the 1950s, 23 species of bees and flower-visiting wasps have gone extinct, but since 2000, 14 species of pollinators (including 10 bee species) have extended their range to the UK. Hoverflies are suffering more than bees, with one-third of species showing long-term decline. Specific reasons for decline include loss of habitat, pesticide use, climate change and invasive species.

How much have pollinators declined?
Global pollinator populations, especially wild bees and butterflies, have declined by over 30 per cent in recent decades. Some regional bee species have declined by more than 50 per cent. This decline threatens ecosystem balance and the sustainability of agricultural systems. In the UK, the latest data (based on bees and hoverflies) shows a 24 per cent decrease in pollinator distribution. It's reasonable to say that the overall picture is one of long-term decline in pollinator abundance.

Did flowers or bees evolve first?
Flowers evolved first, around 140 million years ago, while bees appeared later, about 100 million years ago. Early flowers didn’t have any nectar, but they did have pollen, which early beetle-type insects fed on and pollinated the plants as they moved around. As flowering plants diversified, they co-evolved with bees and other insects by also offering nectar as food to encourage pollination.

In addition to the £5,000 we hope to raise we are already very grateful to the Surrey Hills National Landscape; they have provided us with funding to contribute to the purchase of our Ryetec cut and collect machine which will enable us to carry out the management required to establish and maintain this important habitat.

The CRT will ensure funds are directed to the work, plants and other materials required to create the wildflower meadow at Pierrepont Farm. However, if this appeal target is not met or exceeded the funds could be diverted to another appeal to achieve the greatest benefit for wildlife and people on our farms. Appeal was due to run from 5th July to 20th September 2025 and was extended to 7th October to continuing fundraising to get closer to our target.