Over 85,000 spring bulbs have been planted in Emersons Green to provide an insect corridor and a splash of colour – as part of South Gloucestershire Council’s Common Connections mission to reverse the decline in nature.
The council is celebrating the halfway point in the four-year Common Connections project and with the help of 700 volunteer green pioneers, is making a big impact in the district with widespread habitat creation.
This huge scale project is responding to the climate and nature emergency by providing new, improved, and better-connected habitats that support nature’s recovery and make areas better adapted and more resilient to climate change.
Early in December, with help from Emersons Green Town Council, snowdrop, crocus, tulip and lily-like (squill) bulbs were planted along 33 different road verges spanning 1km of Emersons Way. With over 85,000 bulbs planted in total, this is one of the biggest ever planting projects undertaken by the council’s grounds team.
When the bulbs flower, they will provide a nectar rich corridor that pollinators will love, as well as providing residents and visitors to the area with a beautiful, colourful, floral display to celebrate the arrival of spring.
Bees, butterflies, moths, lacewings and hoverflies all play a vital role in helping plants to set seed, fruit and reproduce. Sadly, though, these pollinating insects are in decline with a lack of food and a shortage of suitable nesting sites both contributing factors.
On a warm day, despite flowering in the winter, snowdrops will be visited by honey bees. All spring-flowering crocus provide early nectar and pollen for bees emerging from hibernation on warm spring days. Indeed, before they find a nest site, some bumblebee queens will sleep in the flowers overnight. In the Lily family, Siberian squill blooms even later than the other two, so it will attract a large variety of early bees including mason bees and mining bees and there will also be a display of tulips alongside them.
The council has also worked with 11 schools to help make their grounds better for wildlife by planting hedgerows, trees and creating hedgehog holes.
Councillor Louise Harris, cabinet member responsible for the climate and nature emergency at South Gloucestershire Council, said: “We’re really pleased with the progress made at the halfway point of our Common Connections project.
“We’re helping nature to thrive by restoring natural habitats in the area and connecting nearby green spaces, such as commons, woodlands and grasslands. Managing this land to support a diverse range of plants, insects and animals, will also help strengthen the area’s resilience to the effects of climate change.”
Paul Kearsley, Environmental Services Manager at Emersons Green Town Council, welcomed the Common Connections initiative: “The spring flowers will add to the work we do across the area to help wildlife. As with many initiatives that are good for nature, there are some real benefits for people too, and we’re really looking forward to being able to enjoy the flowers this coming spring.” Paul was so inspired by the idea, he personally hand planted the last couple of thousand bulbs in the verges near Hicks Avenue.
South Gloucestershire Council has been running the Common Connections project for two years and has achieved the following:
• Nearly 70,000 square metres of new wildflower rich areas and meadows for pollinators
• Nearly 400 fully grown trees planted
• 3,500 tree whips creating hedgerow
• Over 500 residents signed their garden up to be wildlife friendly habitat as part of our Community Nature Reserves, really increasing the amount of space for nature to travel through, find food, breed, and live in the area
• Restoration of six ponds creating improved wetland habitat for birds, insects and amphibians
• Over 1km of footpath improvements across five sites
• Almost 50 bird and bat boxes installed
• In our 11 schools we have created hedgehog holes, had the children deciding where to install bird and bat boxes, and run sessions about the importance of hedgerows, wildflowers and orchards for wildlife. Over 2,000 pupils have taken part.
