Biodiversity Conservation at the University of Manchester: Monitoring Pollinators

Research report

Project:	UCIL 20411 Creating a Sustainable World
Student(s):	Daniel Catley
Method:	Desk research, interviews
Degree:	Geography BSc

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Summary

Pollinator numbers in the UK are declining. Without them the country simply would not be able to produce sufficient crops to feed everyone, Bees alone are responsible for an esimated £650 to £700 million for the economy (Knapton, 2015). With the constant expansion of cities into previously rural land the insects that play such a vital role in the production of crops are being forced into urban areas. While this expansion is one of the causes for pollinator decline cities may be able to offer some novel ways to adapt to this need to preserve such important creatures. Rooftop gardens and green corridors may be the way forward for cities that wish to grow sustainably. With an emphasis on utilising all the space that is available, many initiatives are looking at how urban environments can be made more suitable for pollinating insects.

The University if Manchester have set out a number of Environmental Sustainability objectives including a target to monitor pollinators and assess the species and total populations around the campus. As part of their biodiversity conservation project I have researched the viability of the campus as a habitat for these pollinators and what changes might be made to help monitor them.

Change in the distribution of UK pollinators (JNCC, 2019)