Reflecting on a Year of Collaboration: Pollenize's Partnership with City College Plymouth
Looking back on the past year, we are excited to share the impactful achievements resulting from Pollenize's partnership with City College Plymouth. As a Plymouth-based organisation dedicated to pollinator conservation, our goal has always been to collaborate with local educational institutions, fostering a lasting influence on our community. City College Plymouth, with its 12,000 students and diverse educational offerings, has played a pivotal role in our shared mission to drive positive change in our environment and promote eco-consciousness among the next generation.
October 2022: A Buzzworthy Beginning
City College Plymouth Apiary: Chris Parkes Photography
In October 2022, City College Plymouth joined forces with Pollenize in our mission to protect pollinators. The college graciously provided space on its campus as a host apiary site, expanding our Plymouth apiary network, which already included nine other organisations across the city. Our research hives were strategically placed on a flat roof, allowing students and staff a unique opportunity to closely interact with these essential pollinators. Each week during the beekeeping season, we collect pollen residue from our college bees for DNA analysis, providing a detailed picture of their foraging habits in the area.
The response from students and staff has been positive, with over 25 individuals enthusiastically joining our head beekeeper, Shelley, on her weekly hive inspections. This experience deepened their understanding of honey bees and their critical role in our ecosystem.
Spring 2023: The Pesticide-Free Plymouth Campaign
In Spring 2023, Pollenize launched the Pesticide-Free Plymouth campaign, a city-wide movement aimed at raising awareness of the harmful effects of pesticide use on the environment. City College Plymouth proudly supported this campaign by making a bold pledge: to become an entirely pesticide-free campus by 2024.
Lance Chatfield, the college's Executive of Technical Innovation and Sustainability, played a crucial role in our campaign. In a video, he explained the college's support for our initiative and highlighted their various green initiatives, including being a "hedgehog-friendly" campus. This collaboration emphasised the importance of private landowners making nature-friendly decisions and showcased the college's genuine commitment to sustainability, driven by a sense of purpose rather than obligation.
October 2023: Transforming Green Spaces
Chris Parkes Photography
In October 2023, City College Plymouth continued its commitment to the environment by granting Pollenize permission to transform a 500-square-meter area on campus into a wildflower meadow. This ambitious project involved the dedicated efforts of four Pollenize members, who cleared the area, prepared the soil, and sowed native wildflower seeds. Come spring 2024, this meadow is expected to burst into vibrant colours, providing essential nourishment and a safe habitat for insects and wildlife.
Informative signage was also installed as part of this project, educating students, staff, and visitors about the significance of pollinators and our partnership with the college. This initiative aimed to inspire individuals to actively participate in pollinator conservation.
Citizen Science and Biodiversity Tracking
Chris Parkes Photography
The partnership between Pollenize and City College Plymouth extends beyond physical changes. Together, we encourage individuals to engage in citizen science through campus bioblitzes (intensive biological surveys for species identification). Participants can use smartphones to document species encountered on campus throughout the year and share their observations on the free iNaturalist app. This data is processed through our advanced biodiversity tracking tool called Floradex, which not only identifies species but also recommends suitable planting solutions for the future. Looking ahead, we plan to involve more students and staff in group bioblitz events in the coming year.
Together with the college, we have taken significant steps toward pollinator conservation, reducing pesticide usage, and promoting environmental education. As we move forward, we are excited about the possibilities that lie ahead and the positive impact we can continue to make on our community and our planet. We extend our gratitude to City College Plymouth for their unwavering dedication as our partner in our mission to protect pollinators and advance sustainability!
