Tag Archives: bees

How can Lib Dems help bees right now?

By Sean Oxspring | Mon 15th August 2016 - 2:42 pm

I’m a videogame developer with a distinct love for wildlife and conservation, I am a big fan of bees and beekeeping. Whilst we already have some groundwork put in place for strategies to protect bees and other pollinators I thought it would be nice to list a few suggestions for what we as Liberal Democrats can do to improve the environment for these creatures right now in local government.

If possible it would be beneficial to ensure that specifications given to council contractors for gardening and landscaping include flowers well known for attracting bees and other pollinators such as English Lavender or Sweet William. It would also be wise to allow areas such as roadside verges to grow in such a way that wildflowers bloom there naturally, this could be done by changing how often or to what extent verges are mowed.

We should continue to avoid and attempt to eliminate the use of neonicotinoids and review the use of pesticides wherever possible. Producing open publications on use of pesticides and herbicides by local government and encouraging local businesses such as landscaping companies to do the same would also contribute towards improving the environment for pollinators.

Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged conservation | 3 Comments

Time for urgent action to reverse bee decline

By Roger Williams MP | Wed 26th June 2013 - 4:48 pm

The ‘minister for bees’ must announce an urgent plan to save Britain’s most precious pollinating insects

Bees are in decline. 47 of our wild bumble and solitary bees are listed as threatened, we’ve lost some bee species already and according to the British Beekeepers’ Association, last winter was the worst on record for the loss of honey bee colonies, with more than one-third not surviving hibernation.

Their decline is worrying – especially the wild varieties that don’t live in managed hives – they are one of our most valuable pollinating insects. Scientists at the University of Reading recently estimated that were …

Posted in News | Also tagged agriculture | 8 Comments

This week in Europe: 21-24 January… no to milk lakes, yes to skilled migrants and bees

By Mark Valladares | Fri 25th January 2013 - 4:21 pm

Proposals for a revised Common Agricultural Policy met with mixed emotions

On Wednesday, the European Parliament’s Agricultural Committee (AGRI) voted on reform proposals to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). ALDE MEPs welcomed the votes in general as a major step towards a more sustainable European agricultural model. However, ALDE condemns the possible double payment for greening and agri-environmental measures and rejects a possible return to failed past policies of heavy market interventions.

Commenting after the votes, George Lyon MEP (UK, Liberal Democrat), ALDE team leader on the AGRI committee and shadow rapporteur on the direct payments report, said: