All-Ireland Pollinator Plan – December 2024 newsletter
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 Newsletter: December 2024 The All-Ireland Pollinator Plan is a framework bringing together different sectors across the island of Ireland to create a landscape where pollinators can survive and thrive. Its implementation is coordinated by the National Biodiversity Data Centre. To spot this month: keep an eye out for queen bumblebees The normal lifecycle of most Irish bumblebees ends when the workers and males die off and the newly mated queens hibernate through the cold winter months. However, in recent years, the Buff-tailed bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) has been seen foraging during winter months in both Ireland and Britain. It is not known for certain what exactly is causing this. You can help improve our understanding by letting us know if you spot winter-active bumblebees.  Photo Edward Hill. Submit your bumblebee sightings To do this month: take some Willow cuttings Willow is a vital food source for bees in spring. At this time of year, you can take hardwood cuttings from existing Willows, creating a new Willow plantation at little cost.  All-Ireland Pollinator Plan – Annual Review 2024 Annual reporting is a very important part of the AIPP and is carried out across all our networks of partners and supporters. The core annual review is that of the Plan itself, and the 186 actions agreed for 2021-2025. Responsibility for delivery of these actions is shared out between the supporting partner organisations. Huge thanks to all of our partners for providing their annual updates. We are seeing very positive engagement and real commitment from all our partners. Of the 186 actions in the Plan, 94% were completed for 2024 or are currently in train.  Read the full review, including the current status of each of the 186 actions Council Partners – Annual Report 2024 The 2024 All-Ireland Pollinator Plan Council Partner report has been published. In 2023, all local authorities signed up as Council Partners to the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan, showing we are now all on the same page when it comes to managing our landscape for pollinators. The work of local authorities continues to grow in scale and ambition. In 2024, this work has included extensive meadow restoration, development of local provenance stock through local seed harvesting, habitat mapping projects to identify, protect, restore and establish areas for pollinators, and significant efforts to reduce pesticide use. For each existing Council Partner, the point of contact was requested to provide up to five short bullet point updates on their activities in 2024. The photograph below shows reduced mowing at Bundoran, Co. Donegal.  Read more and download the report Irish Pollinator Research Network – publications in 2024 The work of the Irish Pollinator Research Network underpins the objectives, actions and recommendations of the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan. See their publications in 2024.  Access the publication list Thanks to team and to the funders Thanks to the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan officers within the National Biodiversity Data Centre for their excellent work in supporting the activities of the Plan in 2024: Kate Chandler: Communities & Engagement Pollinator Officer Ruth Wilson: Farmland Pollinator Officer Sarah Kelly: Agri-business Officer We particularly thank the funders, without whom, it would be impossible to have these three posts: The National Parks and Wildlife Service, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and Bord Bia. Huge thanks to the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan Steering Group for engaging with the Plan so constructively and for continually providing such a positive steer of the initiative: https://pollinators.ie/about/aipp-steering-group/ Implementation of the Plan is coordinated by the National Biodiversity Data Centre  THANK YOU for your support The All-Ireland Pollinator Plan is a shared plan of action. It is about all of us coming together to try to create an island where pollinators can survive and thrive. The easy part is identifying what we need to do, the hard part is making it happen on the ground. The success of the Plan is entirely due to your support, goodwill, and enthusiasm. We extend our enormous thanks to everyone who has taken actions and engaged with the Plan this year. We look forward to lots more progress and new initiatives in 2025. Wishing you a very Happy Christmas and New Year. Úna FitzPatrick National Biodiversity Data Centre  If you are not subscribed to this newsletter and would like to be added to the mailing list, click here    The National Biodiversity Data Centre is a Company Limited by Guarantee. Register Number: 730718. National Biodiversity Data Centre, SETU West Campus, Carriganore, Waterford, Ireland, X91PE03 Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. |
