Today is World Environment Day and we’re talking about land restoration and rewilding. Did you know that since 1930, we’ve lost a whopping 97% of our wildflower meadows in the UK? It doesn’t sound too good, but does it really matter?
It most certainly does, because wildflowers are a vital source of nourishment for our pollinator population. According to The Wildlife Trust, we have our pollinators to thank for every third mouthful we eat. They explain “Many species of bee, moth, butterfly, hoverfly, fly, and beetle provide an essential service in the UK (and globally), pollinating £690 million worth of crops annually. Taking over this job ourselves would be difficult and time-consuming and would cost us an estimated £1.8 billion every year!”
So not only do wildflowers support food security but, much like any woodland, the root system of an established wildflower meadow provides structure, similar to how foundations support a building. This makes the ground stable, preventing landslides and soil erosion (where nutrients within the soil is washed away). Similarly, abundant root systems absorb excess water, which helps to mitigate flooding, something which we’ve seen a rise in, in recent years.
We understand the importance of rewilding and biodiversity and are excited to be part of the journey. The UK government has recognised this too, which is why they’ve introduced a new planning regulation called Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG). The aim is to “make sure wildlife habitats are left in a better state than before development, and in doing so make a significant contribution to nature’s recovery”.
