The Festival Field in Caerleon stands ready for the 15th Caerleon Festival’s BIG FREE taking place on Saturday 15th – 16th July. Our thanks to all the dedicated workers who undertook the extraordinarily hard work in getting it into shape, working at times in very difficult conditions…….
Take time to see Gallery of photos below and marvel!
Might have some relevance regarding the field
Tackling the Decline in Pollinating Insects:
The beauty and biodiversity of the UK countryside, along with the productivity and quality of the nation’s £100bn food industry, are significantly dependent upon the abundance and sustainability of pollinating insect numbers. Approximately 75% of the world’s food crops are at least partially reliant upon pollination, as are nearly 90% of all wild flowering plants (IBES, 2017). Whilst there are at least 1500 species of pollinating insects in the UK, a loss in flower rich habitats attributable to the intensification of agriculture, rapid industrial development and urbanisation, has led to a marked decline in the profusion of pollinators. Indeed, the UK has lost 20 species of bee since the 1900s and a further 35 are considered under threat (Friends of the Earth).
In response, the 10 year National Pollinator Strategy was launched by DEFRA in November 2014, aiming to support pollinators across farmland, towns, cities and countryside, as well as improve awareness and evidence of their status and needs. This strategy has engaged, and is being co-implemented by: voluntary organisations, community groups, local authorities and numerous public bodies. The Campaign for Farmed Environment has provided consistent guidance on pollinator management for farm businesses, whilst Helping Pollinators Locally (2016), co-published by conservation charity Buglife, offers guidance to local authorities on the formulation and delivery of a ‘local pollinator strategy’.
However, despite evidence of expanded community engagement and partnerships, it is clear that the future sustainability of pollinating insect numbers remains deeply uncertain. The British Beekeepers Association reported over winter bee loses rising from 14.7% in 2014/15 to 16.7% in 15/16. Similarly, analysis on the effects of neonicotinoid pesticides, published by the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology last year, demonstrates an average 7% decline in populations across all bee species since 2002. Whilst ‘neonics’ have been subjected to a two year ban from use in fields by the European Commission, ’Brexit’ has cast doubts over the future regulatory framework governing pollinator harming pesticides in the UK.
Thank you Jason for this article – makes for an interesting and unsettling read.