Pollinators such as bees and hover flies, which are vital for the environment and economy, will receive new protection under plans announced by the Welsh government
The Pollinator Action Plan is claimed to be the first of its kind in the UK and will focus on reversing a 30-year decline in Welsh bee populations. It will work to make areas more bee-friendly, for example by working with urban planners to ensure that developments have suitable plants grown in areas such as railway embankments and road verges.
The value of bees and other pollinators to the UK government is estimated to be £430m a year through the ‘services’ they provide such as honey production and crop pollination.