Our wild bees, butterflies and other insects play a very important role in pollinating our wild flowers, trees, fruit and vegetables. However, in recent years urban development and changes in farming mean there are fewer wildflowers and uncultivated areas leaving many of our wild pollinators struggling to find food and nesting habitat. Nearly one third of our native bee species are now in danger of becoming extinct.

The All Ireland Pollinator Plan 2015 – 2020 aims to get everyone – local authorities, farmers, schools, businesses, home-owners and communities to take steps to protect our pollinators and ensure their services into the future.

In support of this, a number of pollinator events have been organised in County Galway by local communities with the help of the ‘People and Nature’ – the Galway County Biodiversity Project to inform and inspire the people of Galway to get busy for bees!

Tuam Pollinator Awareness Day – Sat 6^th May 2-4pm, Palace Grounds.

Information and advice on nature friendly gardening, meet the beekeepers, pollinator fun and games for kids organised by Tuam Tidy Towns.

Abbey Pollinator Workshop – Sunday 7^th May 3- 6pm, Community Centre, Abbey.

Learn about planting for bees and butterflies, Enjoy local pollinator art, make some pollinator crafts and the Abbey Beekeepers organised by Abbey Community Development

Rinville Park Pollinator Awareness day – Sunday 14^th May, 2-5pm, Rinville Park

Find out how you can help pollinators at home, meet the Galway Beekeepers, build a bug hotel, and join the ‘Pollinator Parade’ with prize for best dressed garden bugs! Organised by Oranmore Tidy Towns and Calasanctius College with the local Scouts and Conservation Volunteers Galway.

An Chearthu Rua  Planting for Pollinators Workshop – Saturday 3^rd June, 12 noon, Halla Eanna.

Join wildlife gardening specialist Kay Synnott and the Tidy Towns volunteers and learn hands on how to make a pollinator flower bed and bee nesting areas.

These local Tidy Towns groups and others all over the country are buzzing about the new ‘Local Authority Pollinator Award’. This Special Award has been sponsored by the Heritage and Biodiversity Officers around the country along with the National Biodiversity Data Centre to encourage Tidy Towns groups to support the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan by making their communities more pollinator-friendly. There is an attractive prize fund of €9,000. The closing date for the award is 25th May. Details and application forms are available at http://www.tidytowns.ie/newsItem.php?id=1101

So if you are interested in nature, gardening or involved in your local Tidy Towns why not come along to one of these free events, have some fun and see how you can help our pollinator friends

The National Biodiversity Data Centre has produced practical guidelines to help communities and Tidy Towns groups to take action. The guidelines and other useful resources can be downloaded at (http://www.biodiversityireland.ie/projects/irish-pollinator-initiative/all-ireland-pollinator-plan/local-communities/).

For further information on these events contact the Galway County Biodiversity Project Manager Elaine O’Riordan at elaine.oriordan@nuigalway.ie phone 091 495921. See our website and facebook page for further updates www.biodiversity.galwaycommunityheritage.org  www.facebook.com/peopleandnature