Betchworth B-Line: A Biodiversity Corridor Rich in Wildflower Habitats for Insect Pollinators
Norman Jackson
Norman Jackson
B-Lines and Biodiversity Corridors
It’s 7 months since we launched our Betchworth B-Line community project. B-Lines are a simple but powerful idea developed by ‘Buglife’ to help nature reverse the rapid decline of insect pollinators by encouraging people to cultivate more wildflowers. The B stands for biodiversity and B-Lines are an attempt to focus attention and effort to improve biodiversity within a network of narrow corridors that criss-cross the country connecting different regional scale habitats for wildflife. The idea of a biodiversity corridor extends beyond wildflowers and insect pollinators to embrace all life. Within a biodiversity corridor people concentrate effort and resources to help nature to flourish. In this way a biodiversity corridor provides a framework within which support for the natural world can be organised.
Figure 1 UK-wide network of B-Lines
It’s 7 months since we launched our Betchworth B-Line community project. B-Lines are a simple but powerful idea developed by ‘Buglife’ to help nature reverse the rapid decline of insect pollinators by encouraging people to cultivate more wildflowers. The B stands for biodiversity and B-Lines are an attempt to focus attention and effort to improve biodiversity within a network of narrow corridors that criss-cross the country connecting different regional scale habitats for wildflife. The idea of a biodiversity corridor extends beyond wildflowers and insect pollinators to embrace all life. Within a biodiversity corridor people concentrate effort and resources to help nature to flourish. In this way a biodiversity corridor provides a framework within which support for the natural world can be organised.
Figure 1 UK-wide network of B-Lines
We heard about B-Lines through a talk given by Buglife Conservation Officer Louis Harrington-Edmans. We contacted Louis to see if Buglife could help us establish our own B-Line and he helped us with advice, encouragement and a donation of wildflower seed. Betchworth Parish Council also provided a grant from which we purchased wildflower seed. With these donations we were able to provide wildflower seed to 40 residents and local businesses who joined our initiative. In the last 6 months we have made a good start in laying the foundations for our biodiversity corridor which currently stretches from Fraser Down nature reserve in the north of the parish, to the River Mole, a distance of around 3km (Figure 2).
Figure 2 Betchworth B-Line Our vision for a biodiversity corridor
We are conducting surveys of the plant and animal life within the biodiversity corridor, making maps and recording what we find in photographs and movies. We have helped nature to flourish through a range of projects including building bird boxes and hedgehog shelters, planting 70 trees for the Queen’s Green Canopy, cultivating wildflower strips and mini meadows for insect pollinators, and offering workshops aimed at developing skills to look after the natural environment - for example apple tree pruning and scything.
Increasing Biodiversity by Creating Mini Wildflower Meadows
Our seed mixes contained over 30 species of wildflower – many of these can already be found in our area but some are either rare or are absent. The 5Kg of seed we have sown will contain over 5 million seeds so we are improving biodiversity by increasing abundance, improving diversity and expanding the areas in which wildflowers are growing.
Figure 2 Betchworth B-Line Our vision for a biodiversity corridor
We are conducting surveys of the plant and animal life within the biodiversity corridor, making maps and recording what we find in photographs and movies. We have helped nature to flourish through a range of projects including building bird boxes and hedgehog shelters, planting 70 trees for the Queen’s Green Canopy, cultivating wildflower strips and mini meadows for insect pollinators, and offering workshops aimed at developing skills to look after the natural environment - for example apple tree pruning and scything.
Increasing Biodiversity by Creating Mini Wildflower Meadows
Our seed mixes contained over 30 species of wildflower – many of these can already be found in our area but some are either rare or are absent. The 5Kg of seed we have sown will contain over 5 million seeds so we are improving biodiversity by increasing abundance, improving diversity and expanding the areas in which wildflowers are growing.
Three types of wildflower habitat
Within our B-Line we recognise the three types of wildflower habitat.
1 Established Cultivated Wildflower Meadows
There are two cultivated wildflower meadows in the village on Goulburn Green and Potters Farm (Figure 3) These provide excellent illustrations of what can be achieved and provide us with a vision for the future.
Figure 3 Potters Farm & Goulburn Green established wildflower meadows.
Within our B-Line we recognise the three types of wildflower habitat.
1 Established Cultivated Wildflower Meadows
There are two cultivated wildflower meadows in the village on Goulburn Green and Potters Farm (Figure 3) These provide excellent illustrations of what can be achieved and provide us with a vision for the future.
Figure 3 Potters Farm & Goulburn Green established wildflower meadows.
2) Natural Wildflower Meadows
There are several natural uncultivated wildflower meadows within the B-Line including Fraser Down Nature Reserve, the chalk grassland near the Lime Kiln, the garden wildflower meadows of residents in The Coombe, and Chalklands, the buttercup-rich fields of Pebble Hill Pastures and Holmes Farm east of Pebblehill Rd, and the buttercup –rich meadows of Broome Park, the grassland south of the post office and path by the school, the meadow adjacent to the River Mole and the many road verges that criss-cross the parish (Figure 4). Together, these areas add up to over 50 acres of wildflower rich grassland.
Figure 4 Some of the natural (uncultivated) wildflower meadows in our B-Line
There are several natural uncultivated wildflower meadows within the B-Line including Fraser Down Nature Reserve, the chalk grassland near the Lime Kiln, the garden wildflower meadows of residents in The Coombe, and Chalklands, the buttercup-rich fields of Pebble Hill Pastures and Holmes Farm east of Pebblehill Rd, and the buttercup –rich meadows of Broome Park, the grassland south of the post office and path by the school, the meadow adjacent to the River Mole and the many road verges that criss-cross the parish (Figure 4). Together, these areas add up to over 50 acres of wildflower rich grassland.
Figure 4 Some of the natural (uncultivated) wildflower meadows in our B-Line
3) New Wildflower Cultivations
The 40 participants in our B-line project have sown around 1400 square metres of wildflower seed within the northern part of our B-line. This does not mean that all the seeds germinated and flowered this year. The spring weather was not favourable: March & April were cooler than average, and March was much wetter and April much drier than average. As a result of these conditions many participants delayed sowing seed until mid to late April or even May, consequently, some seeds did not germinate and many seedlings did not flower – an example is shown in Figure 5.
The 40 participants in our B-line project have sown around 1400 square metres of wildflower seed within the northern part of our B-line. This does not mean that all the seeds germinated and flowered this year. The spring weather was not favourable: March & April were cooler than average, and March was much wetter and April much drier than average. As a result of these conditions many participants delayed sowing seed until mid to late April or even May, consequently, some seeds did not germinate and many seedlings did not flower – an example is shown in Figure 5.
Variability in the growth of wildflowers is sometimes hard to explain. For example, the same seed mix used in adjacent properties on Pebble Hill yielded virtually no wildflowers in one property (Figure 6 left) while the wildflowers flourished in the other property (Figure 6 right).
Figure 6 Variable responses to sowing the same seed mix in adjacent properties
Figure 6 Variable responses to sowing the same seed mix in adjacent properties
Fortunately there have been enough successes to know that our strategy will, given time, achieve our objective to grow more wild flowers in our biodiversity corridor. Figure 7 provides an example. Seeds were sown in March and while the wildflowers were slow to grow – by mid to late July there was significant flowering and they remain in flower well into August.
Figure 7 One of the successful new areas of wildflower cultivation covering about 300 sq m.
Figure 7 One of the successful new areas of wildflower cultivation covering about 300 sq m.
Collecting Seed
By August early summer flowers have gone to seed and they provide a fantastic resource for wildlife and for propagation. By collecting the seed and sowing in other areas we are helping nature to expand its own resources. During August and September the B-Line team will be collecting seed for next stage of our project.
Next Steps
We now have a much better idea about the nature and distribution of wildflowers within our biodiversity line and we have begun to identify and record the insect pollinators who inhabit our B-Line. The perennial seeds that were sown in the north of the parish, are now in the seed bank and there is a good chance that they will germinate and wildflowers will flourish in years to come. But this will depend on how well we manage the grasses that will outcompete the flowers if left to their own devices.
We intend to build on this positive start. Re-B will offer more wildflower seed to Betchworth residents in September for an autumn sowing. Our focus will be on the area south of Station Rd to the southern boundary of the parish, but we will also try to help residents in the north of the parish who want to join the project. If you would like to join our B-Line project please email project coordinator Norman Jackson [email protected] with details of where you live and the size of the area you want to sow.
Visit our wildflower exhibition at: https://rebetchworth.weebly.com/wildflower-exhibition.html#/
and our wildflower movies at: https://www.youtube.com/@RE-Bmovies/
Norman, Milla, Deb & Hilary
RE-B B-Line Team
By August early summer flowers have gone to seed and they provide a fantastic resource for wildlife and for propagation. By collecting the seed and sowing in other areas we are helping nature to expand its own resources. During August and September the B-Line team will be collecting seed for next stage of our project.
Next Steps
We now have a much better idea about the nature and distribution of wildflowers within our biodiversity line and we have begun to identify and record the insect pollinators who inhabit our B-Line. The perennial seeds that were sown in the north of the parish, are now in the seed bank and there is a good chance that they will germinate and wildflowers will flourish in years to come. But this will depend on how well we manage the grasses that will outcompete the flowers if left to their own devices.
We intend to build on this positive start. Re-B will offer more wildflower seed to Betchworth residents in September for an autumn sowing. Our focus will be on the area south of Station Rd to the southern boundary of the parish, but we will also try to help residents in the north of the parish who want to join the project. If you would like to join our B-Line project please email project coordinator Norman Jackson [email protected] with details of where you live and the size of the area you want to sow.
Visit our wildflower exhibition at: https://rebetchworth.weebly.com/wildflower-exhibition.html#/
and our wildflower movies at: https://www.youtube.com/@RE-Bmovies/
Norman, Milla, Deb & Hilary
RE-B B-Line Team
A Nice Endorsement from Buglife
Our B-Line project was inspired by the work of Buglife so it is very nice to receive this endorsement from Louis Harrington-Edmans, a Space4Nature Conservation Officer at Buglife.
“Never has acting for biodiversity been more important than now! With B-Lines providing a co-ordinated international approach to reconnecting our landscapes for wildlife. Re-Betchworth and the Betchworth B-Line project has personally inspired me greatly. Demonstrating what’s possible when communities take ownership of providing for their local wildlife, with fantastic progress even at this early stage. Making real impacts for Betchworth’s pollinators and other wildlife locally while also providing an important link for the B-Lines insect superhighway network at large. None of this would have been possible without the dedication of Re-Betchworth and their supporters. We look forward to seeing the projects ongoing accomplishments.”
“Never has acting for biodiversity been more important than now! With B-Lines providing a co-ordinated international approach to reconnecting our landscapes for wildlife. Re-Betchworth and the Betchworth B-Line project has personally inspired me greatly. Demonstrating what’s possible when communities take ownership of providing for their local wildlife, with fantastic progress even at this early stage. Making real impacts for Betchworth’s pollinators and other wildlife locally while also providing an important link for the B-Lines insect superhighway network at large. None of this would have been possible without the dedication of Re-Betchworth and their supporters. We look forward to seeing the projects ongoing accomplishments.”