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<p>In October the Government announced £50,000 to support two large-scale pollinator
projects in Devon and Hampshire and £60,000 of funding to develop and test pollinator
habitat mapping and to help voluntary bodies and land managers to create pollinator-friendly
landscapes.</p><p> </p><p>We have supported two major events in 2018 to raise awareness
of the importance of bees and encourage people to take action. In July, we put on
a week-long ‘Bees’ Needs’ event in Carnaby Street (renamed ‘Carnabee’ Street for the
week). In November, in collaboration with the Green Flag Award scheme, we organised
the Bees’ Needs Champions Awards at Kew Gardens to recognise and celebrate exemplary
initiatives undertaken by local authorities, universities, community groups, universities
and bee farmers to support bees and other insects.</p><p> </p><p>To improve our understanding
of the status of pollinators, we have been funding a new UK-wide Pollinator Monitoring
Scheme which will report next year. Following scientific evidence that neonicotinoid
pesticides are harmful to bees and other pollinators, all outdoor usage will be withdrawn
from 19 December 2018.</p><p> </p><p>To improve honey bee health, we have maintained
an extensive programme of advisory visits and training events to improve beekeepers
knowledge of bee pests and diseases and good husbandry practices. Early reporting
of Asian hornet by beekeepers has been instrumental in enabling us to tackle several
outbreaks this year.</p><p> </p><p>These build on the work undertaken, with the invaluable
support of a range of partners to the deliver the National Pollinator Strategy for
England, published in 2014. Furthermore the Government introduced a Wild Pollinator
and Farm Wildlife Package to Countryside Stewardship in 2015 to make it easier for
farmers to take action to create habitat for pollinators.</p><p> </p>
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