Cumbria Local Nature Partnership, which is hosted by Cumbria Wildlife Trust, has been awarded a grant from the Government’s £40 million second round of the Green Recovery Challenge Fund, a multi-million pound boost for green jobs and nature recovery.

£699,500 has been given to Planting for Pollinators, a partnership between the Cumbria Local Nature Partnership, Cumbria Wildlife Trust, Cumbria County Council, the Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre and local communities.

The partnership will work to increase populations of bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects by restoring 158 hectares of nectar and pollen-rich habitats.

The funds will help grow wild flowers locally, and Cumbria’s verges, burial grounds, farms and cycle routes are among the many green spaces that will be restored.

Work will take place along three key ‘B-Lines’, a UK-wide network of key connecting pathways for pollinating insects.

In Cumbria the B-lines are on the coast, from Calder Bridge in the south, running north and west past Carlisle to Longtown; from east to west, running along the A66 trunk road from Penrith to Workington, and from north to south, from Penrith to the Solway.

Paul Evans, Manager of the Cumbria Local Nature Partnership, said: “Work will soon be getting underway to create and restore a fantastic mosaic of habitats across north and west Cumbria.

"They will help pollinating insects by providing them with food, shelter and nesting sites.

"The work will be carried out by a project team led by Cumbria Wildlife Trust and Cumbria County Council, whose specially-appointed Community Engagement Officer will focus on making council verges more pollinator-friendly and on working with local community groups.

"Planting for Pollinators is also offering several job opportunities for young people, providing essential training to help them start a career in practical conservation.”

Tanya St. Pierre at Cumbria Wildlife Trust will be managing the project: “More than half of UK bee, butterfly and moth species have declined in the past 50 years, and 30 species of bee face extinction.

"Over the last 75 years we’ve lost 97 per cent of our flower-rich meadows and 60 per cent of flowering plants are in decline.

"Much of the habitat on which our pollinators depend is now seriously fragmented or degraded, leaving less food available to them within flying distance.

"It’s essential that, through projects like this, we restore our natural environment, bringing back habitats and species we’ve lost and ensuring that we pass on a healthy and vibrant natural environment, and the wildlife it supports, to future generations.”

Cllr Celia Tibble, Cabinet Member for the Environment at Cumbria County Council said: “This exciting new project will help make road-side verges and paths pollinator-friendly and enable local community groups to get involved in a variety of projects across the county.

"I look forward to seeing how it develops and would urge anyone interested in a career in conservation to get involved.”