BienenBlütenReich [Bee Blossom Realm] is a project of the Blühende Landschaft [Blooming Landscape] network, which has been working to establish and promote perennial flowering areas in Germany since 2016. Below is an interview with Linda Trein, one of the organizers of the project.
What are the aims of the Bee Blossom Realm project?
The Bee Blossom Realm project aims to inspire people across Germany to create flowering habitats for bees, bumblebees, butterflies, and other insects. We want to create model flowering areas in every district in order to stop the extinction of insects.
What are the requirements for true biodiversity?
True biodiversity is achieved when we succeed in making the entire landscape bloom in a variety of ways. This requires a mosaic of various structural and flowering elements, which, above all, need to be as long-lasting as possible. These include perennial flowering fallows in fields, extensively used flower meadows, diverse flowering hedges, structurally rich meadow orchards, and flower-rich forests.
What can each individual do to increase biodiversity?
Every single person influences the environmental sustainability of agricultural production through his or her personal purchasing decisions—regional, local, or organic. If you have a garden or a balcony, you can make sure when buying seeds and plants that they are native and, ideally, regional flowers. If you don’t have these options, you can take out a flower sponsorship with us, and thereby help us to create a blossoming landscape [locally, in Germany,] for insects and human beings.
More at Netzwerk Blühende Landschaft and Blühpatenschaften
Translation Joshua Kelberman
Photo Linda Trein
