PolyPla
for abandoned crops rewilding for polinators
index 1 . Why PolyPla? 2 . PolyPla project 3 .Type of projects 4 . Plant it! 5 . How to build a nest 6 . Beehiving together 7 . What I can do?
Why do we have to care about pollination? Pollination as ecosystem serv ice Pollination is an important ecosystem service that humans receive from nature. In fact, pollinators transfer pollen from male to female structures of flowers, enabling fertilisation and reproduction of plants. Humans as a society, we have to be responsible of the sustainability and wellbeing of the different kind of pollinators’ population. Adequate policies, awareness campaigns, research project or funding are just some of the action that can be undertaken to protect pollinators. This ecosystem service is crucial for our food supply, since allows increasing the quality and quantity of food. According to an EU project, the yearly contribution of pollinators to European agriculture is estimated at around ₏15 billion.
Who are our pollinators? pollinators are mainly insects, such as bees, butterflies, moths, wasps, hoverflies, beetles and other fly species. Most of them are wild species, although they can also become managed pollinators under human’s maintenance, such as honeybees for the beekeeping sector.
Wild pollinators are declining under the increasing threat from human activity, in particular conversion to intensive agriculture and the use of pesticides and fertilisers. The main threats for pollinators are related with:
What is the PolyPla project? The PolyPlan (Pla de Conreus en desús per a la promoció de biodiversitat i pol·linització) is a project promoted by the municipalities of the Vallès Occidental County in order to enhance the biodiversity of abandoned crops with temporary interventions and the participation of the civil society.
Who and how can participate? There is a high presence of several abandoned crops in the green corridor connecting the 3 parks of Sant Llorenç del Munt i l’Obac, Serralada de Marina and Collserola, specifically in the areas sourrounding the Colobrers torrent, the Tort river, the Santiga stream and Polinyà stream, especially in the municipalities of Castellar del Vallès, Sabadell and Sentmenat.
Why we need the PolyPla Project? The use of abandoned crops represents an opportunity to protect the wildlife of the area and engage different stakeholders to participate and commit as much as they can. Indeed, the participation of a wide range of actors aims to increase overall awareness about pollinators and their relevance for nature and for ourselves as humans.
Why we need the PolyPla Project? This starter kit presents basic information about pollination and specific intervention to be implemented in order to guide different stakeholders with a different range of knowledge, implication and commitment. It is complemented by beekeepers associations that will use this starter kit to introduce agents into the relevance
a . The Municipalities
Sabadell Polinyà Santa Perpètua de Mogoda Barberá del Vallès La Llagosta Ripollet Montcada i Reixac
b. The associations After the identification of specifics crops to be “activated”, a public tender will be organized in order to select the best proposals according to the specific selection criteria. Neighborhood associations, NGOs, residences and health centers, unions of companies… Public or private non-profit entities are invited to make a proposal for the reactivation of an abandoned crop. The main selection criteria are based on concepts of: implication for the environment economically self-sufficiency environmental sustainability creativity innovation social performance
c . The network In order to develop pollinator-friendly interventions, the PoplyPla counts with the support of different beekeeping associations. These associations will guarantee the quality of the implementation the different interventions and will provide their knowledge and experience to everyone engaged.
Difussion & Engagement Salvem el pla del reixac
Knowledge & Support
Research
type of projects
adequation of environment
Plantation
Nesting
Beekiping
Plant it! In this chapter you will learn which plants are more suitable for pollination, how to choose them attending to its seasonality and how to make your own ecological natural compost by recycling your organic waste.
a . Seasonality b . Catalogue of plants c . Composting
seasonality for polinators is really important to have nutrients all arround the year. Please keep in mind that you will have to choose plants that cover all the year of flowering
j 1.Arctium Minus 2.Borago Officinalis 3.Cichorium Intybus 4.Cistus Albidus 5.Crataegus Monogyna 6.Diplotaxis Erucoides 7.Dorycnium Hirsutum 8.Doricnium Pentaphyllium 9.Echium Vulgare 10.Erucastrum 11.Foeniculum vulgare 12.Enula Viscosa 13.Lavandula latifolia 14.Lonicera Implexa 15.Lotus Corniculatus 16.Medicago sativa 17.Myrtus communis 18.Prunus spinosa 19.Rosmarinus officinali 20.Rubus caesius 21.Rubus ulmifolius 22.Salix alba 23.Salix elaeagnos 24.Salix purpurea 25.Saponaria officinalis 26.Silybum marianum 27.Sorbus domestica 28.Tamarix africana 29.Thymus vulgaris 30.Trifolium pratense 31.Trifolium repens 32.Vitex agnus-castus
f m a m j
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d
of
catalogue
1.Arctium Minus
2.Borago Officinalis
plants
4.Cistus Albidus
3.Cichorium Intybus
7.Dorycnium Hirsutum
6.Diplotaxis Erucoides
5.Crataegus Monogyna
9.Echium Vulgare
8.Doricnium Pentaphyllium
12.Enula Viscosa
11.Foeniculum vulgare
10.Erucastrum
14.Lonicera Implexa
13.Lavandula latifolia
17.Myrtus communis
16.Medicago sativa
15.Lotus Corniculatus
19.Rosmarinus officinali
18.Prunus spinosa
22.Salix alba
21.Rubus ulmifolius
23.Salix elaeagnos
20.Rubus caesius
25.Saponaria officinalis
24.Salix purpurea
28.Tamarix africana
27.Sorbus domestica
26.Silybum marianum
30.Trifolium pratense
29.Thymus vulgaris
32.Vitex agnus-castus
31.Trifolium repens
composting One of the biggest issues for pollinators are the chemicals used in our agriculture. You can do your own compost to create natural fertilizer from your own waste. It’s a win-win!
1 . Make a composter you can recycle things you can find at your home
old drawer
fruitcase
2 . Do some holes Ventilation and water filtering is needed
3 . Recycle organic waste Put the organic waste in the composter by layers: humid and non humid waste
4 . Water the compost From time to time, without flooding the composter
flower pot
How to build a nest In this chapter you will learn which are the optimal spaces for nests, how to promote natural nests and how to build artificial ones
a . For begginers b . For handypeople
for beginners a . Choose your filler you can recycle things you can find at your home
dead leaves
scrap wood
dead wood
dead bamboo
pinecone
bricks with holes
small stones
b . Choose a bin a) Ensure the container has space for the filter b) Open at one end, and closed at the other
old drawer
winecase
metal bin
3 . The filling follow next steps
fill your bin
put a grid to hold the filler
glue a little roof
for handypeople 1 . Choose your filler you can recycle things you can find at your home
dead leaves
scrap wood
dead wood
dead bamboo
pinecone
bricks with holes
small stones
2 . Build your insect hotel Create separators for the different type of fillers. Be sure your fillers will enter
Make a roopftop by two pieces in an angle of 15-30 degrees aproximately
Basic case taking into account the roof
Create the basic structure of 30-40 cm high
Beehiving together In this chapter you will learn some basic elements about beekiping, so you can join our lessons with a bit of knowledge
a . The outfit b .How is a beehive? c .Parts of a beehive
before starting... All the material needed will be provided to you by renting by a friendly price it in the abandoned crops. Here you have got the elements, besides bees, that you will work with.
a . The outfit gloves
suit
beekeeping hat
lever
smoker
big brush
b . How is a beehive? outer cover inner cover
Honey supers Frames Queen excluder Deep super Stand Bottom board
c. Parts of a beehive
What can I do? This is a collaborative project and you already learned which kind of things you can do in our abandoned crops, but there is more: An association will take care of the abandoned crop while you’re not there, and our pollination network will do workshops for you to learn. Farmers can go to teach and help and industries can build and give us recycled material
a . The farmer b .The industry c . The schools d .The municipality e .The industry
a . The farmer If you are a farmer, you can stop using chemical pesticides and come to our crops to help us with the plantation. Also you can teach the people who wants to engage your knowledge Stop using chemical pesticides for your crops
Transmiting your knowledge
b . The industry You can bring us your waste for our insect hotels and handmade beehives or help us with your logistics infraestructure.Also you can help us by building beehives and insect hotels for us bring us your construction waste material when we ask for it
build the elements we need for beekeeping
support us with your logistics infraestructure
c . The Schools You can come with the school of the kids to the PolyPlas to learn and to practice their skills, but also: use the organic waste of the school cafeteria to make compost
d .The municipality If you are a farmer a municipality, there are certain kind of projects that you can build in order to improve the pollination in the abandoned crops Building heavy infraestructure that other stakeholders can’t
Distributing seeds and materials for the work
e . The citizen You can always go and try to help the associations in order to rewild the abandoned crops. Look at the interventions we proposed you as a starter!
implementation
Thank you rewilding for polinators