Dr Amir Khan, star of Channel 5’s ‘GPs Behind Closed Doors’ and keen conservationist has joined forces with two leading UK wildlife charities to urge people to become ‘Nature Doctors’ in their own gardens by planting for pollinators this year.
97% of our wildflower meadows have been eradicated since World War II. Homes for butterflies, bumblebees and moths are disappearing, and their populations are plummeting. They are, quite simply, running out of places to go
Dr Khan is working alongside Butterfly Conservation and Bumblebee Conservation Trust to launch a new campaign asking people to set up their own ‘Insect A&E’ areas in their gardens for the benefit of the nation’s struggling pollinators. Places where these threatened but vitally important insects can rest, recuperate and rejuvenate.
According to a recent survey, 84% of UK adults are concerned about damage to the natural environment, and 56% about local biodiversity loss. Many are keen to take action to tackle these problems but need advice on which plants to grow in their own gardens to support our native biodiversity.
The good news is that this advice is now freely available and easily accessible in a handy, downloadable plant guide with information about how best to help butterflies, moths and bumblebees across the UK.
www.butterfly-conservation.org/insectae
Dr Khan says:
“As a nature lover I am delighted to join with these brilliant organisations in asking people to act now for wildlife. Simply by choosing some of these plants, people’s gardens can become a haven for pollinators, or even… a hospital they can recover in. Anyone can build an Insect A&E and help these amazing and precious creatures.
Plus being in nature has many tangible beneficial physical and mental effects so why not get out there, relax and reconnect with nature by planting your own Insect A&E? It’s so easy and it helps so much”
Butterflies, moths and bumblebees are an essential part of our eco-system. They are an important element of the food chain and are prey for birds, bats and other insectivorous animals. Their habitat is rapidly decreasing, and their numbers are declining and so we must act now to help them rest, recuperate and rejuvenate in our own gardens.
Dr Amir Khan
Julie Williams, CEO of Butterfly Conservation commented:
“We are very excited to join forces with Bumblebee Conservation Trust and Dr Khan not only to raise awareness of the threats to our amazing insects but also to offer workable options for people keen to attract pollinators into their gardens. It is wonderful when we can live alongside the beauty of nature and enjoy its many physical and mental benefits. We hope that people across the UK will set up Insect A&Es to help sustain and support our very important and beautiful insects”.
In the UK at present, three quarters of butterfly and two-thirds of moth species are in decline, Bumblebees are also under threat as in the last 80 years populations have crashed with two species becoming nationally extinct and several others declining dramatically.
Gill Perkins, CEO, Bumblebee Conservation Trust said, “Any initiative to help provide food for bumblebees and other pollinators is welcome! We know that every little helps when it comes to providing food sources for bees. It’s important for people to grow the right type of bee friendly flowers and the information available through ‘Insect A&E’ helps people make the right choices for the planets health.”
When people make small changes to their gardens, they can achieve a massive change for nature. So, join in today, visit butterfly-conservation.org/insectae and become a Nature Doctor!
