Project details

Lowland heath is a rare and special habitat. Around 80% has been lost in the UK over the last 200 years, yet the small areas that remain make up about 18% of the world’s total lowland heath. Heathland grows on poor, acidic soils and is made up of low shrubs, scrub and patches of bare ground. These warm, open conditions are ideal for sun loving wildlife such as reptiles, bees, wasps and ants.

One of these species is the Tormentil mining bee, a small black solitary bee that is now nationally scarce. It relies almost entirely on the flower Tormentil for pollen, so large numbers of this plant are essential for its survival. Female bees dig nesting tunnels in sunny, south facing patches of bare or lightly vegetated ground, often in small banks, where they store pollen to feed their young.

Natural England has already funded work to improve habitats for the Tormentil mining bees. This project aims to build on that success by creating more sandy nesting areas and increasing key food plants, including Tormentil, for threatened species like the Tormentil mining be and the heather mining bee. This project will include the creation of bare ground by scraping off the top layer of vegetation and soil to expose sandy soil. In addition, work will also be carried out enhancing grassland by creating an open sward through harrowing and then adding species rich green hay to introduce new plant species, favoured by the bees.

Scheme / Programme

The Purple Horizons Project is an award winning initiative, supported by Natural England to connect Sutton Park National Nature Reserve with Cannock Chase, the largest heathland in the Midlands. By restoring and linking heathlands and other habitats, the project supports wildlife and helps nature cope with climate change. The Pollinator Project is a key part of this work, supporting bees and other insects by improving their food and nesting areas.

Scale

The scale of this project is 2 hectares.

Project delivery timeline

Bee beach creation needs to happen between October and February each year to prevent impacts on other species. Grassland work needs to be carried out in late summer or early autumn. The project would be ready to start in October 2026 if funded was secured before then. We are looking for funding for another 3 years, at which point progress will be reviewed before launching another phase.

Community involvement

There is ongoing consultation with local residents and Friends of groups regarding the project. The project would be delivered alongside Walsall Conservation Volunteers, Birmingham and the Black Country Wildlife Trust and Corporate Social Responsibility partners.

There would be a programme of events over the three years to continue the work already completed. We anticipate up to 100 volunteers may be involved from the various groups we work with.