RestPoll (Restoring Pollinator habitats across European agricultural landscapes based on multi-actor participatory approaches) is an international research and innovation project aimed at restoring and connecting pollinator habitats across European agricultural landscapes by promoting biodiversity, ecosystem health and balanced land use. The decline in the number and diversity of wild pollinating insects – such as bees, hoverflies, butterflies – is one of the most significant environmental challenges at European level, and the RestPoll project addresses it in an interdisciplinary approach. About 75% of the experts involved in the project are nature scientists, while 25% are representatives of the social sciences. The project implementer in Latvia is Baltic Studies Centre (BSC), which, as a representative of social sciences, focuses on the exploration of public opinion, involvement of landowners and evaluation of the activities of the local living lab. Senior researcher Anda Ādamsone-Fiskoviča from BSC emphasizes that this project provides an opportunity for both research and public participation.
Compared to countries such as France, Italy or Belgium, the situation of pollinators in Latvia is not so critical at the moment. The mosaic of Latvian landscapes with different habitats, which are located relatively close to each other, provides more favourable conditions for pollinators. However, trends show that the situation may change – with the increase in farm size and the predominance of monocultures, pollinator-friendly habitats are becoming less and less. "We still live in Latvia as such a small green islet, where pollinators have more favourable conditions, but we see that trends are changing," emphasizes A. Ādamsone-Fiskoviča, a representative of the project. With the increase in intensive agriculture and the use of chemical inputs, as well as the exacerbation of conditions caused by climate change, the risk to pollinator populations in Latvia may increase rapidly.
Project activities in Latvia
In Latvia, the activities in the RestPoll project are closely related to existing initiatives, especially the GrassLIFE and GrassLIFE2 projects coordinated by the Latvian Fund for Nature. These successive projects are aimed at protecting and restoring natural grassland habitats, promoting their sustainable management and public awareness of the importance of meadows in preserving biodiversity.
The most important RestPoll activities involving BSC researchers are:
- Pollinator monitoring: a year ago, the first round of monitoring was organized in eight GrassLIFE/GrassLIFE2 farms, this year, attracting both foreign and local biologists/entomologists, a second round is planned in five of them. Monitoring is based on a common methodology – three different fields are selected on each farm (with grassland restoration measures implemented, without measures, in a model state), in which the presence of pollinators and flowering plants is recorded according to a strict protocol.
- Policy analysis: An evaluation of policies at European level regarding their direct and indirect impact on pollinator restoration measures has been carried out.
- Awareness of public opinion: several surveys of consumers and land users on their attitudes towards pollinators and environmentally friendly practices, as well as food products created with their help, are already being implemented and planned.
- Monitoring of the living lab: cooperation and exchange of experience between GrassLIFE/GrassLIFE2 stakeholders is to be evaluated.
- Identification of existing practices and experiences: identification of locally used pollinator restoration solutions and identification of the experience of their users for the development of further practical recommendations will be implemented.
Ādamsone-Fiskoviča points out: "In Latvia, we are basing the project on an existing initiative. This is very valuable because we can take advantage of activities that have already begun and expand their impact."
Partnerships and future perspectives
Although formally RestPoll's Latvian partner is only BSC, the cooperation is broad. Contacts have been established with the Latvian Fund for Nature, the institute "Agrihorts" of the Latvian University of Biosciences and Technology, the Latvian Entomological Society and the University of Latvia. "There are not many researchers working with pollinators in Latvia. Therefore, it is important to build a community and collaborate," comments A. Ādamsone-Fiskoviča, stressing the need to strengthen interdisciplinary professional capacity in this field.
Internal knowledge exchange in the RestPoll project takes place regularly – partners share their experiences on grassland restoration, flower strips, placement of insect hotels and other practices aimed at providing habitats beneficial to wild pollinators, as well as on the enabling and inhibiting conditions for the implementation of these practices. Solutions are also being sought to develop rapid assessmnet methods of pollinators that are accessible to farmers. A. Ādamsone-Fiskoviča: "The public's understanding of pollinators is often superficial – often only bees and bumblebees are understood by them, but the diversity of pollinators is much wider." The researcher points out that the project will help to accumulate experience, which will be useful in introducing the mandatory monitoring of pollinators provided for by the European Union's policy. "RestPoll is an opportunity to learn now what we will need to implement on a larger scale in the future."
Although the impact of immediate significant changes is not expected in Latvia, RestPoll makes a significant contribution in the long term – both to research in natural and social sciences and to public information. The project also aims to develop a new support scheme based on payments for the restoration and maintenance of pollinator services and to assess its practical use. Another important direction is towards a brand of pollinator-friendly products, which could foster new market niches and raise awareness of biodiversity in food production. "Our goal is to make the public see pollinators as an essential part of the food chain, not just as an element of the natural landscape," sums up A. Ādamsone-Fiskoviča.
More information about the project: https://restpoll.eu/