WCF – Report for PLT – June 2026

Executive Summary

The meeting focused on updates and discussions related to ongoing projects and initiatives involving pollinator surveys, urban biodiversity, and community engagement.

The group reviewed progress on pollinator surveys across multiple sites in London, including Edinburgh, Canary Wharf, and the Tate Modern garden project. The upcoming events, include the annual pollinator count seminar on July 13^th. Potential visits include the Clerkenwell Pollinator Pathway sites. The team reviewed ongoing research initiatives, including bumblebee tracking activities, moth monitoring using the Lepisense device, and wellbeing surveys. A discussion on the forthcoming collaborations with organizations like “Better Bankside” and the “Land Trust”. A new opportunity to lead “DEFRA's Pollinator Action Plan” part on urban pollinators. Ideas for green wall designs for pollinators.

Pollinator Survey Update Meeting

A casual conversation of concern about the cold weather and local flora. The group moved to review with an update on pollinator surveys, which had started in mid-April. So far 26 sites surveyed, although weather conditions had since deteriorated further work. So far 10 out of 30 planned sites in Edinburgh had begun. The current scope of work includes 28 core sites in London, with smaller projects in Clerkenwell, Camden, Canary Wharf, Urbanist near the Tower of London, with potential work at Bankside and Hampton Court. It was noted of the successful recruitment of additional qualified pollinator ecologists to support the expanding project portfolio.

Pollinator Habitat Site Visit Planning

Potential site visits for pollinator habitat projects discussed. Particularly focus on the Tate Modern garden, which is currently under renovation. The group needed to coordinate with the Tate to discuss visiting arrangements and survey timing: noting that any visit/s would need to be coordinated with RHS since they are involved in the project. A number of the group mentioned a successful site visit to the Land Trust locations in Beam and Greenwich, where they saw good pollinator habitat work underway.

Urban Pollinators Project Updates

The team discussed several ongoing and upcoming projects related to urban pollinators and biodiversity with potential funding bid between their organisations and a collaboration with Central London ecologists on a pollinator research project with the City of London Corporation. They also mentioned a new project with an Oxford University postgraduate student studying butterflies and a planned bumblebee-tracking activity near the Cannon Bridge roof garden: which will run for at least 10 days and gathering much meaningful data. Heather shared her positive experience presenting at the (GIGL) Greenspace Information for Greater London’s Day of Nature event.

July 13th Event Planning Meeting

The team discussed plans for the Annual pollinator Count seminar July 13th, to include presentations at CMS (The international legal firm above Cannon Street station) and the pollinator count at Greyfriars. where, weather permitting, the Lady Mayoress may be attending.

Partnership and Pollinator Initiatives Update

A recent meeting with “Better Bankside” hopefully, a potential small project to collect data on pollinator diversity and quality of habitats in green spaces for pollinators, though nothing has been confirmed yet, it will be monitored . This opportunity came through the Worshipful Company of Gardeners' Future Gardeners program, who are now responsible for “Better Bankside”, and has expressed interest in collaborating with PLT.

The group has also explored potential connections between Better Bankside and Tate Modern through Bankside Open Spaces Trust (BOST).
DEFRA has invited PLT to lead the urban pollinator component of the new Pollinator Action Plan, in collaboration with the University of Reading, which will lead the agricultural side.
The moth recording device (Lepisense) is now operational at Middle Temple, with plans to expand to other sites throughout the 2026 season.

Well-being Surveys and Garden Initiatives

The well-being questionnaire in collaboration with the University of Reading is awaiting ethical approval before data collection can begin. The work will be undertaken by an MSc student in a new collaboration with the Worshipful Company of Gardeners' "Flowers in the City" initiative, This will require from PLT help identify, map, and assess roof gardens sustainable planting program.

Project Updates and Site Visit

Upcoming presentation to the Landscape Group at Charterhouse by PLT later in the week. A visit to Victoria organised with Land Securities buildings sector and observed rooftop bird management efforts, including netting to prevent damage from jackdaws and rooks.

Sustainability Project Site Visits

The team discussed a successful visit to a Land Securities development observing a wetland area being created on the Buckingham Gate building's roof to increase biodiversity. There are other potential collaboration opportunities with Land Securities, including addressing their annual sustainability conference.
The group confirmed a planned visit to Thamesmead on June 10th to see Peabody's Trusts public realm investment project. A visit to the Clerkenwell Pollinator Pathway Project.

Pollinator Habitat Development Discussion

The group discussed several topics related to pollinators and habitat for butterflies, moth’s and bumblebees. The main focus was on developing a green wall design for pollinators, with suggestions made for plant species including field scabious, small scabious, ivy, cranesbill, and particularly nettles: concerns were raised about nettle height in a vertical wall setting.

Michael Badger – WCF Representative to PLT and Science and Education Working Group

Dear Liveryman and fellow environmentalists: The Worshipful Companies of Gardeners and Wax Chandlers initiated Pollinating London Together (PLT) as a network-driven initiative with a shared goal: to protect London’s vital pollinators and promote biodiversity. Founded in 2020, PLT began as a collaboration among the City of London’s livery companies. Today, it has grown into a thriving community, uniting livery companies, businesses, schools and other organisations to raise awareness of pollinator decline and drive positive action across the city. In 2023, PLT became an independent charity, further strengthening its mission to protect pollinators and promote biodiversity. Charity Number 1201781. Our work can be seen on the
PLT website, www.pollinatinglondontogether.com

It is strongly felt that all members of livery companies are keen environmentalists. And to this end, we invite you to become active participants by “Doing Your Bit” without adding any more work to your busy lives… in essence, becoming armchair participants by encouraging urban dwellers and office space holders to participate in this valuable work to protect the natural environment.

It is suggested that you provide at your home or a place of business, the ambience necessary to help all pollinating insects by planting suitable shrubs/flowers in your garden, patio or place of work, they can be window boxes or garden tubs too. Pollinating insects include butterflies, Moths, Bumble Bees, Hoverflies, Wasps and Beetles.

If you have a south-facing wall in direct sunlight, you might consider placing “Bee Hotel” or even a bird box a metre above head height, will be ideal. The discarded nest material is an attractant

A typical inexpensive “Bee Hotel” available via Amazon or any garden shop

It needs to be recognised that honeybees (Apis mellifera) are not recognised under the “Red List” for endangered species, despite the considerable publicity given that they are.

See the attached Separate Appendix 1- For Plants and Shrubs that attract the pollinators, for protecting London’s vital pollinators, which are deemed ideal to promote biodiversity. The listed plants and shrubs are readily available at garden centres in seed form or as both plants and shrubs. Propagation is relatively simple and inexpensive.

Prepared by Michael Badger MBE and Dr Konstantinos Tsiolis PhD for the PLT Science & Education Group.
17^th May 2026

Appendix 1- For Plants and Shrubs – Known to Attract the Pollinators for Protecting London’s Vital Pollinators to Promote Biodiversity.

Moths - These beneficial insects are sometimes overlooked in favour of their generally more colourful cousins, the butterflies. But moths provide important services too: as well as pollinating our night-flowering plants, they play an important role in pollinating crops and wildflowers, complementing the services of daytime pollinators. Moths are vital players in a healthy ecosystem and a valuable food source for garden birds.

Evening primrose (Oenothera): Honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum): Summer-Flowering Jasmines (e.g. Jasminum officinale): White campion (Silene latifolia): Sweet rocket (Hesperis matronalis): Lilac (Syringa vulgaris)

Moth Caterpillars - Lackey moth (Malacosoma neustria), Cinnabar moth (Tyria jacobaeae) - To help moths all year round, and at all stages of their lifecycle, it’s important to also provide food plants for moth caterpillars. Whereas adult moths feed on nectar from flowers, the caterpillars feed on leaves, so require different plants. The Death’s Head Hawkmoth uses the fragrant lilac for its early life cycle.

Foxgloves (Digitalis): Lady’s bedstraw (Galium verum): Mullein (Verbascum thapsus, V. bombyciferum): Mint (Mentha species): Mixed native trees or hedge - No hedge is more valuable to wildlife than a mixed native hedge, which provides for a huge range of insects, mammals and birds. Include species such as Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa), Hazel (Coryllus avellana) and Dog Rose (Rosa canina), each of which is a food plant for several different moth caterpillars. If you have space for a larger native tree, oak, birch and willow all support several moth species, as well as a host of other wildlife.

Bees: Patio Container Plants for Bees -
The Cosmos Apollo series: Dahlia Happy Single Series: Erysimum ‘Bowles’s Mauve’ long flowering perennial: Lobularia maritima ‘Violet Queen’: Pieris japonica ‘Valley Valentine’:

Bees Beetles, Hoverflies: Garden Flowers and Shrubs
Rudbeckia hirta ‘Toto’: Sarcococca ‘Dragon Gate’: Lilac ‘Coombe Fishacre’ : Verbena rigida: buddleia – “Butterfly bush” (Buddleja) : Many varieties of English Lavender (Lavandula): Lavandula angustifolia: hybrid Lavandula x intermedia: Hebe : Fragrant honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum): marjoram or oregano (Origanum vulgare): Tobacco (Nicotiana): Evening Primrose (Oenothera bienis): Jasmine (Jasminum officinale): Night flowering catch fly (Silene noctiflora): Bell flower (Campanula persicifolia): Yellow Loosestrife (Lysimachinia vulgaris): Lamb’s Ear (Stachys byzantine) Scabious (Scabiosa pincushion) : Mignotte (Resedaceane): White Bryony (Bryonia dioica).

All Insect Food Sources – Trees and Common Weeds -

Dandelions: Field Buttercups: Kilmarnock Willow (Salix caprea): Horse Chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum): Common Lime (Tilia vulgaris): Norway Maple (Acer platanoids): Himalayan Balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) : Rosebay Willow Herb (Chamerion angustifolium)

Caution: It should be noted that the use of common herbicides for controlling the spread of weeds etc; are to be used with extreme caution as they may have hidden toxic effects on pollinating insects.

PLT Is a group of like-minded individuals who have come together to form a united front, and to do their bit to arrest the rapid decline in All pollinating insects within in the London conurbation.

PLT is a joint initiative of the Gardener's and Wax Chandlers Livery Companies, instigated six years ago. It is made up of specialist's in entomology, botany and agronomy, who are drawn from a wide church of organisations with exceptional expertise for PLT to call-upon on.

The City Livery Companies and Ward Clubs have become involved with members who too are concerned about the loss of these important insects who do so much to ensure we enjoy the flora seen in our daily life. Our Clerk, Mrs Gaisford initiated the Company’s involvement, and I have, metaphorically speaking taken up the reins. 

The main issues for the decline in pollinating insects is complex. There are many theories of why: the obvious ones are lack of forage, pollution, competition from other insects, climate change, pesticides, and ignorance too.

There are four principle agents to the pollination of flora with the wind the main agency, a multitude of insects, birds and mammals and water.

All terrestrial ecosystems rely on pollinating systems, there has and still is a myth that without Honeybees the flora we know would within a short time disappear. Honeybees and other bees do play a part, but so do other agencies.

The decline in pollinating insects is aggravated by the chronic shortfall in pollen bearing flora. Pollen is the essential protein supplement of the insect grubs diet in its development from egg to imago. Without pollen being readily available the insects cannot develop. Bumblebee conservation is known to suggest that shortages of flora does create and hamper full size development of emerging adults. The colony size of a bumblebee is scant averaging 500 to 600 foraging workers whereas Honeybees can muster 30,000 to 50,000+.

There is much concern about the Honeybee in the hands of beekeepers that it aggravates the matter especially in urban situations. In a natural situation the two species can prosper without difficulty. However, in nature you do not find several Honeybee colonies living in close proximity as is often the situation in apiaries. PLT’s concerns is the Honeybee impacts in Urban environments to the detriment of all other pollinators.

PLT has recognised this particular issue and through its stewardship have mustered a team of specialist environmentalists to engender all City of London organisation's to get involved. It is a myth to say Honeybees are in decline to the extent that without them all animal life would ultimately fail. It is the humble Bumblebee who is on the “Red Danger List”. It is asked not to encourage City Institutions within the square mile and beyond to have Honeybees on their premises.

In addition, overtures have been made to all the Livery Companies and Ward Clubs to become involved. From a personal perspective, l believe everyone one in the Farriers Company would like to do their bit to halt the decline in all pollinating insects. To this end, l can make suggestions to you on how your modest contribution can help with a minimum input and timescales, to achieve a modicum of success in arresting the decline in Bumblebees, Butterflies and Moths. By planting certain flowers and shrubs you will readily observe within a short time, the arrival of rarely seen butterflies and moths, seeking out bounties of both nectar and pollen.

Liveryman Michael Badger MBE – Pollinating London Together, Farriers' Company Representative.