More than 300 bus stops in the Dutch city of Utrecht have had their roofs transformed by plants to help biodiversity such as honey bees and bumblebees. Photo: Courtesy Mobilane
Environment NetherlandsBees and Butterflies Now Live on Bus Stops (yes, Bus Stops!)
As part of its global green plan, the city of Utrecht in the Netherlands has decided to add a multitasking succulent plant on the roof of 316 of its bus stops, turning them into, among other things, new habitats for bees and butterflies.
“The sedum plant filters the air, catches fine dust, and in this way, improves the quality of the air,” says Annelies Kieboom from Mobilane, the company that supplied green roof “cassettes” to the bus-stop operators. “Even for small areas, it’s useful.”
Since the number of some insects dropped in half over the last two decades, adding this low maintenance plant helps the survival of endangered insects. The sedum also soaks up some water in times of heavy rains and cools down the waiting area during heat waves. Overall, the tiny roof gardens improve the quality of the air. The Dutch city has also added solar panels to 96 of its bus stops, and opened the largest bike-parking garage in the world that can contain 12,500 places.
