From Bees to Butterflies, Pollinators Get a Big Boost of Protection

The Netherlands has been doubling down on its effort to save pollinators in the past decade, and the strategies and measures they’ve taken constitute a roadmap to help other countries follow in their footsteps.

Pollinators are more than bees – honey and wild. They also include hoverflies, beetles, butterflies, and other species. The first measures to protect them were taken in 2013 when the Netherlands launched the Bee Health Action Program to help honeybees. In 2016, the Netherlands was one of 14 countries that founded Promote Pollinators. And in 2018, the National Pollinator Strategy was launched in the Netherlands, comprising 70 initiatives – and as of today, 120 initiatives – like creating more nesting sites and improving pollinators’ access to food.

“There’s a lot of energy going into the [National Pollinator] Strategy, which is a big change from 10 years ago,” says David Kleijn, a professor at Wageningen University. “It has drawn attention to pollinators, it has gotten people to think about their decline, and motivated them to do something about it. Today, there are over a hundred initiatives. In that sense, it’s a big success.”

As part of the Strategy, wildflower patches, insect hotels, and green roofs help bees access food. Also, it is strictly forbidden to use pesticides in public green spaces. “All stakeholders are working towards the same goal: more food and shelter for insect pollinators,” explains Nicky Kruizinga, who monitors the Strategy. “There’s definitely a shift towards pollinator-friendly landscapes and nature-inclusive farming.”