HUNDREDS of people have already signed up to a campaign which aims to get Dorset buzzing.

As reported, Dorset Wildlife Trust has launched the initiative to help the county’s declining pollinators, and it is hoped that 2,000 people will pledge to do at least one thing to help out.

More than 1,500 people have already signed up.

Pollinators, including bees, butterflies and hoverflies, are vital for many reasons - our flowering plants, fruits, vegetables, animals and insects all rely on their work to stay alive. One in 3threemouthfuls of food we eat is possible because of the pollination process. Bees specifically contribute over £650 million a year to the UK’s economy, yet three bumblebee species have become extinct in recent decades.

One of the main reasons pollinators are in decline is loss of habitat. Traditionally, pollinators would be found in wildflower meadows in the UK, but this habitat has declined by 97 per cent since the 1930s.

Dorset Wildlife Trust says this is why what we’re doing in our gardens really matters - and that’s why they are sharing information of how people with gardens can help pollinators in the campaign.

The campaign is supported by wildlife gardening expert from BBC Gardeners’ World, Kate Bradbury, and DWT’s new President, entomologist and TV presenter, Dr George McGavin.

Dr McGavin said: “We can bring the bees back - we can make Dorset buzz again and it will be a great example to everybody else on how to do it right.”

People who take the Pollinator Pledge on the Dorset Wildlife Trust website will be sent a pack with seasonal tips and advice, plus plant discounts. There is also access to a Facebook page where people can share their successes and questions, which can be answered by gardening and wildlife experts.

As part of the campaign, Dorset Wildlife Trust is touring the county, and it launched its roadshow at the Prince of Wales School in Dorchester, where pupils really got into the swing of things, learning about how they can help pollinators thrive in the future.

Dr McGacvin added: “It’s hard to imagine a world without bees and other pollinators, but it would be a pretty bleak place and it certainly wouldn’t be a place I would wish to live.”

For more information, and to sign up, visit www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/gdb-signup