£5,000 grants on offer in south-east England to support bees

Grants of up to £5,000 are available to farmers in the South Downs National Park to help create wildlife corridors for bees and other pollinators.

The South Downs National Park Trust is embarking on one of the biggest charitable wildflower planting initiatives the South East has ever seen, after raising £75,000 to fund its Bee Lines project

The grants are available to farmers and landowners, although this money must be match-funded by the applicant either financially or in kind.

Applicants must also commit to help maintain the wildflowers without support in future years.

See also: Defra claims hands are tied on CS greening changes

They can use the funding for improving existing land to benefit pollinators, for example, through cultivation and introducing seed mixes.

Eligible projects for Bee Lines should sit within the South Downs National Park and applications will be assessed against criteria including habitat improvement, connectivity with other Bee Lines and community impact.

Expressions of interest must be submitted before midnight on 30 September.

For more details and guidance, visit South Downs National Park Trust website.