The crash in pollinator populations across the globe threatens ecosystems and food security, requiring monitoring tools and protection strategies to be put in place to support these vital insects. TEF is supporting the X-Polli:Nation project that aims to get communities buzzing. This project shares (or ‘cross-pollinates’) approaches and tools between members of the public, scientists, technologists and educators in order to support pollinators, people and the practice of citizen science. 

More specifically, the project is based on a participatory approach encouraging people to create appropriate pollinator friendly habitats and improving green areas by planting flowers and vegetables. Participants will involve students, family/friends, by sharing seeds, photos, methods, etc. The aim is to create a community spreading the word about conserving pollinators by using a specific communication campaign, while collecting evidence for their conservation. Schools will benefit from a comprehensive education programme which interactively teaches young people about every stage of the scientific process and data collection. Beehotels and flowering plant seeds will distributed as a polli-kit for favoring pollinating insects and make people actively involved. This project will begin at the start of the scholastic year (autumn 2021) and will be coordinated through the Museum of Natural History in Grosseto.