More bees in the forest thanks to ecological enrichment
Keystone-SDA
A project near Bern has confirmed that the ecological enrichment of forests, especially by creating more sunlit areas, improves species diversity – by encouraging plants which attract wild bees.
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The results of the project to boost biodiversity in wooded areas on the banks of the River Aare between Thun and Bern confirm this trend, according to Bern cantonal authorities.
During the project, two areas were compared – one ecologically enhanced, the other not. It seems that the number of wild bees is significantly higher in the rehabilitated area: not just in overall terms, but also in terms of variety of species, the canton said.
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Of the 311 wild bees counted, 175 (60%) occupied the enriched area. The difference is even more striking when the species are taken into account: the ecologically enriched area was home to 64 species, 21 more than the other area.
The project will enter a second phase in winter 2025-2026.
Switzerland is home to some 600 different species of bee. Nearly half area threatened, especially those that nest in the ground.
Translated from French by DeepL/dos
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