Environmental education and raising awareness about pollinators and
beneficial insects
Project Title: Environmental education and raising awareness about pollinators and
beneficial insects
Context: Insects are important because of their diversity, ecological role, and influence on
agriculture, human health, and natural resources. Unfortunately, climate change,
degradation and fragmentation of natural habitats, urbanization, monoculture farming and
frequent use of pesticides, affect the diversity of insects throughout the world, and Cyprus is
no exception to the rule; insects as low-fecundity organisms, are slow to recover from these
perturbations. Pollinators are both ecologically and agriculturally important, they are
responsible for reproduction most of the plants and production seeds, so and for
evolutionary diversification. In addition, they enhance biodiversity to the ecosystem. Insects
are the major pollinators of most plants, nevertheless, birds, bats, and other mammals are
also important pollinators; insect pollinators include all families of bees, hoverflies, bumble
bees, butterflies, and wasps. Regarding to natural enemies (e.g., predators and parasitoids),
many species are used worldwide as biological control agents (e.g. predators of aphids,
such as ladybirds and aphidophagous hoverflies). According to Getanjaly (2015) "Natural
enemies responsible nearby 33% of the natural pest control in cultivated systems"; however,
natural enemies are also important for natural and urban habitats. Cyprus is considered a
biodiversity “hotspot” area, the only center for endemism for birds in Europe and the
Middle East, a center of endemism for mammals, with six out of its 11 wild mammals being
endemic, and a center of plant. The island host also a huge number of insect species,
including many endemics; 369 species of wild bees have been recorded, with twenty-one of
them are endemic.
Project objectives: This project aims to fill the gap in lack of education about the beneficial
insects. It also aims to study the impacts of urbanization and roadside verges on pollinators
and create a database. In collaboration with the Akrotiri Environmental Education Centre
(AEEC), we will organize workshops/presentations to inform stakeholders and public from
the SBAs and the republic of Cyprus regarding research needs. We will promote the
development of environmental literacy through educational tools and the use of narrative to
children.
Key deliverables:
-Environmental educational tools (children’s books)
-Information sources
-Workshops and dissemination events
-School visits
-Final report
Start date: April 2024
End date: March 2025
Duration: 12 months
Funded by: Biodiversity Challenge Funds – Department for Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs, UK
Budget: €58,007
Project DPL00081 – Project website
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