Submitted by Abigail Youngman on Thu, 12/03/2026 - 10:40
Research groups in this Department are playing an important part in Europe’s response to pollinator decline.
Through their participation in the EU-funded Safeguard and RestPoll projects, our researchers contribute significantly both to practical guidance and to policy advice for everyone interested in pollinator and nature restoration, from local practitioners to national and international governmental agencies.
Our participation in these projects highlights the essential role of research in robust, evidence‑based policies to protect Europe’s pollinators for the future.
RestPoll
Professor Lynn Dicks and other members of our Agroecology Group are part of RestPoll, a highly transdisciplinary project that aims to provide society with tools to reverse wild pollinator declines and to position Europe as a global leader in pollinator restoration.
The project has just released a new policy brief to support action under the EU Nature Restoration Law. The content is underpinned by the Conservation Evidence database. Will Morgan, a postdoc in the Agroecology group, and Professor Dicks are both authors.
The brief emphasises that creating higher quality, better connected habitats and reducing intensive land-use practices—such as limiting pesticide use and adapting mowing and grazing regimes—can significantly strengthen pollinator communities. These measures not only boost biodiversity but also improve environmental resilience and support sustainable agriculture.
The brief stresses that restoration is equally impactful in urban green spaces, offering communities opportunities to engage with nature while contributing to climate and ecological goals. By promoting multifunctional landscapes that support pollinators, the recommendations also deliver benefits for soil and water health, climate mitigation and community well‑being, as well as supporting long-term economic resilience
Safeguard
The Safeguard project is an EU Horizon 2020 consortium that includes Professor Mark Brown’s group. The project's final symposium took place in Brussels on Thursday 26 February.
Safeguard focused on understanding the status of wild pollinators across Europe, identifying the pressures that threaten them, and evaluating strategies to mitigate these threats. At the symposium, researchers presented their findings to stakeholders and representatives of the European Commission. Professor Brown highlighted work from his group, led by Dr Morgan Morrison, an alumna of this Department, which revealed how pathogens can spill over from managed honey bees to wild bee species, even within Europe’s protected grasslands. The group’s research demonstrates not only the ecological implications of such spillover but also practical measures could be used to minimise this threat.
Read more:
Knapp, J., Dicks, L., Kranke, N., Morgan, W., Potts, S., Smith, H.G., Stout, J., Thijssen, M., Thompson, A., Klein, A.M. (2026). Restoring pollinators in Europe: Evidence- based actions for Nature Restoration Plans. Policy brief written by RestPoll (EU Horizon project No. 101082102). Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18655302