Living Lab

Somerset / University of Cambridge & Bumblebee Conservation Trust

Researchers at the University of Cambridge work in collaboration with the Bumblebee Conservation Trust in connection with the S.O.S. (Save Our Shrills) Somerset project. This project is a continuation of BBCT’s work on the species in the region, which has been ongoing since 2011 and was started to secure the future of endangered and rare bumblebees, with a particular focus on the Shrill carder bumblebee Bombus sylvarum. Our focal area of Somerset holds one of only five remaining populations of this species in the UK, and one of just two in England. This work builds upon existing relationships and engages with new stakeholders, including landowners, farmers and councils to create and restore flower-rich habitat as effectively as possible, and deliver pollinator-focused conservation activities around south Somerset. Our aims are to measure and improve the effectiveness of conservation actions and to secure a long-term future for this rare bumblebee species, as well as improving the fortunes of other pollinators in south Somerset

Activities within the Living Labs

Within the Living Lab network, we are conducting an array of different activities at different levels. These include:

Level 1

The center level contains activities that are conducted at the living labs but coordinated by RestPoll members (i.e. pollinator monitoring).

Pollinator and vegetation monitoring (Task 1.2a)
Pollination monitoring (Task 1.2b)
Measuring the effect of co-design (Task 1.3)
Rapid assessment of plants and pollinators (Task 1.4)
Evaluate interactions among landscape-scale drivers and local restoration measures on pollinators (Task 2.2)
Identify synergies and opportunities for improvements of current restoration implementations (Task 2.3)

Level 2

The second level contains activities that are conducted within the living lab with all stakeholders involved (i.e. workshop to discuss implementation of co-designed measures).

Assess co-benefits of pollinators restoration measures and the direct and indirect impacts of restoration measures on bio-economy (Task 2.4 + 3.3)
Develop and test a novel instrument based on Payments for Restoration-mediated Pollination Services (PRPS) (Task 3.2)
Establishing and monitoring progress and knowledge flow with the Living Lab (Task 4.1)
Assessing enabling conditions for pollinator restoration measures (Task 4.3)

Level 3

The third level are activities that are conducted within the living lab during demonstration events, including a larger audience (i.e. workshop on horizon scan).

Level 4

The final level includes activities that involve the general public within the living lab vicinity (i.e. testing of feasibility of tools).

Assessing the awareness of pollinators and willingness to protect them (Task 3.1)
Estimate the value added by wild pollinators to the food value chain (Task 3.4)
Test and evaluate tools for the RestPoll toolbox of restoration methods (Task 5.2)
Survey consumer willingness to purchase biodiversity-friendly products (Task 5.3)
Understanding and evaluating the co-design of pollinator-friendly labels (Task 5.4)