Project Pollenize | Rewilding Seeds for Schools

On the 3rd of December 2020 we raised over £75, 000 to equip every school child in Plymouth with a packet of our wildflower seed packets, that's approximately 36,000 kids!

A bit about Pollenize...

Pollenize CIC is a social enterprise and pollinator conservation organisation and beekeeping group that brings together the power of community and science to fight against pollinator decline. Our main areas of work involve extracting data from our beehives for the good of the natural environment whilst coordinating community beekeeping, engagement with schools, citizen science and rewilding.

We have a network of 11 community funded research apiaries (beehive sites) stocked with native honeybees across Plymouth landmarks. All of these beehives will soon be fitted with pioneering AI technology and tubes to capture pollen for DNA analysis so we will be capable of understanding insect behaviour like never before. In 2022 we are expanding this operation into Cornwall by installing 32 apiaries across the county. 

The scientific data collected from our beehives teaches us a lot about the health of our local ecosystems. Our seed packets contain a large variety of native wildflowers that address floral gaps identified by government databases and the pollen DNA results from our very own honeybees. We now want to create more diverse and healthier habitat for our pollinators and insects by encouraging the public to plant our seeds and Pollenize their patch!

Why does  it matter?

Recent studies from around the globe have indicated a drastic decline in pollinator and insect abundance, diversity, distribution and biomass. 

These species are not only extraordinary animals, but they provide a vital connection between wildlife, food production and human health and their decline threatens important natural processes. 

Much of the public feel deeply concerned about climate change, but are very short on options to fight back against it. The most prevalent methods are sacrificial life-choices - use less plastic, change diet etc.

What we’re offering is for the public to take action in an exciting way that can feel like an addition to their lifestyle, as opposed to subtraction. 

Our rewilding seed packets are a simple and effective way to take action and put the power in the children's hands. They are the custodians of the planet, and we want them to be driving force for creating a healthier habitat for insects and pollinators. 

Not only is the abundance of biodiversity and being amongst wildflowers beneficial for people's wellbeing, the learning outcomes for the Seeds for Schools project are immeasurable. Children will not only learn about the importance of biodiversity, species of wildflowers and pollination but they will feel empowered to be actively engaged in the fight against climate change.  We believe this kind of planet positivity can have a knock-on ripple effect across generations and communities.

A big lesson in every seed packet 

We have developed citizen science seed packets to offer an interactive and fun opportunity for people to get involved with our conservation work. 

Once our seeds are planted the children can log their sowing coordinates to a live map on our website (V2 in development), thus contributing to our vital research. This interactive feature makes our seed packets unique from similar products and this means that Pollenize can coordinate a large scale citizen-science experiment which encourages communities to create a sense of pride and unity in their local areas. 

Watch the video below to see how our citizen seed project works:

Not only is the abundance of biodiversity and being amongst wildflowers beneficial for people's wellbeing, the learning outcomes for the Seeds for Schools project are immeasurable. 

 The learning outcomes for the children include

• Engaging in the fight against climate change
• Taking  part in a large scale citizen science experiment
• Understanding the importance of biodiversity and pollination
• Learning about DNA and species of wildflowers

We believe this kind of education and planet positivity will be a huge assets to school communities and can have a knock-on ripple effect across generations.

Funding towards this project will also be used to facilitate relevant PR and marketing activity, including free learning materials and educational resources for the schools to use. We have plans to create an engaging tutorial video which outlines the sowing instructions and aftercare for our wildflower seeds, enhancing the overall impact.

Legacy to the seed packets 

We want children to plant across their local areas whether that be in local green spaces, gardens, or window boxes. 

Alternatively, if a school has an area they wish to rewild, they can do this also. We want to encourage the children to document the growth and visitation from pollinators in their areas.

 If children send in their photos of them and their wildflower area to our social media, we can celebrate them for becoming a ‘Top Sower’ for their school or town!

Corporate sponsorship

If you're a business interested in sponsoring seed packets for a school of your choice please get in touch: [email protected]

Why pledge?

Thank you for reading our Project we hope you'll agree it's a worthy cause! 

Here's a reminder of how your pledge will be making a difference: 

• Enabling kids to be eco-heros
• Contributing to citizen science 
• Creating rewilding areas for insects and pollinators
• Contributing to scientific research on the health of our environments

By providing citizens with the rewilding tools to ensure our native bees and pollinators can thrive, we will be allowing the public to help pave the way for green recovery for years to come.