The challenge
Biodiversity of flora and fauna is swiftly declining in the urban environment, and Amsterdam is no exception. In specific, the decay of bees, butterflies, and other insects in and around the city causes lots of trees and flowers to become less and less common.
Hedgehog Company noticed this trend as well, and we wanted to take matters into our own hands. Hence, we launched our own non-profit project ‘Laat Mokum Bloeien!’.
The approach
In collaboration with Honey Highway, we sowed a mixture of seeds of indigenous flowers and plants, which stimulates growth of the population of wild bees. The sown square meters were sponsored by Amsterdam based companies, who also share the vision of a greener and more nature-inclusive city.
The result
Not only does this project promote biodiversity in the city of Amsterdam, it also contributes to improving our living environment. Studies have shown that exposure to urban green spaces is associated with positive outcomes related to physical health and mental well-being.
Especially around schools, it should be of key importance that children have access to a green environment and connect more with nature in their school yards. Through this experience, city kids will become more appreciative of nature, and hopefully some of them will want to contribute in creating an ingrained nature-inclusive Amsterdam in the near future, just as we try to do with ‘Laat Mokum Bloeien!’.