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What’s the


     Buzz at Argyll


     Holidays


     By Jackie McBurney, Environmental
     Co-ordinator for Argyll Holidays                      Photo: Loch Lomond bluebells

                                            pollinating insects on our parks, which
      Argyll Holidays parks are situated in   also led to us gaining bee friendly park
      stunning locations in Argyll, Scotland   status from David Bellamy.
      and in recent years they have been
      doing their bit to help bumblebees    Which was the best method I hear you
      and other pollinating insects with    ask? The answer is both were successful
      some great success stories.           in producing bee friendly flowers. The
                                            areas were tiered, with short manicured
      Jackie McBurney, Environmental Co-    lawn sections, next to areas which were
      ordinator, explains why they decided to   cut every three weeks in rotation in order
      do more.                              to maintain the clovers, buttercups and

      In 2018, the plight of bees all over the   daisies, and the longer uncut areas
      country hit the headlines, it was then we   which produced Devil’s Bit Scabious,
      decided we could do our bit to help.  field buttercup and a plethora of field
                                            flowers.
      We set aside areas on our holiday parks
      to fill with wildflowers for bees and other   Next year’s project - continue planting for
      pollinating insects. The parks combined,   pollinators in our formal beds.
      added an extra 322,804m² to the wild    For the past fifteen years Argyll
      areas already in place at the parks.    Holiday Parks have taken
      We experimented with areas, some we     part in the David Bellamy
      left to naturalise, others we broadcast   Conservation Awards, which
      with a mix of seed. Two seasons later,   has led to all of the parks in the
                                              group gaining the highest accolade of
      we have a bumper crop of bees and       Gold status.

      Carder bee on miniature Rhododendron  Stratheck field













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