‘BEESAFE’ CAMPAIGN CALLS FOR MP FOR SHERWOOD MARK SPENCER TO RE-THINK THE USE OF BEE-KILLING PESTICIDES
Protect Newark’s Green Spaces (PNGS) has launched a campaign - ‘BeeSafe Say No to Neonics’ - urging Mark Spencer, MP for Sherwood, to reverse his decision to permit the use of bee-killing pesticides, without parliamentary debate or vote.
The UK government has allowed the emergency use of neonicotinoid pesticides in England for the third year running, a move which has been met with outrage from the public.
The decision to permit these harmful pesticides, lobbied for by British Sugar and National Farmers Union, is of particular relevance to the local area, as the British Sugar Factory is located in Newark, Nottingham. The use of these pesticides has been banned by the EU but allowed by the UK government, causing concern for the safety and well-being of local wildlife and the environment.
Protect Newark’s Green Spaces and the general public are deeply concerned about the effects of these bee-killing pesticides on local wildlife and the environment. They urge the public to join their BeeSafe campaign and make their voices heard.
"The health of us all and our food security depends on the survival of bees. The government must fulfil its duty to protect wildlife and keep pesticides off our crops for good. Farmers need proper support for alternatives, not a green light for using toxic chemicals," says Emma Oldham, Conservation Biologist, and PNGS campaigner.
“We are calling on MP Mark Spencer to take responsibility and reverse his decision. This is the third consecutive year that the government has ignored its own scientific advisors' advice, with potentially devastating consequences for bees and other vital pollinators.”
The campaign is calling on MP for Sherwood Mark Spencer to rule out any further relaxations of the use of banned neonicotinoids without Parliamentary approval, take robust steps to develop alternative support for farmers and commit assurances that the use of banned neonicotinoids will remain should the EU Retained Legislation Bill be passed.
"It's time to take action. We need to make our voices heard and protect our local environment from these hazardous chemicals. If we all come together, we can ensure that our local environment is protected against the threat of bee-killing pesticides," says Pamela Ball, a locally known PNGS member who helped stop the felling of trees in Newark Library Garden.
PNGS believes MP for Sherwood Mark Spencer has shown a disregard for the safety and well-being of the local population, with his decision to permit the use of bee-killing pesticides. The organisation urges the local community to continue to fight for their rights and the environment.
PNGS has created an email template accessible via their website, and they encourage all Nottinghamshire residents to email Mark Spencer and demand action.
"We are deeply concerned about the effect of bee-killing pesticides on our local wildlife and the environment. Pollination is a critical ecosystem service which underpins agricultural systems across the world,” says Wendy Patterson. “It is woefully shortsighted to kill bees for the sake of one crop, rather than developing alternatives for sugar beet growers. We urge the public to join us and make their voice heard.”
About Protect Newark's Greenspaces
Protect Newark's Green Spaces is a local community organisation, working to protect green spaces from development and pollution whilst enhancing green areas for wildlife to thrive and providing events and opportunities for people to connect with nature.
NOTES TO EDITOR:
Images can be accessed via Dropbox here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/akzidn5ymja3an2/AAD_i104PWG6fNeJ-Sj8BwNXa?dl=0
[1] Research shows that these chemicals are responsible for sub-lethal effects, such as impairing bee learning and memory—which affects a bee colony’s ability to forage for food. Worse still, the pesticides also get into the pollen and nectar, which the bees then carry back and expose to the whole hive.
[2] A 2019 study published in the journal Science found that birds that consumed small, field-realistic doses of neonic-coated seeds lost weight and suffered delays in their migration.
