urbanpollinators.co.uk

Welcome to Urban Pollinators

This site exists as an archive of Urban Pollinators’ work. Julian Dobson, Urban Pollinators’ director until 2022, can now be contacted via the Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research at Sheffield Hallam University.

How much more evidence do we need to invest in green spaces?

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We know green spaces are good for us. The evidence is overwhelming. So why don’t we invest in what we know to be healthy and helpful, when we can find £522 million to subsidise people who want a meal out?  In case there’s any doubt about the evidence, earlier this year a team at Sheffield Hallam University […]

A critical hope is the foundation to #BuildBackBetter

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by Julian Dobson and Rowland Atkinson In the middle of the COVID-19 crisis, the hashtag #buildbackbetter became a rallying cry on social media for those who saw the need and opportunity to reconstruct our cities. Demands included closing streets to traffic to reduce pollution and create spaces for play; investing in renewable energy; creating affordable […]

Space to Thrive: the benefits of parks and green spaces

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We all know parks and green spaces are good for us. One of the problems is that this is not always reflected in policy and decision-making. There always seem to be more pressing – or more desperate – priorities, particularly in circumstances where local government funding has been cut in half over the last decade. […]

Why diggers are better than levellers

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God, so the saying goes, helps those who helps themselves. If you’re not of a godly persuasion, you might say you make your own luck. Action brings its own rewards. These are truisms that have filtered their way into philosophy and social policy, but it’s worth stepping back and doing a bit of de-filtering. I […]